A photographic print of Industry, Shipbuilding, Tankers

FOR FIRST PUBLICATION MONDAY'S DAILIES 24TH JANUARY 1966 BIGGEST SHIP TO BE BUILT ON THE TYNE WILL BE LAUNCHED NEXT MONTH NCPS J1566 24.1.1966 THERE'S A CERTAIN MAGIC ABOUT HITTING THE TON. MOTOR CYCLISTS LIVE AND DIE FOR IT. OLD MEN OF 99 PRAY THAT THEY WILL HANG ON FOR THE PRIDE OF BEING 100 NOT OUT. CRICKETERS' CAREERS RISE AND FALL BY IT. BUT NOWHERE IS THE ACHIEVEMENT SO PROUDLY AND COMPETITIVELY MEASURED TODAY THAN IN SHIPBUILDING. BUILD A SHIP OF 100,000 TONS OR MORE AND YOU CAN SAY YOU ARE IN THE 'BIG LEAGUE', EVEN BY JAPAN'S GIGANTIC STANDARD. NOW, THE TOUGH, TRADITIONAL SHIPBUILDERS OF THE RIVER TYNE ARE PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO THEIR FANFARE ENTRY INTO THE 'BIG LEAGUE'. A THOUSAND MEN AT THE WORLD-FAMOUS YARD OF SWAN HUNTER AND WIGHAM RICHARDSON, WALLSEND-ON-TYNE, ARE SCURRYING OVER AND BELOW THE GIGANTIC DECKS OF THE 100,000 TON "BRITISH ARGOSY", GETTING HER READY FOR LAUNCHING ON FEBRUARY 7TH. THE VESSEL IS BEING BUILT FOR THE BP TANKER COMPANY. SHE WILL BE THE FIRST BRITISH-BUILT SHIP TO ENTER THE "BIG LEAGUE" THIS YEAR AND IS THE BIGGEST SHIP EVER BUILT ON A RIVER RENOWNED FOR PUSHING THE BOAT OUT IN A BIG WAY. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, PRINCESS MARGARET WENT TO SWAN HUNTERS TO LAUNCH THE THEN BIGGEST SUPER TANKER OF THE DAY, THE 28,000-TON "VELUTINA". THE BRITISH ARGOSY MAKES THAT LOOK LIKE A ROWING BOAT. SHE STANDS LIKE AN ENDLESS STRETCH OF ELASTIC 917 FT. LONG, 128FT. WIDE AND 66FT DEEP, WITH ENOUGH ROOM ON HER DECKS TO SWALLOW UP NEARLY THREE FOOTBALL PITCHES. EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF DRAG CHAIN ON THE WHOLE OF THE RIVER TYNE, 1,250 TONS OF IT, IS BEING BEGGED AND BORROWED TO CONTROL HER GRAND SLAM ENTRY INTO THE RIVER WHEN LAUNCHED BY LADY BRIDGEMAN (WIFE OF SIR MAURICE BRIDGEMAN, CHAIRMAN OF BP). EVEN THEN SHE WILL HAVE ONLY 25 YARDS - LITTLE MORE THAN A CRICKET PITCH LENGTH - IN WHICH TO AVOID HITTING THE RIVER'S OPPOSITE BANK. THE BRITISH ARGOSY WILL BE ONLY THE SECOND BRITISH SHIP OF 100,000 TONS TO BE LAUNCHED, TO DATE. HER SISTER SHIP, BRITISH ADMIRAL, WAS LAUNCHED FROM VICKERS-ARMSTRONG'S BARROW YARD LAST YEAR BY THE QUEEN. PHOTO SHOWS: THE GIGANTIC "BRITISH ARGOSY" (100,000 TONS D.W.) DOMINATES HOUSES NEAR THE SHIP YARD. Industry - Shipbuilding -Tankers.