DEFENDER (D36) module alignment

Another look over to DEFENDER taking shape at BVT Govan. The block that was moved onto the slipway last week has now been moved into position alongside the stern block.

A welder at work on the two blocks.

A closer look at the seem with one of the nightshift at work on it.

TARNHOLM

TARNHOLM - 9,993 grt

Seen this afternoon as she arrived in for the fuel berth at Rothesay dock, Clydebank. Clyde Marine's BRUISER was on the bow and Svitzer's WARRIOR III was on the stern. More info on TARNHOLM can be Read Here and a few shots from previous visits can be Seen Here.

Lining up at the mouth of the dock.

In the dock and being swung into position by WARRIOR III and the bow thrusters.

A smart looking ship.

A few regulars alongside the River Clyde boatyard and over to left is the mast of DIAMOND (D34) down at BVT Scotstoun. The tips of the Glasgow Tower and a couple of Govan cranes can be seen to the left of the Type 45 mast.

Shipyard model

The excellent model of Govan's Fairfield shipyard that can be seen in the Clyde room at Glasgow's Transport Museum. I'm not sure when it is dated as, possibly the late 1960's/ early 1970's.



Today the yard is known as BVT Govan.



The same yard in 2005

Govan on the 9th of April 2005 and RFA CRADIGAN BAY being monouvred into the fitting out basin. She was due to be launched on the 8th of april but due to high winds the launch was delayed for 24 hours.
The large module hall has now replaced the old joiner shop and the Titan crane has been dismantled to make way for the Carrier blocks. Also, the yard is down to using one slipway now.

APOLLO HAWK

APOLLO HAWK - 4,255 grt

Seen early this afternoon as she arrived in for the cement berth (No.4 berth) in KGV dock. Clyde Marine's BITER (bow) and BRUISER (stern) were in attendance. These APOLLO ships require assistance when berthing at KGV dock. I pressume this is due to this class of ship not having bow thrusters. More info on APOLLO HAWK can be Read Here. A great shot of two APOLLO sisters anchored off the Tail of the Bank can be seen on Clydesights.

BITER leading the way.

BRUISER waiting to take the strain with AASLI having moved away from the cement berth down to No.3 berth.

Almost 38 years since her keel was laid and she is still looking smart.

Being positioned for the move up the dock.

Being monouvred up the dock stern first.

SWAMI

SWAMI - 2,839 grt

A look over to the Diesel wharf with SWAMI taking on a load of scrap metal. As has been mentioned, she has brought a few loads of road salt into KGV dock these last few weeks. She arrived alongside KGV dock in the early hours of saturday and after discharging her load she shifted over to Diesel wharf on saturday night. For more info on SWAMI Click Here.

The building to the left was the Barclay Curle Engine Works. Once an engine was complete the roof would retract and the Titan would lift the ships engine up through the roof and straight into a newly launched ship alongside Diesel wharf. The cranes to the far right are those at BVT Govan on the southbank.

HAV MARLIN

HAV MARLIN - 1,990 grt

Seen this afternoon as she sits alongside the No.9 berth at King George V dock. I'm not sure what she was in with. Possibly road salt as that is the berth that SWAMI had discharged a few loads of road salt. For more details of HAV MARLIN Click Here.
Excuse the gloom, the sun was in my line.

ARKLOW RALLY - shifted berth

Seen this afternoon being loaded with a cargo of scrap metal at Renfrew. She shifted from Shieldhall down to Lobnitz basin early this morning. More details below.

ARKLOW RALLY - 2,999 grt

Seen this afternoon as she unloaded a cargo of road salt at Shieldhall. There has been quite a few loads of road salt unloaded in Glasgow these past two weeks. SWAMI has been into KGV dock a few times. Her latest arrival was on friday, after she had discharged her load she shifted over to Diesel wharf to load a cargo of scrap metal.
For more details on ARKLOW RALLY Click Here.

DEFENDER - D36 - module movement

A look over to BVT Govan and the penultimate module for DEFENDER - D36 has been moved out onto the slipway. The stern section has been moved down into it's final launch position. The bow section of the final Type 45 DUNCAN can be seen in the background.

This latest block will be moved down the slipway to join up with the stern section. The final block will be the centre block, slotting in between these sections.

One of two Portsmouth constructed mast sections at the yard. Seen here sitting on the old No.4 building berth awaiting installation.

PINNAU & JONSEN

PINNAU - 2,452 grt (nearest)

JONSEN - 1,987 grt

A view from Linthouse this morning. Two coasters alongside the Shieldhall riverside berths, I'm not sure what either is in with. JONSEN arrived this morning and is possibly in with animal feed whilst PINNAU has been in for a couple of days discharging some sort of dry bulk cargo.
More info on PINNAU can be Read Here and more info on JONSEN can be Read Here.

The structure over to the right was once a crane pier at the former Clydeholm shipyard of Barclay Curle & Co, Whiteinch.
Braehead shopping centre and it's big wheel in the background.

GLEN

GLEN - 8,450 grt

Seen this afternoon alongside the fuel terminal at Rothesay dock. She had spent a couple of days anchored off Arran before arriving upriver early this morning. More of her details can be Read Here.

