213 grt;
Built 1933 by Alexander Hall and Co Ltd, Aberdeen, Scotland. Yard no. 642
Main engine: Alexander Hall-built, triple-expansion, oil-fired, steam reciprocating of 1,100 ihp,
The steam tug CONTEST was, at the time of the photograph, operated by London Tugs Ltd.
Since the 1930s, the number of ship towage operators on the London River had been reduced (by takeover and amalgamation) from five to just one.
She was built in 1933 for Elliott Steam Tug Co Ltd, later being taken over in 1950 by Ship Towage (London) Ltd, then London Tugs Ltd, which merged with W H Alexander (Sun Tugs) Ltd in 1969 to form London Tugs Ltd. She was scrapped in April 1972 by T W War Ltdd, at Grays, Essex.
Sister vessel CHALLENGE has been preserved.
Note the name of the company in the background. Hopefully they did the tank cleaning BEFORE they started welding

**Moved from -Ancient Motor Vessels- back to -Tugs-
JB