An amateur film produced by Alan Johnson of crowds at South Shields watching as the oil tanker Esso Northumbria is towed out to sea for her sea trials on the 9th February, 1970. A helicopter flies over as a crowd gather on a grassy area overlooking the River Tyne at South Shields. In the distance the Esso Northumbria is slowly towed down river making its way towards the watching crowd. Another crowd of onlookers gather along the riverbank to watch as three tugboats slowly tow the Esso...

An amateur film produced by Alan Johnson of crowds at South Shields watching as the oil tanker Esso Northumbria is towed out to sea for her sea trials on the 9th February, 1970. A helicopter flies over as a crowd gather on a grassy area overlooking the River Tyne at South Shields. In the distance the Esso Northumbria is slowly towed down river making its way towards the watching crowd. Another crowd of onlookers gather along the riverbank to watch as three tugboats slowly tow the Esso Northumbria out to sea. They pass the Herd Groyne Lighthouse where more people have gathered to watch the spectacle. The film ends with views of the day’s events filmed off a television screen.