The River Clyde Boatyard to the right and DAUNTLESS, at BVT Scotstoun, in the background.

HMS DARING - The final fling

HMS DARING

Today saw HMS DARING depart BVT Scotstoun for the last time. A proud yet sad day for all involved in her contruction. From the head man in the yard to all the way down to the woman who runs the Yarrow cafe, all have benefited from HMS DARING. I'll even miss the hum of her generators at night. It is now the turn of the good people of Portsmouth to enjoy her. Take care of her folks. She'll be well missed in Scotstoun. At least the queue in Grace's cafe will be a wee bit shorter.

She was assisted by two Serco Denholm tugs. SD IMPETUS on the stern and SD NIMBLE on the bow. The weather started bad and got worse, as you'll see.

Mid channel and on her way. DRAGON - D35 in No.2 dry dock.

Passing DIAMOND - D34 in No.3 dry dock and what is left of the GRP hall.

Approaching Renfrew green. The buildings in the background were once the engine works and machine shop of the Lobnitz & Co shipyard in Renfrew (1895-1959), now home to Christie the scarp metal merchant. The land between Renfrew green and the old Lobnitz building was once the Simons & Co shipyard (1810-1959). These two shipyards specialised in dredgers and were to merge in 1959 creating Simons - Lobnitz Ltd. The SPT passenger ferry RENFREW ROSE can be seen having a day off.

For a great shot of this area from the the 1930's Click Here.

The YOKER SWAN heading over to the Renfrew slip.

HMS DARING now crossing the Glasgow city boundary.

Passing Rothesay dock in Clydebank. So long big yin, I look forward to the day she comes back to visit the city. Good luck to all her crew, safe travels folks.

The tanker FALCON was to depart within an hour of HMS DARING passing.

DAUNTLESS - mid channel

DAUNTLESS - D33

Seen here being moved back alongside the wall at BVT Scotstoun. With the aid of Clyde Marine's BRUISER and BATTLER she was moved aside to make way for the departure of HMS DARING.

SD NIMBLE & SD IMPETUS

A closer look at the two Greenock based Serco Denholm tugs. Above is SD NIMBLE and below is SD IMPETUS. These tugs are very rarely this far upriver.

Four Type 45's together

A run of shots from earlier in the week.

BVT Scotstoun (Yarrow's) with four Type 45's together. From the left we have DIAMOND - D34 in No.3 dry dock. DRAGON - D35 in No.2 dry dock and DAUNTLESS and HMS DARING up at the Wall. This kind of night shot is no longer available as HMS DARING will be leaving the yard at 12:20 today. She is due to sail down to Portsmouth were the navy will get to play with their new toy.

A closer look at what was once the Scotstoun West shipyard of Barclay Curle & Co, now home to No.2 dry dock and the fitting out complex of BVT Scotstoun. The covered dry dock (No.1) was the first dry dock to be constructed in Scotstoun. This was originally the Shearer & Co ship repair yard, this dry dock is now over 100 years old but sadly too small in width for a Type 45 to use. No.1 dry dock was last used during the Brunei OPV contract.

The Scotstoun West shipyard was closed in the 1930's and the yard converted into a ship repiar yard. Still under the management of Barclay Curle, what became the Elderslie Dockyard was in business from the late 1930's through to the early 1970's. The four old building berths at Scotstoun West were replaced with a second dry dock (No.2) and a new quayside wall. The No.3 dry dock, the longest and widest of the three, was opened in 1966. After the closure of the Elderslie the neighbouring warship builder Yarrow & Co took over the dry dock complex. Today known as BVT Scotstoun, it is the fitting out centre for the Type 45 destroyers.

DAUNTLESS & HMS DARING (inside) have now swapped places ahead of todays departure of HMS DARING.

The covered hall, with the BVT sign, is were DARING was constructed and launched from. The first of class Type 45 slipped down the ways on the 1st of February 2006 and to date is the last ship to be launched from Scotstoun. This hall was once the open slipways of the mighty Blythswood Shipbuilding Co. Blythswood's closed back in 1964 and, like the Elderslie, the yard space was taken over by Yarrow & Co.

No.1 (covered) and No.2 dry docks.

DRAGON in No.2 dry dock. This is were the first phase of fitting out takes place.

Aye, here is one they made earlier. DIAMOND in No.3 dry dock.

After a period of time (approx 6 month) in No.2 dry dock the Type 45 will move down to No.3 dry dock were she will be fitted out to sea trial stage.

The crane to the right is one of a pair that came from the old shipyard that was Denny of Dumbarton. The two cranes were originally installed at Denny's in 1955 and when that yard closed in 1964 they were stripped and re-assembled up at the Elderslie. The second of the two was part wrecked during a heavy storm back in the early 1980's.

FALCON - inbound

FALCON - 8,882 grt

Seen this afternoon as she arrived in for the fuel terminal at Rothesay dock, Clydebank. She was last here back in June 2008. Clyde Marine's BRUISER and Svitzer's AYTON CROSS were in attendance. More info on FALCON can be Read Here.

The tugs.