ST HELEN Retired

The final ship launched from the Leith Shipyards ST HELEN Ship No 535 has now been retired from British waters by her owners WightLink.

Retirement cake for the passenger ferry ST HELEN

St Helen retired after the 11:30 sailing from Fishbourne on Thursday March 26th after performing a final unscheduled round trip for invited guests, ex-staff and enthusiasts.

Amongst our guests were children from St Helen's primary school who were invited because her first passengers in 1983 were children of that very same school.

 

Her final traffic was led onboard by a 1983 Rover SD1 police car with it's blue lights flashing.

 

A buffet and cake was enjoyed onboard and she was given a salute of numerous blasts by St Clare as she left Fishbourne.

For more on the story visit ST HELEN

 

BRITISH COAST-Ship Model

The build of the BRITISH COAST model ship continues with a launch date approaching soon and as you can see from these photographs the model of this famous old Leith built Ship is looking very good with lots of work, time and attention to detail going into the making of the model, the finished vessel will be put into the water as a real working model.
You will see many more photographs of the building of this fine model on the website and we would encourage any other model making enthusiasts out there to send in your pictures of your particular model build, especially if it has a connection to a Leith Shipyard.

The BRITISH COAST almost near completion and looking very good in the late winter sunshine.

The Starboard light is detailed and it works as well

A lot of her original woodwork is replicated here as well to show her open bridge and decking

This photograph shows her builders name plate as Henry Robb Shipbuilders, Leith

Hope yet for a Leith Maritime Museum!

No actual Maritime term used, but at least some progress with the potential use of the old custom house in Leith. Time as ever will tell for more on this story see the link below from the Edinburgh Evening News.

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/leith-museum-plans-take-giant-step-forward-1-3730575

SCOT II Photo's March 2015

This is going to be one hell of a restoration project and we look for help worldwide.

Can we do it (to quote someone else! YES WE CAN!
All help and enquiries most welcome, soon there will be a website where you can join the friends of the Save the SCOT II Society.

SCOT II restoration Project - Now a registered Charity

Scot II restoration revived

Launch of the SCOT II March 1931
Photo from "The Loftsman" Collection

Happy to be able to tell the world that the project to renovate the oldest “Ice Breaking” Tug left in the British Isles is now to be revived after a couple of years of the usual challenges she is now an official registered charity.

She will be restored to Lloyds Class 100A1 Sea going ready again.

The ship built at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb Ltd and launched in 1931 is also on the Historical British Ships register as an important vessel in the long list of ships built in Britain.

The main difference this time is the College that we hope will be involved to help restore her is now going to be Inverness College, which is closer to where the old ship is presently berthed just now.

Now that she is to be owned by a registered charity the hard work to raise funds and to restore her to her old sea going condition can begin again in earnest with a good chance that once again we will see this famous old ship back on her usual stretch of water travelling through the Caledonian Canal and into Loch Ness in Scotland once more.

The trust is now officially 'The Scot ll & Historic Vessels Renovation & Preservation Society SCIO ' Our charity number is SC045270 ! Our SCIO's Known name is 'The Scot ll Society.' The registration date is 04 / 12 / 2014.

Appeals for funds and help will now begin and if anyone out there feels that they can contribute any small way then don’t hesitate to contact, no amount of help or funds is too small or large.

The Blog will feature regular updates on progress and it is hoped that once things get into full swing we can follow the progress of her restoration here on the Leith Built Ships Blog.

ST HELEN Ship No 535-Builders Plate

We feature the builders plate from the ST HELEN seen in this photograph sent in by senior steward Anni on the ST HELEN just a couple of weeks ago in the Solent.
She was of course built when the shipyard had reverted back to its original name of Henry Robb Ltd although still a part of the "Quango" that was "British Shipbuilders" at the time.

Quango is an acronym used especially in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Quangos are arms-length bodies funded by government departments but not run by them. They are given power and paid for by government departments

Sign of the times that the builders plate was made from stainless steel gone was the traditional "Brass builders plate"

Henry Robb Ltd Shipbuilders, Leith

Hibernian Supporters Limited (HSL)

This group we feel is going in the right direction so we are happy to let our readers know about the efforts to turn this great old club around. (We have removed the other group)
 The shipyards of Leith (All of them) have long had a connection to Hibernian Football Club (Hibs)
and as such the Blog at Leith Built Ships are happy to do a little bit to publicise an intended Supporters Buy Out to return the Football club to the supporters of the team.
The organisation has been set up and a website is now on-line for any pledges of support to return this fine club to it's rightful place in Scottish Football, innovators since 1875 so who knows this may well help return the Glory Days to Easter Road Stadium.

The following is from the official website:-

Hibernian SupportersLimited (HSL) has been established with simple and clear objectives:

·      To raise funds to purchase shares in Hibernian Football Club, and

·      To hold those shares for the benefit of all supporters and the community.

There is strength in solidarity and the more funds we can raise the more shares we can buy.  We have a legally binding agreement with the Club that enables us to buy shares with the funds we raise.  This agreement is open ended and is not limited by the closing date like the option supporters have if they elect to buy direct.

We have the opportunity to own our Club and it is up to us all to take that opportunity and I would encourage you to visit our donation page and either make a lump sum contribution or sign up to a direct debit and pay monthly.  Either way you can be safe in the knowledge that the money contributed will go a long way to securing the future of our Club.

This is the start of the journey to something we as supporters have been calling for - FAN ownership.

www.hiberniansupporters.co.uk/