A&P Tyne Visit
Past, Present and Future on the River
Today we visited A&P on the River Tyne. We were kindly invited down and given a full tour of the site by Jeff and Tony, who took the time to walk us through not only the operations happening today, but the history beneath our feet.
From the moment we arrived, the scale of the site stands out. These are the same riverbanks that once supported some of the most important shipbuilding and engineering activity in the world. Walking through the dry dock area, where Hawthorn Leslie once stood, it’s impossible not to think about what this place used to be - and how much of that legacy is still present, even now.
The dry docks themselves are a direct physical link to that past. These aren’t abstract stories or distant history, they are real places, still in use, still part of the working river. Standing there, you can clearly see how the Tyne was built around industry, and how that infrastructure continues to shape what happens here today.
What was particularly striking is that this isn’t just a site defined by its history. A&P is still very much an active part of the river’s future. The work being carried out today continues the long-standing relationship between the Tyne and engineering, with ships still coming in for repair and maintenance, just as they did decades ago.
We also spoke about the future workforce. A&P are actively bringing through apprentices, investing in skills, and continuing to develop the next generation. That connection between past and future is exactly what this project is about. The same kinds of skills that built ships here generations ago are still being learned and developed today.
There was also a clear sense that there is more potential for the river. A&P expressed that they would welcome more ships coming to the Tyne. The infrastructure is here, the knowledge is here, and the capability is still here. The river is not just something to look back on, it remains a working asset with a role to play going forward.
For us, this visit brought everything into focus. The Shipyard Heritage Museum project is not just about preserving the past. It is about telling the full story of this river - what it was, what it is, and what it could be again.
Seeing the docks, the scale, the activity and the people behind it all reinforces why this matters. This is not just history. It is continuity. It is identity. It is opportunity.
We would like to thank Jeff and Tony for taking the time to show us around, share their knowledge, and support the project. Conversations like this are helping shape what this museum could become.
Step by step, the picture is becoming clearer.
