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The North East was the engine of the world. It powered the planet with its coal, but transported it with its ships.

 

Though the docks are filled in, the collective memory of the hard graft and creaking hulls live on. 

Scroll down to discover the famous shipyards which fuelled the growth of this great region.

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WLK007

Tyne

High Walker Shipyard

Newcastle

Walker

Vickers Armstrong Ltd. (1928 -1965), Vickers Ltd. (1965 - 1968), Swan Hunter

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

BLY007

Blyth

Blyth Shipbuilding Co., Shipyard

Blyth

Blyth

Blyth Iron Shipbuilding Co. (1883) Blyth Shipbuilding & Dry Docks Company Ltd. (1883 - 1967)

Created:

28 Jul 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

CDE001

Tyne

Coble Dene, Shipyards

North Shields

Coble Dene

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS010

Tyne

Forsyth's Dock

South Shields

Market Place

Simon Temple (Snr & Jnr) (1780 - 1805), James Forsyth & Thomas Forsyth (1811 - 1859), Wilson & Crosthwaite (1863 - 1865), Wilson & Blain (1869), James Nelson, Tyne Dock Engineering Co.

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

WLK004

Tyne

Low Walker Shipyard

Newcastle

Walker

Charles Mitchell & Co. (1853 - 1882), Sir W G Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. Ltd. (1882 - 1897), Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd. (1897 - 1931)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

ELS001

Tyne

Armstrong's Shipyard

Newcastle

Elswick

Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. (1885 - 1897), Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. (1897 - 1920)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS008

Tyne

Sand End, Shipyard

South Shields

Pilot Street

James Evans (1791 - 1820) Philip Laing (1822 - 1832), Thomas William Wawn (1846 -1852) John Readhead (1864 - 1872) John Softley (1864 - 1875)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SSL001

Seaton Burn

Seaton Sluice Shipyard

Seaton Sluice

Seaton Sluice

Lord Delaval, Anthony Topham (leased)

Created:

22 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SWI003

Wear

Michael Clark's Shipyard

Sunderland

Low Southwick

Michael Clark

Created:

29 Aug 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

HAR008

Hartlepool

Irvine Shipyard

Hartlepool

West Hartlepool

Robert Irvine, Alexander Currie, Irvine Currie & Co., Robert Irvine Jnr., Christopher Furness

Created:

9 Feb 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

BLY002

Blyth

Watson's Shipyard

Blyth

Cowpen

Mark Watson

Created:

30 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS004

Tyne

Pan Ash Quay, Boatbuilding Yard

South Shields

South Shields

Unknown

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

Map
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Background photo: Readhead's Shipyard c1960 by Ronald Sanderson, copyright free from Tyne and Wear Archives

Historic Maps provided by

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