TID 164 was built by Wm. Pickersgill in Sunderland, She was one of the tugs built away from the Dunston yard at Thorne.
She was launched in September 1945, but because the war had ended a few weeks earlier her original working port destination in the far east was cancelled and she was diverted to Scotland, where she worked at the Royal Naval base of Port Edgar at Rosyth.
After a while she was sent to London to work for the Port of London for a couple of years before returning to Scotland.
1945: Naval Service at Port Edgar, attached to the shore establishment HMS Lochinvar on the Firth of Forth, Scotland.
1947: The Port of London Authority, London Docks.
1948: Return to Firth of Forth, Royal Naval Dockyard, Rosyth.
1962: She was in reserve, and was then put under the command of the Captain of the Dockyard at Rosyth in May 1967.
1974: Sold.
Martin Stevens from the Medway Maritime Museum was looking to replace his TID tug Biddick (TID 54), the last coal fired TID, he had started negotiations with the Ministry of Defence the year before. They had two TIDs left in service - TID 172 in Chatham and TID 164 in Rosyth, Scotland.
Although The Medway Maritime Museum was based in Chatham, The M.O.D. would only offer TID 164 in Scotland to him !. A deal was made and TID 164 was prepared to make the long journey to Chatham.
Two and a half days later TID 164 joined the Empire Class steam tug Cervia in Chatham and in accordance with Museum policy was used commercially.
In 1975 the name TID 164 was changed to Hercules. The Museum also used the name ITL International Towing Ltd.
She was launched in September 1945, but because the war had ended a few weeks earlier her original working port destination in the far east was cancelled and she was diverted to Scotland, where she worked at the Royal Naval base of Port Edgar at Rosyth.
After a while she was sent to London to work for the Port of London for a couple of years before returning to Scotland.
1945: Naval Service at Port Edgar, attached to the shore establishment HMS Lochinvar on the Firth of Forth, Scotland.
1947: The Port of London Authority, London Docks.
1948: Return to Firth of Forth, Royal Naval Dockyard, Rosyth.
1962: She was in reserve, and was then put under the command of the Captain of the Dockyard at Rosyth in May 1967.
1974: Sold.
Martin Stevens from the Medway Maritime Museum was looking to replace his TID tug Biddick (TID 54), the last coal fired TID, he had started negotiations with the Ministry of Defence the year before. They had two TIDs left in service - TID 172 in Chatham and TID 164 in Rosyth, Scotland.
Although The Medway Maritime Museum was based in Chatham, The M.O.D. would only offer TID 164 in Scotland to him !. A deal was made and TID 164 was prepared to make the long journey to Chatham.
Two and a half days later TID 164 joined the Empire Class steam tug Cervia in Chatham and in accordance with Museum policy was used commercially.
In 1975 the name TID 164 was changed to Hercules. The Museum also used the name ITL International Towing Ltd.
Working with Cervia, TID 164, (being a much smaller tug), would take over the tow in shallower waters such as tows up creeks etc.
In 1978 the high price of oil stopped commercial towing for ITL, and TID 164 reverted to her original name. When the Small Ships Register was introduced the tug was registered as a yacht, hence closing her life as a working tug.
The Commander of the Chatham Dockyard offered a berth to TID164 within the Naval Base, and in 1984 before the Navy closed Chatham they fabricated the levers which attach counter-balance weights to the funnel.
In 1978 the high price of oil stopped commercial towing for ITL, and TID 164 reverted to her original name. When the Small Ships Register was introduced the tug was registered as a yacht, hence closing her life as a working tug.
The Commander of the Chatham Dockyard offered a berth to TID164 within the Naval Base, and in 1984 before the Navy closed Chatham they fabricated the levers which attach counter-balance weights to the funnel.