St Andrews Day on the Clyde

The paddle steamer WAVERLEY sitting alongside Plantation quay as St Andrews day 2009 draws to a close.

The housing estate in the background was built on the land of the old Harland & Wolff Govan yard. The dock gates of No.1 and No.2 dry docks at Govan can be seen either side of the funnels.

DAUNTLESS (D33) - A Goodbye

DAUNTLESS (D33)

The 28th of November 2009.


A few shots before she departs Scotsoun for Portsmouth. The shot above and below were taken at 01:00 this morning, six hours before she is due to sail for Portsmouth. Best wishes to all the crew, the local shops will miss you and so will Grace from the Yarrow Cafe as will the rest of the community that had got used to seeing the crew out and about the local area. Also good luck to the Scotstoun boys that are sailing down to Portsmouth on her, hope the weather holds.

With DIAMOND (D34) on the inside and the bulker GOLDEN ELPIS up at Shieldhall riverside.

The shots below are a few from her early days. Below the first block, stern block, having been out onto the Govan slipway. This was the first Type 45 constructed at Govan. DARING (D32) having been constructed at Scotstoun, albeit with blocks having been brought down to Scotstoun from Govan by barge and the bow being brought up from Portsmouth.

The 10th of May 2006. The bridge block can be seen in the hall.

The 12th July 2007 and early stages of outfitting in No.3 dry dock.

The 2nd of June 2008 and starting to take shape.

The 13th of December 2008 and returnng to the yard after her first set of sea trials. HMS DARING alongside the Wall and DIAMOND in No.2 dry dock.

Good luck to her Captain and her Crew. Safe travels.

OSTENAU - outbound

OSTENAU - 2,461 grt

Heading out on Saturday the 21st. The bulker ORHAN EKINCI alongside Shieldhall riverside quay. I've added a video below. AASLI can be seen up at the cement berth in KGV dock.

DUNCAN (D37) block movement

DUNCAN (D37)
A few night shots as she starts to take shape on the slipway at Govan. The shot above is of the three blocks that are currently out on the slip. Sad to think she will be the final Type 45. The original intention was for twelve of these ships, that was cut to eight then cut to six.

The stern block next the the bridge block.

A closer look of the stern block. Good luck to the Govan Team.

ORHAN EKINCI - inbound

ORHAN EKINCI - 19,701 grt

Heading upriver this yesterday afternoon, just as the T&T OPV was entering dry dock. This is the first bulker to arrive upriver for a good few weeks. She is seen here crossing the way of the Yoker - Renfrew ferry, YOKER SWAN was at the Renfrew slip. The Clydebank Titan can be seen in the background.
More info on ORHAN EKINCI can be Read Here.

SVITZER MALLAIG working bow to bow.

Svitzer's ANGLEGARTH working the stern as the bulker passes the two newbuilds in dry dock.

Scotstoun dry docks. One for a good friend and an ex Elderslie man, taught him everything he knows.

Heading up to Shieldhall riverside with a part load of animal feed. OSTENAU already alongside with some sort of dry bulk. She has since shifted to the Shieldhall scrap berth.

Getting ready to cant at the mouth of King george V dock. The old Alexander Stephen & Sons office at Linthouse can be seen below the left hand tower block.

A quick down downriver to catch her after the cant. The land to the right was once the Clydeholm shipyard of Barclay,Curle & Co.

SVITZER MERCIA nearest. The object to the right was once a crane pier at the Clydeholm shipyard. Been inside and along it many times as a kid.

Getting there. OSTENAU shifted up to the scrap berth within an hour of this.

St MUNGO getting in on the act. No doubt being kept very busy with all the rain we've had.

Almost secured as the Svitzer lads get ready to head down to another job down at Hunterston.

SVITZER MERCIA

SVITZER MERCIA

She joined the Svitzer fleet in May this year after a refit on the River Tees, England. She was one of the tugs that escorted the new submarine form BAE Barrow up to the Faslane base. She was due to head back down to Barrow after taking on bunkers at Greenock but due to the bad weather in the Irish Sea she has been helping out up on the Clyde whilst stuck here. She is seen here up ahead of the inbound bulker ORHAN EKINCI. The old Yoker works of Stone Manganese Marine in the background.
More info on SVITZER MERCIA can be Read Here.

