Woodford, W.R.

1909                                  W. R. Woodford                                  1987

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at West Bay City MI by West Bay City Shipbuilding Co., Hull 626
Launched May 16, 1908
Last vessel built at this shipyard

552’ LOA, 532’ LBP, 56’ beam, 31’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1800 IHP

Enrolled at Cleveland OH June 15, 1908 (#75)
532.0 x 56.0 x 27.3, 6929 GT, 5245 NT     US 205250     to:
Hawgood Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, W. A. Hawgood, Mgr. (home port Fairport OH)

Entered service 1908

Transferred 1911 to Commonwealth Steamship Co., Cleveland OH

Sold 1911 to Inland Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, a subsidiary of Inland Steel Co., Hutchinson & Co., Mgr. (home port to Indiana Harbor IN)

Renamed N. F. Leopold 1912

Renamed E. J. Block 1943

Repowered 1946 with diesel electric engine at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co.
Hatches to 24’ centers with hatch crane
Remeasured to 539.1 x 56.3 x 27.0, 6933 GT, 5590 NT

Management of fleet transferred 1957 to Inland Steel Co. (home port to Wilmington DE)

Laid up midseason 1984 and did not operate again

Sold 1987 to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne ON.  Towed to Port Colborne and scrapped there.

IMO 5095531

See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember III p. 39

 

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One thought on “Woodford, W.R.

  1. I have an original photo of the N.F. Leopold from 1912 by A.E. Young of Michigan; he etched the number 14 at the bottom; maybe one of ?? that he took and sold. It’s been in my family since the early 1900s when they lived near the Great Lakes (Lake Erie). What’s it worth? Must have historical value.

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