Clearway GHD

Steam hopper barge Clearway buit in 1927 for James Contracting.
276 grt / 107 nrt /nhp 36 / O.N.:149778
In 1928 converted to a grab hopper dredger with a Priestman steam driven crane.
Sistership to Francis Gilbertson
Still at work on 5-11-86 but being prevented from working by rough conditions. She has since been retired and scrapped at Millom. The engine has been saved for a Norwegian restoration project
Scrapped in 1998 in Millom
http://www.whitehaven.org.uk/clearway.html
The steam dredger Clearway was a well known 'character' in Whitehaven harbour for some 70 years. She dredged up the silt that tides kept washing into the harbour mouth. Built in Aberdeen in 1926 she came to Haven a year later.She was one of the last coal fired steam dredgers in Europe. In 1992 her triple expansion reciprocating steam engine was mothballed as the days of phosphate rock cargoes into the port had stopped.
Regrettably despite strenous efforts by the Harbour Master Dave Allan no preservation society could be found or formed to take on the Clearway. In 1998 a crowd of wellwishers saw the boat off as she was towed to Millom for scrap. A Norwegian society renovating a 1908 fjord steamer the Oster have bought the engines and in 2000 summer started sea trials at Bergen.