SCARBOROUGH - dry docking

Following on from her launch yesterday she was moved into No.1 dry dock at Scotstoun today. She will be shot blasted and receive a new paint job, amongst other things. DEFENDER (D36) in No.2 dry dock. Clyde Marine were up to assist the move.

A briliant scene! Three busy dry docks and two alongside the Wall.

BITER was on the bow rope and BOOJUM BAY was on the stern. BEAVER BAY was standing by. DRAGON (D35) in No.3 dry dock.

Almost there. The two newest Clydeside products.

The first dry dock in Scotstoun. Opened by John Shearer back in 1904 and taken over by Barclay, Curle & Co in 1912. BC operated the Elderslie Dockyard from 1912 until the early 1970's. Once the Elderslie closed Yarrow's took over the dry docks. Yarrow's are now known as BAE Scotstoun. This is the first time the dock has been used in five years. The Type 45 are to big for this dry dock.

SCARBOROUGH (OPV2) launch day

The launch of the Trinidad and Tobago Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) SCARBOROUGH. She was due to go into the water at 13:43 but due to high winds the tide was due to peak 45 minutes early. She was launched just after 13:00. If they had let the water level get any higher they wouldn't have been able to get her out through the hall door. As well as the high winds we had a non stop downpour.
This is her about to enter the river Clyde at Scotstoun. 101 years after old man Yarrow launched his first ship from Scotstoun.
Well done to all the men and women at Scotstoun and Govan. Another proud day on Clydeside. Keep up the good work.
Once the OPV is handed over to the T&T navy she will be known as TTS SCARBOROUGH. Her sister SAN FERNANDO is due to be launched in May 2010.
Clyde Marine were on hand after the launch.
For look back at what SCARBOROUGH was like 10 months ago Read Here.

Making a splash with Clyde Marine's BITER looking on.

BEAVER BAY moving in to play her part.

Clear of the ways and drag chains freed.

BITER on the stern with BOOJUM BAY moving in.

BOOJUM BAY on the starboard side, BITER on the stern, BEAVER BAY moving onto the port side and FENCER in the mix. Well done to Mr Munro and his team, it looked a tad tricky out there for you's.

Being moved down to the angled berth at the Wall.

Nice lines.

Being lined up for the angled berth.

Alongside her berth with DEFENDER (D36) in No.2 dry dock. Two newbuilds launched within a month. Aye, I know.

If only there was a merchant ship or two in there amongst them. Still a great scene though. Well done to everyone within BAE on the Clyde. Still doing Glasgow proud.

Final image of the day. A very high water and a nice wee boat being lifted out the water. No info on her, maybe a new yard tender for Scotstoun and Govan.

Take care of they blinds I made and fitted in the SHE department. I can just see them in the background.

SEA SHANNON & AMANDA

SEA SHANNON - 1,670 grt

Arriving in for KGV dock on Friday. I'm not sure what she was in with this time, possibly road salt. More of her details can be Read Here.

AMANDA - 1,441 grt

Seen alongside the No.10 berth at KGV dock. I think she was in with road salt. More of her details can be Read Here

AMANDA on No.10 berth and SEA SHANNON heading for No.9 berth.

SCARBOROUGH (OPV2)

Launch day nearing for Trinidad and Tobago OPV2. The shot above was from earlier in the week when the slip gates were in the proccess of being removed. The names for the Trinidad and Tobago OPV's are as follows,

OPV1: Port of Spain (Portsmouth)
OPV2: Scarborough (Yarrows)
OPV3: San Fernando (Yarrows)

SCARBOROUGH (OPV2) is due to be launched at 13:43 on the 19th of November (just before high tide).

The shots below are from Tuesday. The barge WOOLSTON had been brought back down from BAE Govan with blocks for SAN FERNANDO (OPV3).
Both Clydebuilt T&T OPV's will be fitted out at Scotstoun and both will undergo sea trials on the Clyde. Good luck to all involved and a very big well done for getting her ready for this launch date. A credit to the yards and their workers. Thanks to you know who for the tip offs. I owe you one.

Preparing the east slipway at Scotstoun. Both OPV's will be built on this berth. Some of the sections for SAN FERNANDO can be seen up at the back of the hall.

Prop shafts in place and slipways being made ready.

BAE's BATUG 12 heading down past the scene.

The barge WOOLSTON alongside the Scotstoun Ro-Ro berth having just delivered blocks for OPV3.

A block for SAN FERNANDO (OPV3)