Luhnau

Passing Greenock in a heavy summer downpour of rain.

HMS Cattistock

HMS Cattistock (M31), the third ship of this name, is a Hunt-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1981 and commissioned on 5 March 1982, the third ship of her class.

She was mentioned in the media in December 2002 after coliding with a jetty as she was leaving her homeport of HMNB Portsmouth in late November. She was left with a 2ft hole in in her side, although no crew were hurt in the collision.

Loch Long

Loch Long from Arrochar.

HMS Plymouth

HMS Plymouth was built at Devonport Dockyard, in her namesake city of Plymouth, and was launched by Viscountess Astor on 20 July 1959

She had an interesting career but is probably best remembered for the part she played during the Falklands war in 1982,she was attacked and badly damaged by the Argentine air force.

After her decommissioning in 1988 she was brought to the Clyde,sadly things never worked out for her and she has been to a few ports in search of a permanent home,her preservation is still in the balance.

I took these picture in 1982,and still recall viewing the scars she obtained during the Falkland war.

HMS Walney

At the tail of the bank on a survey exercise.

She is the fourth of the Sandown class of minehunters and the second ship to carry the name.

She was launched by Lady Wilson, wife of Admiral Sir Barry Wilson KCB on 25 November 1991 and commissioned into Naval service on 19 August 1992. The name Walney comes form the island off Barrow-in-Furness on the North West coast of England.

The island was called Maghney by the Saxons, signifying 'a wall in the sea'; hence the yellow wall in the ships crest. The red rose in the crest indicated Walney's location in what used to be Lancashire. She has battle honours from the Atlantic in 1941-42 and Africa in 1942

RMS Lancastria

Bombed and sunk on the 17 June 1940

built by Wm Beardmore & Company Dalmuir,
Yard No 557

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Last Name: LANCASTRIA (1924)
Port of Registry: Liverpool
Propulsion: Steam turbine, 2527 nhp, 16.5 knots
Launched: Monday, 31/05/1920
Built: 1922
Ship Type: Passenger Vessel
Tonnage: 16243 grt
Length: 552.8 feet
Breadth: 70.4 feet
Draught: 38.8 feet
Owner History:
Anchor Line Glasgow
Cunard Steam-Ship Company, Liverpool
1934 Cunard-White Star Ltd., Liverpool
Status: Bombed & Sunk - 17/06/1940

Similar in design to other Cunarders and Anchor liners of the day. She earned the name "Soup Tureen" and generally not much else of a name for herself initially. In 1924 she was refitted for Cabin Class and her name was changed to LANCASTRIA as Americans were reputed to have difficulty in pronouncing TYRRHENIA. In the thirties it was decided she was more fitted to cruising. Became RMT LANCASTRIA in 1940. On above date of sinking she had been evacuating an unknown number of refugees and military personel from Nazaire during Operation Aerial. As many as 9000 people could have been aboard when German planes bombed her, with one bomb going straight down the funnel and sealing her fate. Estimates of up to 5000 people lost. The disaster was hushed on the orders of Churchill and despite being the biggest maritime disaster in the UK's history, received little prominence in the press when it eventually filtered through.

Information courtesey of CLYDEBUILT SHIP DATA BASE

Stavros S Niarchos

Docked at at Greenock is theThe Stavros S Niarchos a British brig-rigged tall ship owned and operated by the Tall Ships Youth Trust. She is primarily designed to provide young people with the opportunity to undertake voyages as character-building exercises, rather than pure sail-training. She is also used for adult voyages and holidays, which help subsidise the operation of the ship.

Click HERE for the official website

Rona

Rona an Irish mussel dredger from Sligo Ireland prepares to enter drydock.

More information on her can be found HERE

Caledonia and QE2

Caledonia at Rothesay Dock,in the background is the QE2 which has just been launched,the folk on Caledonia must have had a splendid view.

Curzola

Sailing down the Clyde empty after discharging her cargo at Rothesay Dock.

Pomantik

Pomantik making her way to Finnart on Loch Long,she had problems with the yachts which were making their back to the marina in Loch long after a days racing,a slight diversion was required to to allow the yachts safe passage.

Portencross Castle

Portencross castle lies a few miles from the village of West Kilbride,it stands on a rocky shore with a small bay at the entrance to the castle.

The area surrounding the the castle is very scenic with fine views across to the Little Cumbrae Island and the Isle of Arran in the distance.

Portencross was the seat of the Barony of Arnele conferred by Robert 1 on Sir Robert Boyd of Kilmarnock.

Robert the 11 and the 111 were frequent visitors at the castle while they were in transit to their favourite residences of Dundonald on the mainland and Rothesay Castle on the Island of Bute.

Some observers believe that the castle was built for this purpose,it remained a Boyd property until 1737 when the roof blew off,it has been an empty shell since.

It is hoped that the castle will be made safe and open to the public in 2010.

Friends of Portencross Castle can be found HERE