Woodwards Propellers
Woodwards have been marine specialists in propeller manufacture and repair and stern gear for vessels in Hull for 100 years. Moving from Keighley to Salthouse Lane in Hull in the 1920s, surviving the blitz and moving to Lime Street with a birth on the river post war they have recently moved to offices and workshops as part of MMS Ship Repair and Dry Dock Co Ltd on Alexandra Dock in Hull.
This fascinating set of photographs below were taken in the Lime Street factory in 2000 and show the propeller blades and prop shafts at varios stages of manufacture.
Rob polishing propeller, Lime Street 2000
Alan measuring the straightness of the controllable pitch blade
Checking the fit of the taper on the propeller shaft
Alan using a micrometer to check the calibration and diameter of the prop shaft
Colchester 1800 maching lathe (left) and metric thread lathe (right) machining new prop shaft, cutting thread and machining taper
Tig welding propeller blade
From top left: propeller; sand seal housing showing oil/grease grooves; brake-band spindles; and gland housing
Propeller from the dredger Cherry Sands. Paul flipping the prop to polish the other side on gantry crane and chain blocks. The prop is 11 feet in diameter and weighs 2.5 tonnes.
Thanks to Maria and Alan at Woodwards. You can find out more about the history of Woodwards in ‘Hull & Beverley the Golden Years’ published by True North Books and on the MMS website here: https://mms-shiprepair.co.uk/woodwards-propellers/
Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard