New Shipyard shop

As the new website continues now at www.theloftsman.com

The Blog on the new website will be the main source of news from now on and this new Blog will be even better with all the news on Leith Built Ships and so much more, such as the new shipyard shop about to open over there.

New Shipyard shop

Will be opening soon, we have been working on this new concept for a wee while now, with the advent of the virus pandemic this has presented some more unexpected challenges. No more than anyone else has had to contend with but challenges just the same.

All under the logo

They Once Were Shipbuilders

(You will be able to fill in the location with your own preference)

My own particular preference was of course the Henry Robb Shipyard at Leith.

The aim of the shop is to present the customer with unique purchases that you will not find elsewhere. This will be a shop that will be a testament to a lost industry that touched so many people.

The Shipyard Shop will feature many fresh designs which cover an old concept, the concept of building ships.

Powerful industrial images now almost gone, but the memory lingers on, images that now sit very well on every day things from caps, hats to t-shirts to wall coverings.

We are sure that once the Shipyard Shop opens you will find what you are looking for, in a way that no other shop can, as we are also from the industry, an industry that employed so many people not only on this small island nation of ours but all around the World.

We will feature superb museum quality ship models covering many of the greatest ships ever to grace the seven seas.

We feature the Ship Beautiful above otherwise known as RMS Aquitania

Thes are not kits but fully assembled models shipped in sturdy containers to your door and ready to display. Some have LED lighting inside for a tremendous night-time effect.

Many of our original designs can be personalised so that you can input your own personal favourite, so please keep a look out for this happening, keep checking back here on the Blog, and on the main website.

Thanks to all and keep safe during these trying times.

They Once Were Shipbuilders

*LEITH*

We hope you like the small taster of some of the many products that we shall soon be able to offer on the “Brand New” Shipyard Shop.

Bear with us as I am sure we shall open this pretty soon.

Why not have a look at some of my Amazon stuff on the Blog while we wait on the shop opening, below you will find a really neat 3 in 1 Document Camera from Amazon.

OKIOCAM T Plus: The Unique 3-In-1 Document Camera

HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2020 TO ALL

A busy scene at the Leith Shipyards of Robb Caledon sometime around 1976

Well 2020 it is then, bloody miracle if you ask me, puts me in mind of an old Jager & Evens song “In the year 2525, if man is still alive”

Perhaps someone will change the year around to show 2020 but I digress, I have been asked a few questions many times about plans for 2020

I shall endeavour to answer below, always a wee bit reluctant to make plans set in stone as we all know what happens to plans (Ask around in any shipyard and you will find out, but we will not mention anything about what has really happened with the two Cal-Mac ferries being built or not built at Ferguson’s yard on the Clyde)

Will there be a new website in 2020 – Most definitely, although it will take a slightly different format as this website will also feature the many books that I have on the go right now both Non-Fiction such as the recently published Leith-Built Ships Vol. I

I have Fiction books starting with a trilogy about two young shipwrights from Leith, full of madcap adventures. Set around actual ships built at Leith in the late 18^th century, that I am writing with the first two books finished but as yet unpublished.

The new website will also in time feature a very large library of ships photographs.

Will Volume II of Leith-Built Ships be published in 2020 – Most definitely although still to be confirmed with the publishers, but this book is 99% complete and almost ready to go, with Volume III well on as well it could be an exciting year on the publishing front to feature more on the almost forgotten shipbuilding and maritime heritage of the old port.

There is a lot more in the pipeline but as ever I don’t count my chickens before they are hatched.

Remember the first book is now out and can be purchased from most good bookshops, for anyone overseas the publishers can post to anywhere.

http://www.whittlespublishing.com/They_Once_Were_Shipbuilders

or it can be purchased from Amazon at the following link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Once-Were-Shipbuilders-Leith-Built/dp/1849954437/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AGCT5P1NE6DX&keywords=leith+built+ships&qid=1577884811&sprefix=Leith+Built+S%2Caps%2C233&sr=8-1

So for now it is on to 2020 may it be a good one for all.

SOFALA Ship No 241

The Twin Screw Motor Vessel SOFALA I can confirm was a motor vessel with 2 engines leading to twin screws, in responce to Gordon's question. He served on her when named Vorlooper and was unsure if she was single screw or twin. Happy to put the record straight about ships built at Leith and you will be able to find out so much more about the ships built at Leith, in my second book in the series which is almost complete.
In the meantine you can read about the ships from 1850 to the end of WW1 in the new book to be published next month.

The details of the book can be found at the publisher’s website as follows-

http://www.whittlespublishing.com/They_Once_Were_Shipbuilders


You can also pre-order the book from Amazon at the following link

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Once-Were-Shipbuilders-Leith-Built/dp/1849954437/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=They+Once+Were+Shipbuilders&qid=1567599695&s=books&sr=1-1

Many thanks.