The wash form the steam tugs was believed to wear away the bank side. It was the task of the TNC to maintain the riversides. The TNC turned to dredging the river to allow larger vessels, especially at the coal staithes, to move along the river unaided.
Dredging was used to create more depth to the river and allow ships easier passage. Between 1845 and 1900 upwards of 34 million tons of material had been removed by dredging of the bed of the river.
Picture Stockton Archive 
The dredger was on the Tees in the late forties/early fifties. Perhaps helping with new docks at Stockton. I don’t think I saw it after that
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The dredger pictured is t.c.c No 10 coal burner alongside is the Wilton the bouy tender built in 1953 I worked on her from 1966 till 1979. The photo is taken just upriver of the transporter bridge, in the background is Andersons foundry their was an explosion in the mid 50s hence no roof
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Jimmy Kelley the ferryboat man on the Tees at Stockton had retainers from firms whose businesses backed on to the river where he would keep the banks clean. He also had one from the River Authorities to keep the big stuff from floating down the river especially at Spring tides so that it didn’t iterfere with the shipping. Seen many a time him towing a large tree behind his boat.
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