Doxford is a name little heard these days.
Older readers will remember it not only as being a successful Sunderland shipbuilding firm, but also one associated with the development and production of diesel propulsion machinery.
William Doxford started building small sailing vessels on the upper reaches of the River Wear in 1840.
The company that became well-known throughout the world as William Doxford & Sons Ltd was established when he was joined by his two sons in 1857.
At the same time, shipbuilding construction was shifted to a much larger site at Pallion, which later became the largest yard on the Wear.
The yard continued building vessels on this site in the traditional manner until the mid-1970s, when a new covered-in facility on the site started production.
The first ship to be built there was the Bank Line's Cedarbank, which was laid down on June 29, 1975.
The ship was floated out on April 8, 1976, the day of the official opening of the so-called "Pallion Ship Factory".
By then, the yard had also undergone another period of change that had considerable bearing on its future.
In 1972, when trading as the Doxford and Sunderland Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, it was acquired by Court Line Ltd.
But this company collapsed with massive debts in 1974.
The yard later merged with others in the area.
It became Sunderland Shipbuilders Ltd on July 1, 1977, as part of British Shipbuilders.
However, in its final form, it was part of British Shipbuilders' restyled North East Shipbuilders Ltd.
But this only lasted from April 1, 1986, until the yard closed down in 1988.
From late 1945 to mid-1977, more than 70 Doxford-built and engined dry cargo vessels and tankers visited this harbour.
Of this number, 24 were units of the Bank Line.
This company was a faithful customer of these builders who over the years built 54 of the company's vessels, 43 between 1957 and 1979.
The Doxford story is not only about shipbuilding but also about the development of its successful two-stroke, opposed piston, diesel engines.
The company had already focused its attention on the diesel engine early last century.
This resulted in a single cylinder, two-stroke, opposed piston 350hp prototype being commissioned in 1914.
Further development was put on hold with the outbreak of war.
Finally it was Yard No. 549 that was the first motor ship by Doxford.
The vessel, fitted with a four-cylinder 3000hp unit, was the 5247gt Yngaren, completed for the Transatlantic Steam Ship Company of Gothenburg in March 1921.
The yard completed nearly 900 vessels throughout is history, but it would be a momentous task to find out how many Doxford diesels were built for installation in single and twin-screw vessels.
Besides those built at the Pallion facility, others were produced under licence by other shipbuilders in the United Kingdom.
Many of these were associated with the New Zealand trade.
One that stands out, particularly through its local connection, was the 7585gt Port Dunedin, completed by the Workman Clark yard at Belfast in May 1927.
Fitted with two, four-cylinder units, it was the first twin-screw motor ship to be powered by Doxford diesels.
It was also the forerunner of a series of vessels built for the Commonwealth & Dominion Line, later the Port Line, that were powered by Doxfords.
And, 25 motor ships built from 1930 to 1958, for service with the associated Federal and New Zealand Lines, but with one exception, were powered by Doxford diesels supplied by their builders.
