Marine shite

[gricer]

SCTSH_ANDY was talking (at extreme length) about the Titanic the other day. He was saying the Titanic was actually the Olympic dressed up because it had been critically damaged in an earlier accident. It was absolutely fucked and the White Star Line wanted it scuppering for the insurance money, or something. The Titanic (now the Olympic) was actually sunk in WW1, or something. Sometimes he gets on one and it's hard to get a word in edgeways.

 

 

There's a book about this. Plausible conspiracy theory but doesn't seem to be supported by evidence from the wreck.

[gricer]

Anoter recently lost piece of Nautoshite: The SS Manxman, the last Isle of Man steamer. Latterly a pub in Preston Dock basin. Spent her last days in a dry dock in Sunderland, and repotedly was scrapped last year. Lovely old thing.

 

[Ross_K]

Last time I was there Ross there was a small museum in the railway station and the former White Star line offices were a pub which served half decent food. It was pretty understated.

 

Has it all changed now ?

 

The heritage centre in the railway station is still there, and was packed full of tourists on Sunday. In fairness to it, it's not just about the Titanic - it deals with "transportation" (or extraordinary rendition as it would probably be called today )to Australia and emmigration back in the day as well.

 

The downstairs part of the White Star Line office is going to be turned into a restaurant sometime soon as far as I know. There's a bit of a visitor centre thing going on upstairs... It's all a bit "meh".

 

You remember right - it was a pub up til a few years ago. A guy won £1million on the lottery in the late '90s and opened it as a Titanic-themed pub/restaurant. It went to the wall and someone tried to burn it down.

[messerschmitt owner]

SCTSH_ANDY was talking (at extreme length) about the Titanic the other day. He was saying the Titanic was actually the Olympic dressed up because it had been critically damaged in an earlier accident. It was absolutely fucked and the White Star Line wanted it scuppering for the insurance money, or something. The Titanic (now the Olympic) was actually sunk in WW1, or something. Sometimes he gets on one and it's hard to get a word in edgeways.

 

 

There's a book about this. Plausible conspiracy theory but doesn't seem to be supported by evidence from the wreck.

I have nine pieces of panelling from the Olympic (build number 400) and have held in my hand one of the larger pieces from the wreck field of Titanic (build number 401). The olympic panels and the hundreds of others I have seen are all stencilled SS400, the Titanic piece I held had a partial SS401 stencil. Just think about it, they had a week to swap everything and not one of 15000 Irishmen has spoken about it. It took nine months to fit out a ship this size so how on earth could you swap it all in a week. The conspiracy theory was a means of selling books - no more, no less!

[pompei]

There's a hotel somewhere in the borders which has the dining room done out with panelling from a Titanic "sister ship". Some friends of mine stayed there last year and said it was rubbish.

 

As for marine shite, BR was running paddle steamers across the Humber until around 30 years ago when the Humber Bridge opened. One of them ended up for a while as a pub/restaurant just under the bridge but was scrapped only a few months ago in Grimsby.

 

That holiday camp relic is brilliant!

 

Does anyone remember that monumental Shite that Mr B posted up a few years ago, from North Wales IIRC?

[gricer]

Does anyone remember that monumental Shite that Mr B posted up a few years ago, from North Wales IIRC?

 

That'll be the Duke of Lancaster

 

[M'coli]

That would be the , which IIRC was posted on the first page!

 

I can't believe I'd forgotten to mention the SS Shieldhall; that really was marine shite!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Shieldhall

[Waderider]

Speaking of SS America, she did the marine equivalent of being abandoned in a lay-by after the tow rope broke on the way to a lockup . Rust in peace

 

 

Full story here http://www.explorermagazin.de/amstar/amhist1_e.htm

 

(Taxed worse)

[Cavcraft]

That SS America picture is class, would love a poke round that.

 

The Lancaster is still where it was and has been for light years, heavily monitered by Liverpudlian security guards apparantly and they don't take kindly to people poking around.

[Autoplas]

lol at the Big U - they're not getting the cabin telephone I have from the SS US back!!!

 

Well they might as well not bother starting the restoration if you are just going to ruin it !!!!!

 

Orient Line marineshite collector myself (all pre war builds only)

[Autoplas]

Speaking of SS America, she did the marine equivalent of being abandoned in a lay-by after the tow rope broke on the way to a lockup . Rust in peace

 

 

Full story here http://www.explorermagazin.de/amstar/amhist1_e.htm

 

(Taxed worse)

 

The story was right, she would disappear into the sea...........

 

[TimothyClaypole]

I remember going on the Lancaster when I was a nippy on holidays in Wales, seem to remember it just being a few naff even then "shops" selling tat - Personalised T Shirts with those black furry letters on them etc.

 

(Holidays to Rhyl mainly - in a Yellow Robin, Orange Mini, a yellowish Cavalier and a MK1 Opel Kadette).

