John Purdy, Assistant Port Engineer 1956-1958

On the day I arrived in Derry from Markethill to begin work at the Port, the warship HMS Scorpion crashed into the quay at No 6 berth, near to where Tesco is located today.  Scorpion was turning in the river at the time when the engine room received a signal for “slow speed astern” but read it as “full speed ahead” so the vessel went full speed ahead – into the quayside! The ship smashed the timber quay and knocked down two cranes, so the next morning – my first day in the new job – I had to go down to the quayside, measure up the damage and begin working on the plans for the repairs. 

Derry Quay

For the remainder of my time I worked mostly on the reconstruction, in reinforced concrete, of the quay and the erection of new cranes, as well as the construction of a conveyor system for unloading the grain boats into McCorkell’s silos.

As Assistant Port Engineer, I often worked on the dredgers “Aberfoyle” and “Hercules” which were the two we had at that time.  I spent some time measuring up and taking soundings as part of the work involved in the maintenance of the navigable channel between Derry and Moville.   I enjoyed my work, which also involved the maintenance of the general harbour equipment (including diving facilities) and the old dry dock.  Petrol-driven Gardiner engines were used for pumping out the dry dock.  These were put in by the American army during the war.  At that time, the dry dock was used mostly for repairs to our own vessels and the odd fishing boat from Greencastle, since the shipbuilding in Derry had already died out.

During my time there, the dock gates were replaced – a fairly major exercise.  There is, however, now no trace of the dock as it has been filled in and built over – rather sad.

In those days there were still some submarines around and there were always some berthed along the quayside close by what are now the new Council Offices.  A direct current electricity supply to charge the submarine batteries was maintained on the quayside.  In fact, a large area of the city’s electrical supply was direct current generated by the Corporation’s own power station located opposite what is now the police station.

All is now changed since the harbour was relocated at Lisahally.  The quay where I used to work is now a roadway.