Steam tug Brent

Completed too late to take part in the Second World War, she was sold in 1946 to the Port of London Authority and renamed Brent.

She spent the next 23 years as a dredger, removing debris from the navigable channels of the Thames, before the decline of the London Docks and the replacement of steam-powered vessels by diesel-fired ones led to her sale.

Hall converted Brent into a residential yacht and his family sailed her recreationally, largely along the eastern coast of Britain.

They were designed to be constructed of simple pre-fabricated sections which were manufactured inland before being assembled at a shipyard, often by women due to many men being away serving in the armed forces.

[3] In common with the last 92 ships of her class TID 159 was oil-fired, with a fuel tank of 8.6 long tons (8.7 t) capacity.

[3][4] TID 159 was completed too late to see war service,[6] she was sold to the Port of London Authority (PLA) in 1946 and renamed Brent.

[6] In 1953, as one of the newer vessels in the PLA fleet, she had the honour of towing fireworks barges during the celebrations of the Coronation of Elizabeth II.

[4] She was taken out of use in 1969 at a time when the London Docks were in decline due to containerisation and steam-vessels were becoming obsolete, with the widespread adoption of diesel-powered tugs.

[4] Hall and his family travelled in Brent up and down the eastern British coast and, twice, across the North Sea to the Netherlands.