[Wilko220]

Here's some marine shite that anyone familiar with central London will recognise...

 

[Jack_Harpers_Teeth]

Can I add the Ryde Queen? A horrid old pile of cack that is more iron ore deposit than marine vessel;

 

 

 

[hennabm]

I take it that the Ryde Queen was ex Isle of Wight ferry?

 

Where is it in the pictures?

[fiatdaft]

It's the big rusty thing infront of the mini.

[Jack_Harpers_Teeth]

I take it that the Ryde Queen was ex Isle of Wight ferry?

 

Where is it in the pictures?

 

Yes a Paddle Steamer, once a disco as well. I believe it is moored on the River Medina.

[Cavcraft]

It's the big rusty thing infront of the mini.

 

[DSdriver]

You said it. My son's learning about it in school at the minute...

 

Reminds me that the son of a friend of ours was doing a school project on the Titanic. Kid asked Dad for some help. Dad says "I'm busy, look it up in the encyclopaedia". Kid comes back "can't find it". Dad sighs and goes to look for himself. Cant find it either. Then realises that their set of Britannica is the 1911 edition.

[Split_Pin]

Speaking of SS America, she did the marine equivalent of being abandoned in a lay-by after the tow rope broke on the way to a lockup . Rust in peace

 

 

Full story here http://www.explorermagazin.de/amstar/amhist1_e.htm

 

(Taxed worse)

 

Backides, beat me to it. My favourite shipwreck (no casualties).

 

The awesome and sinister pictures and accounts of URBEX folks who 'boarded' the wreck in 2002 were pretty haunting.

 

Surely the below qualifies as marine shite:

 

 

The lovely PS Waverly. I've enjoyed many a day going 'Doon the Watter' on this magnificent vessel. Watching and smelling the engine from the viewing corridor is something I could do all day!

 

Mothballed, bought for a quid, restored, crashed, repaired, always-uncertain future.

 

Plus its the worlds last sea-going paddle steamer.

 

Surely that's some shite kudos

[Waderider]

I actually posted the wrong link for SS America - this one on how the sea consumed it is much better

 

http://www.explorermagazin.de/amstar/amaut_e.htm

[AeroNautiCal]

...Where is it in the pictures?

 

It's in the centre of the pic (the big, ship like thingy!).

 

Edit! Damn, I should have read page 4 before posting!

[Lacquer Peel]

Speaking of SS America, she did the marine equivalent of being abandoned in a lay-by after the tow rope broke on the way to a lockup . Rust in peace

 

Full story here http://www.explorermagazin.de/amstar/amhist1_e.htm

 

(Taxed worse)

 

Backides, beat me to it. My favourite shipwreck (no casualties).

 

The awesome and sinister pictures and accounts of URBEX folks who 'boarded' the wreck in 2002 were pretty haunting.

 

Do you have a link to that?

[Split_Pin]

I can't paste links as on my phone just now, but if you google SS American Star, which is the last (of many) names she carried, you should find a dedicated page. Eerie. Also tells you the history of the ship which is truly shite-worthy.

[coalnotdole]

Another Nomination for ship shite has got to be the RMS Windsor Castle.

 

 

1957 Construction Begins At Cammell Laird, Liverpool

1959 Named By the Queen Mother

1960 Enters Service as a passenger and Mail ship to south Africa Operated by union-castle line.

 

1967 RMS Windsor Castle was involved in a dramatic race from Cape Town to Southampton against a motor car. It began after Union-Castle Line claimed sea travel was the fastest means of travel from South Africa after air. The Ford Motor Company disputed this and threw down the gauntlet for the ship to race one of their cars from Cape Town back to England. So the RMS Windsor Castle took up the challenge and in May 1967 raced home against a Halewood built Ford Corsair 2000E in a dramatic and nail biting race between these two Merseyside built machines. Sadly despite the high profile nature of this race sadly press coverage was muted. The ship and the car (with rally drivers Ken Chambers and Eric Chapman), left simultaneously from Cape Town dockside to a great send off bound for Southampton. The liner’s 7,000 mile sea voyage was pitched against the 9,700 road journey. Chambers and Chapman had many adventures along the way. Including a moment when the Corsair fell into a 6ft, water filled pothole and had to be rescued by 30 locals and 200ft of rope. Other challenges included petrol shortages (nuns once gave them beer as a substitute!), armed Congolese soldiers forcing frequent stops (their support team and plane were locked up for several days), plus 24 tyre changes and 37 puncture repairs. Even, just before reaching Southampton, they were pulled over by West Sussex Police and cautioned for having a dirty number plate! Accounting for the driver’s air travel, the race was declared a draw, although the Corsair arrived the evening before the ship sailed in...

