Melba Croft Notes from Particulars of Canadian War Vessels Building & projected: Glenlea [C.N. 453] launched 20/7/1943. Canadian Transportation, July 1947, page 418: W.A.C. Ships Sales in April: 1 tug Glenlea Foundation Maritime Ltd., Halifax, V.S. Canadian List of Shipping 1956: Bansaga [C.177437] registered at Halifax; built at Owen Sound in 1943. 73' x 20' x 7' 6; 97 g.t.; 28 n.t.; 600 hp. Owned by Foundation Maritime Ltd., Halifax. Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel tug Bansaga [C.177437] registered at Halifax; built at Owen Sound in 1943. 73'; 97 g.t. Renamed b] George N. Carleton. Moran's Shoreside Companion 1996: Tug George N. Carleton [C.177437] built by Russel Brothers Ltd., Owen Sound, Ontario for the Government of Canada as Bansaga 1943 - 1947; sold to Foundation Maritime Ltd. 1947 - 1964. Reconstructed repowered and given present name b] George N. Carleton 1964 to present. Owned by Gravel & Lake Services Ltd., Thunder Bay Ontario. Stationed at Thunder Bay. Jaap Bilj Notes: Launched as Glenlea for the Royal Canadian Navy.
From Nauticapedia: Owner(s)
In 1943-1947 she was a Canadian Naval Tug, Glen Class, in Royal Canadian Navy service. In 1947-1964 she was sold to Foundation Maritime Ltd. In 1964-1985 she was owned by Gravel & Lake Services Ltd., Thunder Bay, Ontario. In 1985-2018 she was owned by Lakehead Tug Boats Inc., Thunder Bay, ON.
Anecdotes
She was launched 20 July 1943 and employed as a harbour tug at Sydney NS.
This classic tugboat was built in 1943 by Russel Brothers of Owen Sound, ON as the HMCS Glenlea for the Royal Canadian Navy. In 1947 she was sold civilian to Foundation Maritime and renamed Bansaga. In 1964 she was acquired by Gravel and Lake Services (now Lakehead Tugboats) Inc. of Thunder Bay, ON, where she was repowered and renamed George N. Carleton. Gravel and Lake Services was owned by the three Styffe brothers, Roy Bert and John. She is busy in the ship assist trade in Thunder Bay, for LAKEHEAD TUG BOATS INC.
Type: Single Screw Tugboat
Year Built: 1943
Builder: Russel Bros., Owen Sound, ON
Engines: 1 EMD 12-567C
Horsepower: 1,250 bhp
Length: 82' 00?
Breadth: 21' 00?
Depth: 11' 00?
Port of Registry: Thunder Bay, ON
Clipping from April 22, 1964, courtesy John Styffe.
Expect Tug Soon, Largest of Kind
The Oscar Styffe Co. expects the new addition to its fleet of seven tugs and workboats, the George N. Carelton, to arrive in Port Arthur within the next few days. The 82-foot harbor tug was formerly the Bansaga of the Foundation Maritime fleet of Halifax. The deisel tug, which develops 600 continuous H.P., has a speed of 11 knots and will be used in harbor work and general towing.
"The Carelton wil be the largest tug in the Lakehead" Roy Styffe said. "The size of ships coming in here is getting larger and we require a larger tug to move them around. " The tug will carry a crew of four. The George N. Carelton was built in 1943 for the Canadian Navy and since the war has been on the east coast between Halifax, Seven Islands, and the St. Lawrence gulf, servicing construction projects and doing duty as a salvage tug.
"This past winter she was given a complete refit in Halifax before coming to the Lakehead" Mr. Styffe explained. "She has a first class ticket, which allows the tug to go anywhere on the Great Lakes." The new tug of the Styffe fleet is named after a former Port Arthur resident who now makes his home in Detroit. George N. Carelton, who married the former Blanche Falls of Port Arthur, and recently retired from the vice-presidency of the Scott Paper Co. For many years Mr. Carelton was president of the Detroit Sulphite Paper Co.
John Styffe photo. MV Philippine Progress - Manila - Tug Tiffin and George N. Carelton - October 22, 1967.
John Styffe photos. A couple of nice pictures of Tugs George. N. Carelton and Robert John in Thunder Bay.
George N. Carleton. A series of 9 photos taken between 1967 & 1982, by Mike Wolowich.
May 1977. George N. Carelton and Robert John, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Photo by Ron Grice. Ron comments (Jan. 2019): "The chopper was installing something atop the elevator. You can see the cables in the original. At the time all I owned was a 50 mm lens."
RBF notes: Active Service in Thunder Bay, ON, Sept. 9th, 2001
June 19, 2002. Thunder Bay Ont. Photo by Mac Mackay.
