The Birtley was a steel British steamship 2873 tons, 101.9m long, 13.6m beam (wide) and 6.5m draught (needed 6.5m of water to float). She was built by Wood, Skinner & Co. in 1923 and was owned by the Burnett Steam Ship Co. at Newcastle. The propeller was powered by a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine with three boilers. The machinery was built by the North East Marine Engineering Co. at Sunderland. On 5th May 1936 the Birtley ran onto rocks about 230m from the bottom of Rackley Way in dense fog. The Whitburn life saving apparatus could not reach the vessel. The Roker Volunteer Life Brigade and lifeboat were called and reached the Birtley with their rocket. However tugs were unable to pull the vessel off the rocks. On 2 December 1936 the Birtley was finally refloated. On 19th January 1941 she went aground again on the Long Sands at Tynemouth. On 15th September 1941 she struck a German mine and sank ten miles off Cromer in Norfolk. 3 of her crew and 6 DEMS gunners were lost.

Wreck of the Rosie, N 55 03 08 W 01 10 92 given as location but could not convert into valid grid reference.

N 55 02 60 W 01 17 60

Iron, 2,020-ton 75.1m long, 11.3m beam, 7.7, draught British registered steamship. She was built by Short Brothers in 1882 and owed by Lumsden, Byers & Co. Her single iron propeller was powered by a two-cylinder compound-steam engine that used two boilers.
On 16 December 1898, the Ilious foundered with the loss of twenty lives (from 23 crew), three quarters of mile east of Souter Point, following a collision with the steamship Pierremont.
The wreck of the Ilious lies orientate in a north-west to south-east direction on a hard sandy seabed, in a general depth of 22m. In 1971 the wreck was standing up some 8m high from the seabed, but alas she is now quite dispersed in comparison. Her bows are said to be reasonably intact and have a covering of Dead Man’s Fingers, however the rest of the wreck is totally collapsed and well broken up. Her boilers are standing upright next to engine block, which is rather smashed open and lying on its side, showing all of the large bronze bearings.
The wreck has been quite well salvaged. The anchor chain and prop shaft were removed some time ago, along with the ship’s bell and many of the other crucial items. The NMR states that the wreck site was formerly regarded as the possible remains of the BEN ARDNA, now thought to be recorded at NZ 46 NW 12 / 1003782. For another site suggested as the remains of the ILIOS, please see NZ 46 NW 6 / 908732; for the account of the wreck event, see NZ 56 NW 67 / 1486166.
Grid reference conversion made 04.03.2011 with http://gps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/etrs89geo_natgrid.asp with Lat/Long referenced as N 54 58 43 W 01 20 46

N 55 00 77 W 01 09 33 - unable to convert into a valid grid reference

N 55 01 210 W 01 19 170

N 55 00 161 W 01 23 728. Iron, 2,613-ton British Steamship registered at Newcastle upon Tyne and built by J.L. Thompson & Sons at Sunderland for the Arrow Shipping Co Ltd in about 1883. Her single iron propeller was powered by a two-cylinder, compound steam engine, employing two boilers and the machinery was built by Wallsend Slipway Co. Ltd. She had two decks and seven watertight bulkheads.
On 7 January 1892, the Crystal was on passage from the Tyne for New York, under the command of Captain R.B. Stannard. She had just the Tyne during a force nine easterly gale when her engine failed. Conditions were horrendous. With the mountainous seas breaking over the vessel, she foundered a few hundred metres outside of the Tyne entrance.

The wreck of the Crystal lies only about 500m seaward and east of the south pier at South Shields on a seabed of dirty sand and stone, in a general depth of 15-16m. She is sitting almost in the direct shipping lane for the mouth of the river. There is a substantial amount of the wreck left, although, as would be expected after so many years, she is totally collapsed and well broken up. Bronze valves and copper pipes still attached to battered machinery can be found, while rusting steel plates, bent framework and girders lie in flattened heaps on top of each other.
The ship’s 300hp engines are broken into a mashed heap. However, it is reported that there is no sign of either boiler. The ship was carrying a general cargo, which must have included large stone, mill grinding wheels, because dozens of these lie stacked up in one section of the wreck.
Builder: J L Thompson and Sons
Where Built: Sunderland
Propulsion: Screw driven, 2 cylinder compound engine
HP: 300
Boilers: 2
Machinery: Wallsend Slipway Co., Newcastle upon Tyne
Construction: 2 decks; 7 bulkheads
Master: R B Stannard
Owner: Arrow Shipping Co. Ltd

Grid reference conversion made 04.03.2011 with http://gps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/etrs89geo_natgrid.asp with Lat/Long referenced as N 55 00 44 W 01 23 43

N 55 00 01 W 01 22 42

N 54 55 00 W 01 21 00

N 55 00 81 W 01 14 05 - unable to convert into a valid grid reference