Russel Brothers Limited   OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO   Steelcraft Boat Builders
 
The Rod Morrison Collection
Rod's been around tugs all his life. He was employed by McQueen Marine for about 10 years and worked on all the tugs. Ended up as engineer on the Atomic before coming to Kingston as an engineer on the Wolfe Islander 111. I was also on the P J Murer one winter when MTO had her chartered to break ice. Rod's dad Angus J. Morrison and brother Cliff Morrison were captains of the Atomic. The photos from top to bottom were taken by:

Cliff Morrison (my brother). He is a tug captain who sailed the Atomic and also the tug Amherstburg for McQueen Marine... Burt Johnson (deceased). He was a Windsor Star photographer and he worked at McQueen Marine. He would have taken all or most of the early publiciy pictures that were taken in the 40's and 50's of the Atomic... Rod Morrison... Cliff Morrison... Herb Miller (my late stepfather) taken in the Thames River while breaking ice... Cliff Morrison... Rod Morrison... Rod Morrison... Cliff Morrison... Cliff Morrison... Rod Morrison... Vince Spearing... Les Hudson ?? mechanic at McQueen's... unknown taken by a friend of the family and sent to my mother in 1948... Bill Hoey (I think) owner of Gaelic Tugboat Co.... Rod Morrison... Cliff Morrison... The photo in the wheelhouse was probably taken by B. Johnson as well. Most or all of the early photos in the ice were taken by him. He would get out on the ice and lay down and take the pictures.
 
Captains!   1956

Captains Mantell, Becker & Morrison in the Atomic wheelhouse. RM notes "This is a picture of my dad (Angus J. Morrison) taken in the wheelhouse of the Atomic in 1956, I think. They were towing the Greater Detroit and Eastern States out into Lake St Clair to burn. My dad is the one not in uniform. Frank Becker owned Becker Towing in Detroit and Capt. Mantel had been the Captain of the Greater Detroit. "
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Atomic   1946

Atomic in the ice. Photo by Cliff Morrison.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic in the ice again. Photo by Burt Johnson.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic in Kingston, ON. Photo by Rod Morrison.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic on Lake Erie. Photo by Rod Morrison.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic port side. Photo by Herb Miller. Thames River.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic port side. Photo by Cliff Morrison.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic propellor damage.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic propellor damage.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic with smokestacks in background.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic on the river Thames.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic as seen from the wheelhouse of the tug Amherstburg, going up the Detroit river.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic beside Glenevis, Toronto.
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Atomic   1946

Photo by Vince Spearing of the Atomic in the 1978 tugboat race at Windsor. Cliff Morrison was captain.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic pulling the English River.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic and Patricia McQueen in Southbaymouth in 1948. The P.McQ had been aground and almost lost on Scotchy shoal at SBM and the Atomic towed her back to Amherstburg for repairs. My dad had been captain on the Patsy and we lived in SBM. We moved to Amherstburg aboard the tugs at that time. I was 14 months old.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic in August 1977.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic in 2005.
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Atomic   1946

Atomic in Québec City.
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Foster   1929

Built at Fort Frances in 1929.
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Foster   1929

Built at Fort Frances in 1929.
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Foster   1929

Built at Fort Frances in 1929.
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Glenbrook   1944

Wolfe Island, ON, Feb. 23rd 2006.
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Hull 980   1952?
aka Rattlesnake

South Baymouth, ON, Aug. 26th, 2005. Possibly Cottus.
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O.M. 340   1945

Wolfe Island, ON, Feb. 23rd 2006.
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O.M. 340   1945

Wolfe Island, ON, Feb. 23rd 2006.
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Welland   1954

Wolfe Island, ON, Feb. 23rd 2006.
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Unidentified
Unknown 1   ????

Taken near Thunder Bay, 2006.
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Unknown 1   ????

Taken near Thunder Bay, 2006.
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Unknown 2   ????

Taken near Thunder Bay, 2006.
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Unknown 2   ????

Taken near Thunder Bay, 2006.
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For more Russel exhibits visit Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum 1165 1st Ave West, Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8
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