Mac Mackay comments: "Of the early sales to civilian owners were Gleneagle (built in Kingston) and Glenlea. Both went to Maritime Towing and Salvage (Foundation Martime) and were renamed Bansturdy and Bansaga respectively. They were used for harbour work in Halifax in the winter, and in summer they worked the Saguenay River and Baie Comeau area until new tugs arrived in the early sixties. According to Foundation Maritime literature, Bansaga was re-powered to 600 bhp. Both were then acquired by Gravel and Lake Service of Thunder Bay, ON, where they still soldier on as Robert John and George N. Carleton. George N. Carleton was again repowered to 1250 bhp, but retains an original appearance, except for a modified funnel. As built all Glens were fitted with an after mast and derrick for handling a lifeboat. When liferafts were permitted instead, most had the derrick removed." http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/2013/05/first-generation-glen-class-tugs-of-rcn.html
Spring of 2004 the Russel Brothers Built Tug Boat George N. Carleton breaking some ice in the Thunder Bay Harbour and pulling out the Atlantic Erie ship from winter layup. Video by Rob Farrow.
Rob Farrow notes: Published on 10 Apr 2015.
Short video of the 1943 built Russel Brothers Tugboat George N. Carleton breaking ice. With temps finally rising and the expected arrival of the first boat into Port this season, the Tug was out breaking up the ice in the Viterra c elevator slip. Please forgive the wind noise, I'm using a new camera and still figuring it out, thanks!
Matthew Carlson notes: "May 25, 2016. The other guys in town have 2 Glen class boats from WW2. 1 is a Russel (this one, George N. Carleton, Ex-Glenlea) and one built by Canadian Dredge & Dock Company named Robert John (ex Gleneagle)."
Matthew Carlson notes: "December 16, 2016. The George N. Carleton assisting a salty out of the Richardsons grain elevator in Thunder Bay. I was helping the linesmen that day so I had a pretty good shot of her. There's 3 Glen class tugs working in Thunder Bay, 2 are Russels. We operate the Glenada, they operate the George N. Carleton and they also have another Glen class that was built by a different company, I believe it was Canadian Dredge & Drydock company that is named the Robert John."
George N. Carleton at Thunder Bay, Mar. 31, 2018. Photos by Matthew Carlson.
May 22nd 2018: the GEORGE N. CARLETON passes in front of the Sleeping Giant in Thunder Bay. Photo by Mike Hanchar.
Robert John and George N Carleton moored behind Peninsula at McKellar Island Thunder Bay July 5, 2018. Photos by Leigh Cossey.
George N. Carleton loosening up the Slip at UGG getting ready for one coming in, in Thunder Bay. Photo by Jimmy Singleton, January 4, 2019. Matt Carlson comments: "A new paint scheme they (LAKEHEAD TUG BOATS INC.) came up wth in late 2018. The lower paint is a red/orange mixture. It�s the same as on their newest boat Teclutsa so they changed the Carleton also."
George N. Carleton in Thunder Bay, April 18, 2019. Photos by Matthew Carlson.
George N. Carleton, Thunder Bay, ON. Taken by Bruce Symington on April 9, 2019. The Tugs of Thunder Bay Harbour
George N. Carleton - notice the CCGS Griffon in the distance
The local tugs managed through the heavy Ice to assist the Freighters into the Elevators. Using the passages cut by the Ice Breakers.
This classic tugboat was built in 1943 by Russel Brothers of Owen Sound, ON as the HMCS Glenlea for the Royal Canadian Navy. In 1947 she was sold civilian to Foundation Maritime and renamed Bansaga. In 1964 she was acquired by Lakehead Tugboats Inc. of Thunder Bay, ON, where she was repowered and renamed George N. Carleton. She is busy in the ship assist trade in Thunder Bay.
Type: Single Screw Tugboat
Year Built: 1943
Builder: Russel Bros., Owen Sound, ON
Engines: 1 EMD 12-567C
Horsepower: 1,250 bhp
Length: 82′ 00″
Breadth: 21′ 00″
Depth: 11′ 00″
Port of Registry: Thunder Bay, ON
GROSS TONAGE: 97.33T
NET TONAGE: 27.56T
https://www.flickr.com/photos/116069333@N07/32690794657
George N. Carleton June 27, 2019. Thunder Bay. Photo by Matthew Carlson.
July 4, 2019. Steven Lecuyer on the George N. Carleton and his big brother JP Lecuyer on the Teclutsa assisting the Federal Beaufort into Viterra A terminal
Thunder Bay. Photos by Matthew Carlson.
August, 2019. George N. Carleton, a Glen class RCN tug built 1943 by Russel Bros Owen Sound. Photo by Leigh Cossey.
George N. Carleton photo by Matthew Carlson, October 17, 2019.
George N. Carleton in Thunder Bay, April 9, 2020. Photo by Matthew Carlson.
For more Russel exhibits visit Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum 1165 1st Ave West, Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8 (519) 371-3333 http://marinerail.com
http://marinerail.com
