Rewind Series 4 Episode 12 – Floating Dock and the Cable Enterprise

The floating dock in 1970, an important piece of infrastructure crucial to ships in need of service.

The dry dock had the ability to lift ships completely out of the water, to aid inspection and repair.

One such vessel, the Cable Enterprise arrived for maintenance on the hull. The highly specialised vessel was used to fix under sea communication cables in the South Pacific.

A complex system enabled the crew to winch the damaged cable to the surface. Once on board, the necessary repairs were made.

During her visit to Newcastle, the Cable Enterprise was open for inspection, allowing the public to get a closer look.