ULUNDI Scanned Data

ULUNDI Ship No 78


Leica Scanned Data,

We are amazed to be able to show you the actual scanned data from the old Leith built ship the tug ULUNDI built in 1927 at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb.

The ship was scanned by Brad Wakefield in Durban South Africa using Leica scanning equipment.

This gives a 3D all round picture of the ship as she is and surely is the way forward for the preservation of all old vessels as steel and wood will not last forever no matter how well the ship was built, but perhaps cyberspace as they call it will be around for as long as we can imagine.

For all you model makers out there this can give you so much information which would be unavailable to you without actually going out to measure the ship.

We will have the link to this info available to you very soon so you can see one of the oldest ships still left that was built at Leith for yourself.

Our thanks to Brad at Leica Geo-systems in South Africa for giving us access to this info and for taking the time to scan the ship for future posterity.

Website-Updates

Hello All,

The website has had some work done to it in the last month or so, as there was a couple of technical problems which have now been solved.
Along with some new photographs and updates to the ships pages, you will find some more news on the Coaster "SPINEL" Ship No 244 and updates to HMS NITH and HMS NESS two of the "River Class Frigates" that were built in the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb.
Some more photographs have been secured showing the old Irish Lightship "ALBATROSS" at her new berth on the river Medway in Kent.
A start has also been made on the pages about the "Bustler Class" recue/salvage tugs  built during the Second World War.
Pretty soon you will be able to read about the ex-warship built in Leith that ended up being a luxury liner.
You will find all this and more at the website of http://www.leithshipyards.com/  and a big thank you to all who have helped contribute to the site.
Remember any and all stories or photographs of the yard or ships will be most welcome, as we continue to grow the site.

Biggest in U.K.

(This photograph was taken by Craig Leitch on the way to check the crane, one of the first scots to work on it in British waters)

Last week there arrived in the Firth of Forth a crane carried by ship. No ordinary crane this, in fact the largest in Britain, and she hove to just opposite the site of the old Leith Shipyards in the river Forth, awaiting clearance and inspection to ensure that she could safely pass under the famous old Forth Rail Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.


She managed to navigate her way through the channel at max ballast and at low tide. The crane will be used to assemble the two new aircraft carriers being built at Rosyth.

It's a tight squeeze but with 2m to spare she made it under the Forth Rail Bridge.
It is good to see that the river is once more seeing more marine traffic. Remember to keep checking the Leith Shipyards site for all maritime enthusiasts.

SEAFORTH SOVEREIGN

Ship No 531

GH4E9X3S4AGZ

Was the first of a two ship order for oil rig supply ships, the order from Seaforth Marine was to build the ships for service in the North Sea.

Considering all the oil found in the North Sea and the amount of vessels required to maintain and supply all the rigs, Robb Caledon as part of “British Shipbuilders” never received anything like the amount of ships that were being tendered at the time.

SEAFORTH SOVEREIGN was the first on the stocks, and was 1199 grt, with a length between perpendiculars of 55.2 metres, with a beam of 13.15 metres and a design draught of 6.15 metres.

She was launched from the Leith Shipyards of Robb Caledon on the 20th of May 1982

You will be able to read a lot more about her on the new website at www.leithshipyards.com

BURUTU

Ship No 527

The sister ship to BAJIMA part of the two ship order from the Nigerian Port Authority, was next on the berth.

The Second of the two tugs BARUTU was 326 grt, with a length between perpendiculars of 34 metres, and a beam of 9.2 metres, with a design draught of 4.5 metres.

She was launched from the Leith Shipyards of Robb Caledon on 15th of May 1980.

This same year saw the closure of the fine shipyard in Dundee which was part of the “Nationalised British Shipbuilders” The Caledon yard was closed down due to lack of orders and all the men were made unemployed at a time when work was scarce to say the least.

Tough times for shipyard workers in the U.K. and not helped in the least by a government who were hell bent on there ongoing policies of turning the U.K. from a manufacturing powerhouse into a “Service based non industry country” (You will be able to follow more on this subject on the new website at www.leithshipyards.com )
The results of those decisions taken all those years ago, are all around us today in this country. 

BAJIMA

Ship No 526

In the continual fight for ship orders, the yard was awarded an order from the Nigerian Ports Authority for two harbour tugs, the same as three others that had been built in the yard during 1975/76 (POCHARD etc)

The first of the two tugs BAJIMA was 326 grt, with a length between perpendiculars of 34 metres, and a beam of 9.2 metres, with a design draught of 4.5 metres.

She was launched from the Leith Shipyards of Robb Caledon on 28th of March 1980.