Cochrane & Sons Ltd of Selby, builders of the Cloughton Wyke

The company was founded in the mid 1880's by Andrew Cochrane at Selby. In 1898 Cochrane moved the yard to Selby, this being  50 miles away from the sea via the river Ouse. Over the following years the company became known for building trawlers and coasters.

During WW1 the yard built in the region of 90 trawlers for the private sector and 70 purpose built trawlers for the Admiralty. In April 1927 Cochrane & Sons built their 0ne thousandth vessel. The company was able to achieve such a large output by building the trawlers in numbers of up to ten at a time. During WW2 the yard built various vessel types, this including, but not limited to Admiralty rescue tugs, harbour tugs and trawlers. 

During the post war years, 40's, 50's and 60's the construction of vessels was to include tankers and dry cargo coasters, this being alongside the construction of trawlers and tugs for which the yard had built its reputation upon. In 1965 control of the company passed from the Cochrane family to  the Ross Group, who in 1969 sold the company to the Drypool Group. In 1976 the company was bought by the United Towing Company due to the Drypool Group going in to liquidation. 

1977 ... Company name changed to Cohrane Shipbuilders.

1980's ... Company taken over by the Howard Smith Group.

1990's ... Due to a lack of orders the yard closed 1992.

Left ... Cylindrical multi tubular boiler with three plain furnaces as fitted in the Cloughton Wyke.

C. D. Holmes & Co of Hull, builders of the Cloughton Wykes engine and boiler

Founded in 1869 as marine engineers. Based on Alfred Street, English Street and Alexander Docks in Hull. Cook Welton & Gemmel ... Due to a drop in trade and finacial difficulties at Cook Welton and Gemmel ship builders of Beverley, Holmes aquired a major stake in the company in 1927.Due to a lack of orders the Cook, Welton & Gemmell yard closed down in 1963. Soon after the closure of the yard it was purchased by C. D. Holmes and renamed the Beverley Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd. In 1973 the yard was taken over by the Dry Pool Group who went into lquidation in 1975. In 1976 the yard was taken over by the Whitby Shipyard Ltd who in the same year changed their name to Phoenix Shipbuilders Ltd. . Sadly in May 1977 a receiver was appointed, this in turn bringing about the closure of the yard and a loss of nearly 200 jobs. In 1979 the engineering works of C.D. Holmes closed it's doors, this being due to a general lack of orders. Of note ... Cook Welton & Gemmell were renowned throughout the world for their construction of high quality trawlers, these in turn being built for customers far and wide. In addition, during their time Cook Welton & Gemmell produced in the region of 160 vessels for the Admiralty. These included minesweepers and tugs.

The 12 pounder quick fire gun was designed in 1893 and came into service in 1894. The 12 pounder was so called as its projectile weight was 12 pounds.

Gun weight without mounting 0.6 tons, barrel bore 3 inch, rate of fire 15 rounds per minute.

For the most part the 12 pounder found extensive service during WW1 on all manner of naval vessels. During WW11 the 12 pounder was to be found in most cases on DEMs (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships), RFAs (Royal Fleet Auxilliary Ships) and small operational vessels.

Focke Wulf Fw 200 Condor.

Originally designed and built for the German airline Deutsche Lufthansa as a transatlantic airliner. The aircrafts first prototype flight was in July 1937 and thereafter made record flights to both New York and Tokyo. The aircraft soon atracted orders from abroad, this including Japan who ordered one aircraft which was intended for use as a long range reconnaissance aircraft. The prototye caught the attention of the Luftwaffe who in turn had in the region of 260 built for military use, the first of these going in to service in September 1939. The Condor was designated as a Maritime Reconnaissance bomber. This role included attacking allied shipping or guiding  in German U-Boats in order to make the attack. The Condor was to prove so effective in its role that Churchill referred to them as the scourge of the Atlantic.