Nexus has said farewell to a former shipyard worker who for 15 years has taken charge of maintaining the iconic cross-Tyne Shields Ferry Service.
Bill Jackson, the Chief Fitter on board the Shields Ferry, has retired and got a terrific send off from fellow crew members when he left.
Bill has been responsible for looking after the ferry engines on board Spirit of the Tyne and Pride of the Tyne, the two vessels which are operated by Nexus.
Bill, 64, of Monkseaton in North Tyneside, joined the ferry crew in 1995 after he was made redundant from the Swan Hunter shipyard in Wallsend. During his time at Swan Hunter Bill worked on both Royal Navy aircraft carriers that were built there, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal.
Bill, who worked as a fitter at the Wallsend yard for 25 years, said: “I’ll always remember there were a lot of lads leaving Swans at the same time as I did. I was one of the lucky ones who managed to find a job in my chosen trade.
“I was delighted to get the job as a fitter on the Shields Ferry and I’ve had 15 great years working on the river and on board the vessels.”
Bill went on to become Shields Ferry Manager in 2002 and held the role until two years ago, when he became Chief Fitter in order to focus solely on maintenance issues.
“The thing I’ve enjoyed the most has been working on the vessels,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of change over the years and a lot of investment in the ferry service, with new landings, offices and the new ferry in 2007.”
One of Bill’s proudest moments was showing Princess Anne around the wheelhouse on board the new £1.9m Spirit of the Tyne when the Princess officially launched her April 2007.
He also recalls the very moving occasion when Alan Hull, a former member of the rock band Lindisfarne, had his ashes scattered from on the Tyne from on board the ferry.
Bill said: “I’ll always remember the day Alan Hull’s family scattered his ashes from Pride of the Tyne. When we got to the mouth of the river the mist just suddenly started rolling in. I couldn’t believe it. It was fog on the Tyne.”
Reflecting on his time in charge of the Shields Ferry, Bill added: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself. It doesn’t seem like 15 years at all. I’ll miss all the staff. I’ve come to regard them as friends over the years.”
The current Shields Ferry Manager, Carol Timlin, said: “We are all really going to miss Bill. He’s a well respected figure at the ferry landing. I’ve learned a lot from him over the last two years. We wish him all the best for his retirement.”