Boa Fortune

Boa Fortune seen here anchored off Rothesay,she is a supply ship which is helping with the pipe laying Solitaire.

She was built on the Clyde at Fergusons in 1992 as Star Pegasus.

Kilcreggan Pier

FS Tonnerre landing craft 29

Landing craft from FS Tonnerre taking French sailors ashore at Greenock.

Ark Royal R07

Navy rescue helicopter from Prestwick

Ark Royal was on the Clyde to take part in a NATO exercise
Balmoral passing Ark Royal
This is the fifth vessel to bear the proud name. Ark Royal was built by Swan Hunters Ship Builders' yard at Wallsend in December 1978 and launched by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. HMS Ark Royal was accepted into service on 1 July 1985.

HMS Ark Royal is larger than her 2 sisters, Invincible and Illustrious, at 210 metres (683 feet) long. She has a maximum beam of 36 metres (117 feet) and a displacement of 20,000 tonnes.

4 Olympus gas turbine engines (like Concorde's) propel the ship, which give a maximum speed in excess of 30 knots. A steeper ski jump than in the other ships of this class is fitted at the forward end of the flight deck.

FS Tonnerre

FS Tonnerre and HMS Ark Royal.
Below FS Tonnerre and Royal Navy Rescue helicopter.
Below landing craft from FS Tonnerre,in the background is HMS Ark Royal.
FS Tonnerre on the Clyde before she left to take part in a NATO exercise.

QE2 ,Clyde Last Visit

The Qe2 s last visit to the Clyde,she will now become a floating hotel in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

The last of the great Clydebuilt liners.

FS TONNERRE

Landing Craft


FS Tonnerre visited the Clyde on the Oct 2008,as part of the NATO Joint Warrior Exercise.

Tonnerre the French Navy's new 21,300t amphibious assault, command and power projection ship. The ship has been built by DCN in partnership with Thales and Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The ship has the payload capacity and versatility to carry up to 16 heavy helicopters and one-third of a mechanised regiment, plus two LCAC hovercraft or up to four landing craft.

Solitaire,Carron,Stirling Spey,Boa Fortune.

Photographs taken on the 29 Sep 2008 of the Controversial pipe laying ship off the coast of Largs,work continues to fix the 'stinger'at the rear of the ship.

In the first photograph are some of the ships involved in the repair,from left to right, Carron,Stirling Spey in the distance is Boa Fortune.

More pictures can be seen HERE

Flying Phantom MAIB Report

The Flying Phantom sank on the evening of 19 December 2007 with the loss of three lives.

The tug was escorting the 39738 grt bulk carrier RED JASMINE to Shieldhall with a cargo of animal feed and got into difficulty near Rothesay Dock Clydebank as the vessels made their way up river to Shieldhall.

The full official report can be seen HERE and The Herald newspaper story HERE

MV Balmotal on the Clyde

Balmoral and the QE2 can be seen here.

The Motor Vessel Balmoral was built by J I Thornycroft at Woolston, Southampton in 1949, commissioned by the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co Ltd. The company, which now trades as 'Red Funnel', operated the ship on the Southampton-Cowes ferry route, utilising her aft car deck until she was replaced by larger car ferries. The Balmoral subsequently made a name for herself offering coastal cruises around the South Coast.

Her operational time with Red Funnel came to an end towards the end of 1968, although she stayed in their ownership for a further twenty years. Balmoral moved to the Bristol Channel on charter to P&A Campbell's famous White Funnel Fleet, later being purchased by them and becoming the last working member of their fleet until 1980 . Balmoral was sold by P&A Campbell to Dundee to become a floating restaurant. This was unsuccessful and the ship was placed for sale again - surely only a scrap dealer would buy her...?

Fortunately for the Balmoral, the operators of the world's last seagoing paddle steamer, PS Waverley, were looking for a fleetmate for the 'paddler'. Balmoral was purchased by Waverley Excursions and subjected to a major refit to ready the ship for her new life as a coastal cruise ship. As part of the refit, her aft car deck was enclosed to offer more internal space - this area is now in use as a dining saloon. Balmoral returned to her former home sailing area of the Bristol Channel in 1986, where she was well received by enthusiasts and the public alike . Since then the ship has operated a summer season of excursions around the Bristol Channel but has also visited most areas of the UK, as well as making occasional forays as far as Holland and France! In Winter 2002, Balmoral received new engines, partially funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. These, whilst operating more quietly and smoothly, have also added an extra edge to her speed.

Information courtesy of. MV Balmoral

Solitaire

Solitaire the controversial pipe laying ship,photographed late evening on the 26 Sep 2008.

Click here for more information and photographs of the ship.

Ailsa Craig from Dunure

Taken on a glorious summer evening from the village of Dunure.
See Ailsa Craig and Post Cards.

Tugs 22 Sep 2008 Upper Clyde

Having helped Daring and Diamond berth at the deep water facility at Scotstoun the tugs head for home.

The tugs are Bruiser,Batler,Biter,Boojum Bay and Warior 111.

HMS Daring sea trials

HMS Daring returns home to the Scotstoun shipyard after her 3rd set of sea trials.