This film shows the building and launch of the cargo ship Carona at William Gray's shipyard in West Hartlepool. The ship was launched on the 30 November 1949. A draftsman is at work in the office putting together a model or pattern for the building of a ship. In a large hangar like workshop patterns are being marked out on the floor for the plates or steel ribs of a ship. Lines are scoured into the floor. Work begins at a ship berth. The next sequence shows the laying of the keel on a...

This film shows the building and launch of the cargo ship Carona at William Gray's shipyard in West Hartlepool. The ship was launched on the 30 November 1949. A draftsman is at work in the office putting together a model or pattern for the building of a ship. In a large hangar like workshop patterns are being marked out on the floor for the plates or steel ribs of a ship. Lines are scoured into the floor. Work begins at a ship berth. The next sequence shows the laying of the keel on a wooden block structure. A steel plate is cut and a steam crane is used to lay other parts on the ship's skeleton ready for riveting. Another crane puts ribs at the bottom of the ship, and workmen guide them into position. The ribs for the hull are put into place. The sign for the ship no. 1226 sits at the end of the berth. General view of the ship berth and construction work so far. In a workshop steel plates are cut. Work continues with the steam crane at the ship berth with various ship parts manoeuvred into place as the shape of the ship is defined. Various details of the work are shown. A welder is at work in the hull of the ship. Close-ups show welding sparks and cutting into steel plates.    Rivets are heated in a brazier, a woman shipyard worker watching progress General view of the ship berth. A riveter is at work on the construction. A 'catcher lass' heats and pulls white hot rivets from the brazier, her hair tied into a headscarf. Rivets are machined into place. A large imposing machine 'driven' by a workman punches holes into steel plate. A similar plate full of holes for rivets is placed on the hull of the ship and a riveter secures it into position. More welding takes place at the berth, a young apprentice watching, followed by more rivets punched into place. A view shows the ship nearing completion Shot of a sign which says 'Carona First ship'. Guests stand on the launch platform posing for a group portrait and holding the traditional bouquet. Chocks supporting the ship are hammered away a button is pressed and the ship slides down the slip way into the basin. Distinguished male guests chat on the launch platform. The champagne bottle is readied. Shipyard workers continue to knock out the chocks beneath the ship, the huge drag chains piled beneath the hull. The sponsor poses with the champagne bottle and bouquet. The champagne bottle is smashed against the hull to christen the ship. Work removing the wooden blocks beneath the ship continues. The sponsor presses the launch button. The ship slowly begins to move down the slipway and into the water. Guests watch from the platform happily. A sign reads: 'Come Back for No. 1227 the second ship', guests nearby chatting and smoking. The film ends with a panning shot of the ship decorated with multiple flags out on the river.