LAUNCH DAY PHOTOGRAPHS

JOHN HARKER SHIPYARD KNOTTINGLEY

21st APRIL 1949

' GAMMA '

Official No.186764

LAUNCHED

Launched yesterday week from the Knottingley shipyard of John Harker Ltd., was the general cargo vessel 'GAMMA' which was built for the Docks and Inland Waterways Executive, and is to ply Hull and Leeds. The Christening ceremony was performed by Miss K. Perkins to whom the Chairman of the Directors of the firm (Mr. H.L. Lyon J.P.) presented a silver ash tray.

Sister ship to the 'BETA' which was launched in March, the 'GAMMA' measures 72ft by 15ft 6 ins by 6ft and has a capacity of 80 tons. At the launch ceremony the owners were represented by Mr. G.R. Fenton O.B.E. (Divisional Engineer), Mr. Hitchcock (Divisional Waterways Officer), Mr. H.V. Riley M.B.E. (Divisional Traffic Officer), Mr W. Ramsden (Chief Canal Inspector), Mr. C H. Marsland M.B.E. (Chiref Mechanoical Inspector) and Mr. Geo. Cadbury, and the builders by Mr. Lyon, Mr. E. Arnold (managing Director), Mr. E.K. Thirkettle (Director and Shipyard Manager), Mr. G.R. Granger (Assistant Manager), Mr F. Potts (Shipyard Foreman) and Mr T. Stewart (Chief Draughtsman)
Pontefract & Castleford Express, 25th April 1949, page 3

NOTES: Registered at Hull number 29 on 3rd July 1958. A general cargo steel barge with a six cylinder Lister engine. Built by Harkers in 1949 for the Docks and Inland Waterway Executive, Leeds. Now registered under British Transport Comission, London. Measurements 90.2ft x 15.60ft x 7.85ft, gross tonnage 103.69, register 81.29. THere were several sale transactions, the last one being to Acater's of Hull on the 26th April 1978.