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GLACIERE OF LIVERPOOL - 1899

25/9/2015

Glaciere photographed in the Albert Dock, Liverpool on 29 April 2015.

She is a 1899 built Baltic Trader once used to carry stone between England and Denmark.

The Glaciere was recovered as wreckage from the bed of Liverpool's Collingwood Dock in 2003 and restored to her former glory in six months by a team of volunteers.

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EDDYSTONE

22/9/2015

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Eddystone photographed in Southampton on 4 April 2015.

She is one of originally six Point Class Ro-Ro ships available for use as naval auxiliaries to the Ministry of Defence.

Powered by twin MAK 94M43 diesel engines (21,700 hp) she has a top speed of 21.5 knots and a range of 9,200 nautical miles.

In total she has 2,650m of space for vehicles which can include 130 armoured vehicles and 60 trucks or 8000 tonnes of other vehicles. The vessel can also carry up to four helicopters.

MMSI - 235507000
REG - UK, London
IMO - 9234070
Call Sign - ZIQT3
Ro-Ro Cargo Ship
Built - Flensburger, Flensburg, DE
Yard No. - 718
L 192m W 26m
GT 23005
Year - 2002
Southampton, 4 April 2015

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BRITANNIA

18/9/2015

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Britannia photographed in Southampton on 11 April 2015.

Owned by Carnival and operated by P&O Cruises she was ordered in 2011 and laid down on 15 May 2013. Built in Italy by Fincantieri she departed the shipyard on 27 February 2015 for Southampton where she was officially named by Queen Elizabeth II at the Ocean Terminal on 10 March 2015.

Britannia is the third P&O vessel to bear the name. The first entered service in 1835 for the General Steam Navigation Company which went on to become the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company. The second vessel entered service in 1887 and was one of four vessels ordered to mark the golden jubilee of P&O and Queen Victoria.

She can carry 4,324 passengers in over 1,800 cabins and suites and has a crew of 1398.

Powered by twin Wärtsilä 12V46F & 14V46F & propulsion electric motors she has a top speed of over 21 Knots.

MMSI - 235106595
REG - UK, Southampton
IMO - 9614036
Call Sign - 2HHG5
Passenger Cruise Ship
Built - Fincantieri, Monfalcone, IT
Yard No. - 6231
L 330m W 44m
GT 143730
Year - 2015
Southampton, 11 April 2015

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GOLDEN GATES , WARRINGTON - 1862

15/9/2015

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Warrington Town Hall's 'Golden Gates' photographed on 19 July 2015.

When the Council originally purchased the hall and gardens to use as the Town Hall they were surrounded by a high wall and could not be seen from the main road.

In 1893 Mr Frederick Monks, a member of the council and Director of the Monks Hall Foundry saw some magnificent gates on one of his many visits to Ironbridge.

These he offered as a gift to the council and after installation they were formally opened on 'Walking Day' 28 June 1895. The gates were originally exhibited by the Coalbrookdale Company at the International Exhibition in London in 1862 although there are a number of small differences from the gates I photographed to the ones that were exhibited.

Originally the centre archway of the gates was surmounted by large Prince of Wales feathers, a wreath and the motto 'ICH DIEN', and there were no movable gates under this archway. Today the Prince of Wales feathers, wreath and motto have been replaced by the arms used by the borough from 1847 to 1897.

The gates have an extreme width of 16.459m, and measure 7.620m to the top of the central arch.

Railings approximately 1.200m high were originally erected either side of the gates on a 610mm high stone base although today only a small section of railings and the stone plinth remain. The remainder together with a fountain being removed in 1942 to aid the war effort.

Mr Monks at this time also gave a smaller pair of gates to be placed at the corner of Crosfield Street and Sankey Street. These gates and railings as well as the movable gates which now fill the central arch were also made at the Coalbrookdale Foundry.

There are several stories told concerning the reason for the Prince of Wales feathers on the original gates and what happened to the gates between them being at the 1862 Exhibition and their erection at Warrington in 1895.

One story which is noted as being the most likely seems to be that although they were specifically produced for the 1862 Exhibition, they had been commissioned by one of the livery companies of London as a gift to Queen Victoria to be used at Sandringham, a property purchased in 1862 for the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII).

It was however the custom at the time, that prior to the acceptance of such a gift, the Queen should be able to inspect the object offered. The gates were therefore erected in Rotten Row, but unfortunately the statue of Oliver Cromwell (now sited at Bridgefoot) modelled by the same artist who designed the figures on the top of the gates, was placed behind them, and it is understood that this caused Her Majesty displeasure to the extent that she refused the gates.

They were then returned to Coalbrookdale where they lay from 1863 to 1893, when they were seen by Mr F Monks.

The records of the Coalbrookdale Company indicate that the gates, which are made of cast-iron, were designed by a Mr Kershaw in conjunction with a manager named Mr Crook, and that the four finials representing the goddess of victory, Nike, were the work of John Bell.

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RED OSPREY

14/9/2015

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Red Funnel's Red Osprey photographed in Southampton on 4 April 2015.

I have sailed on her may times since 2008 when I have been holidaying on the Isle Of Wight.

She was built in Port Glasgow by Ferguson Shipbuilders as Yard Number 92 in 1994.

As part of a group investment programme she sailed to Gdansk October 2003 where she had a new mid section inserted which extended her length to 93m, she was also fitted with a new high level vehicle deck which extended her vehicle capacity to approximately 200 cars and had some interior refit work undertaken which included a new entrance lobby, bar and cafeteria area.

She can carry 215 cars on three decks and 895 passengers.

In 2015 she was the second vessel in the fleet to have a major refurbishment which included a 55% increase in internal seats, two new lounges (one of which is pet friendly), a new contemporary design, the inclusion of air conditioning throughout, free Wi-Fi in all passenger areas and lift and wheelchair access to the outside promenade deck.

The new areas can be seen on the top promenade deck which was previously uncovered.

MMSI - 235006680
REG - UK, Southampton
IMO - 9064059
Call Sign - MTRL5
Passenger Ferry
Built - Ferguson SB, Port Glasgow, UK
Yard No. - 92
L 93m W 18m
GT 3953
Year - 1994
Southampton, 4 April 2015

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BACK FROM THAILAND

8/9/2015

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View from my window of the Qatar Airlines A330 I was on from Doha to Manchester.

The picture was taken just after dawn near Winzer, Bavaria.

Total journey time home from leaving the hotel to opening my front door was 23 hrs ,18min and 46 seconds.

I am currently spending a great deal of time updating my ship list. In total I saw well over 300 vessels during my trip although quite a few of these I had seen before resulting in some 259 in check.

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GLACIERE OF LIVERPOOL - 1899

EDDYSTONE

BRITANNIA

GOLDEN GATES , WARRINGTON - 1862

RED OSPREY

BACK FROM THAILAND

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