 

November 1976, one voyage had a quite dramatic incident. An early morning stroll to enjoy the warm South Atlantic breezes from the RMS Windsor Castle turned into a terrifying ordeal for 64 year old Margaret Fuller. At the time the ship was some 250 miles off the Angolan coast, in shark infested waters and 1,400 miles from Cape Town, her next port of call. Mrs Fuller’s husband, Leslie, alerted the crew at 9am. After a brief search, at 9.11am it was assumed that Mrs Fuller might have fallen overboard. Captain Patrick Beadon, executed an emergency U-turn and retraced his course. He asked the crew and passengers to line the rails of the ship as lookouts. Superb seamanship, accounting for the ocean swell and wind direction, returned the RMS Windsor Castle to where Mrs Fuller was still treading water after three hours. With the ship hove to just 50 yards from Mrs Fuller a lifeboat was launched. Her rescue became a dramatic race against time as onlookers claimed that they had seen a shark circling around her. Praising Mrs Fuller’s fortitude, Captain Beadon said that, although she was fit and a good swimmer, many people drown after the psychological shock of seeing the ship disappear over the horizon. Unsurprisingly Mrs Fuller completed the voyage to South Africa under sedation in the ship’s hospital, suffering from bruising and hypothermia. Her eventual fate is unrecorded, but Mrs Fuller, from Hampshire, was emigrating to South Africa and her son, who lived in Botswana planned to meet his parents in Port Elizabeth.

 

1977 Sold off to a greek shipping magnet who built a helicopter pad on it and used it for entertaining arab princes.

1990 Layed up in a Greek harbour.

2004 Broke away from moorings and ran aground

2005 Sailed to the Scrap yard at Allang india under her own power after 15 years of neglect

 

History here: http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/Windsor%20History.htm

Period interior photos Here: http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/Windsor%20Photos3.htm

Photos just before Scrapping : http://www.oceanlinermuseum.co.uk/Windsor%20Photos6.htm

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Among all the Titanic hoopla very little has been made of this little ship - which actually played a part in the story, and is an incredible survivor. Only surviving White Star Line ship, and preserved in Belfast. The SS Nomadic.

 

 

 

Never knew anything of this story. Amazing find. Can't beleive it escaped the scrappie so many times!!

[messerschmitt owner]

here is a picture of the Titanic taken from the Queens Road. To the left of the people is the Nomadic.

 

[flat4alfa]

My word! That pixel width is greater than any titanic ship named Titanic or otherwise

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I love old ships (much more than cars), and the Titanic thing is still interesting. As well as the three Titanic films and the rather lame series on Sundays at the mo, there was a very good documentary 2-3 weeks ago about the unseen struggle to keep it afloat. It ended with the trapped fireman climbing up the inside of one of the funnels as the only way out.

The pics of the American Star are very sad.

 

 

Old Subs are ace as well, especially U Boats. I've been on this MoFo twice now:

 

http://www.submerged.co.uk/u995.php

 

 

And also this one which some Scousers decided to cut into five sections, thus completely ruining it.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-534

 

I went on this in 1998 when it had just arrived. We went inside - pretty rusty and still with sea water in thge light bulbs but evidence of much trapped air in the upper sections. There were some amazing stories such as the wedding dress found in a suitcase that hadn't got wet - plus the discovery of synthetic diesel in the tanks, special torpedoes that would find their target and the big Varta batteries that would still take and hold a charge. They remade the outer conning tower, sprayed the whole sub with Dinitrol.

Only in the UK would this be chopped up into 5 sections to make some wanky museum.

[flat4alfa]

What about one of these blighters?

 

 

SR.N4 (Saunders-Roe Nautical 4), 6 built, these are the Princess Anne specs:

 

Length 130.2ft (39.68m) (1968), 56.40m (stretched in 1976)

Beam 78ft (23.77m)

Height on landing pads 37.8ft (11.48m)

 

Skirt length 8ft (2.44m). The Bella Emberg of skirts.

 

Main Engines 4 Rolls Royce ‘Marine Proteus’ gas turbines. 3,400shp (3447cv) each. Up rated to 3,800shp (1977)

Auxiliary power units 2 Rover 1S/90 gas turbines

 

Propellers 4 Hawker Siddeley Dynamics 4 blade variable-pitch propellers with a 19ft diameter (5.79m).

Lift Fans 4 BHC, 12 blade, centrifugal, 11.6ft diameter (3.5m)

 

Tonnage 168 tons (170.7 tonnes) (1968), 300 (1977)

 

Max speed over calm water 60-65 knots (111-120 km/hr)

Average service speed 40-50 knots (74-93 km/hr)

Stopping distance from 50 knots 700 yards (640m)

 

Capacity 254 passengers, 30 cars (1968), 418 passengers, 60 cars (1977), or 5 Adeles.

 

 

 

 

Withdrawn from service in October 2000. Two survivors, now museum pieces. Are they boats, or are they planes? You needed a pilot's licence to drive one.

 

Love these big old things. Missed out on going on one. Used to love seeing them from IOW when on holidays as a kid, belting across the Channel. These were my Titanic. But my Dad was tight so we used the normal ferry.