Merchant Marine - Old Photographs

[Brian James]

Russian Steam Paddle Tow Tugs, Pervoi and Vtoroi, pictured fitting out at Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co Low Walker Shipyard at Elswick in 1894.

[Brian James]

RMS Titanic and sister RMS Olympic pictured under construction at Harland & Wolff Shipyards at Belfast c1909...Keel laying for RMS Olympic on December 16th 1908.

[Brian James]

Finnish Icebreaking Steamer Sampo pictured in various stages of construction at Sir W. G. Armstrong Mitchell Low Walker Shipyards, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, launching on April 21st 1898 and on sea trials on October 23rd 1898.

[Brian James]

Finnish Icebreaker Tarmo pictured under construction on the ways at Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co, Low Walker Shipyard at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in August 1907, off the Yards in December 1907 and on sea trials in January 1908. In August 1914 Russia joined the First World War and navigating in the Baltic Sea became dangerous due to naval mines and German U-boats. The Finnish Icebreakers were placed under the command of the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy and given the task of assisting naval ships and troop transportations in the Gulf of Finland. Tarmo was armed with 120mm 50cal pattern 1905 guns.