Bustler Class Tug-Smoke on the Water

 We continue to show some of the fine pictures taken of the Bustler Class Tug model as Dave Steggles put her back on the water to continue her trials. She looks the part we think you will agree and this is a great job well done by someone who appreciates the fine original craftsmanship that went into the original model.

She sits nice on the water with a fine bow wave which shows her fine lines as she is cutting through the water.

Smoking.

As she steams away from us, we see her wake. 

You can also see a great video of her 2nd trial run of the Bustler Class Rescue Tug on the water.

Looking good underway with nice bow wave cutting the water, this is from her 2nd trial on the water, congrats to Dave Steggles.

Bustler Class Tug-Returns to the water

 

We are very pleased to be able to feature the story of an old rusting model of a Bustler Class Rescue Tug which itself was in need of rescue, cue Dave who also sent in this story along with pictures of his refurbishment of this great metal model.

The model needed a lot of care and attention but this was a worthwhile project that Dave took on and we can see the results of his hard work and attention to detail on this Blog-

This model of a Bustler Class Tug was bought from a Barn, it was unnamed, covered in dust and mess and had an old electric motor in it. I bought it because it was big enough to fit a steam plant in and also the hull, decks and superstructure are made from metal, which is uncommon. The model is at 1:48 scale complete with her war time configuration.

Her shell plates, are clearly seen in this picture showing her portside stern plates, complete with seams and butts which would have been all rivets in the real ship.

 

Ready for one of her first tests on the water, one which she passed with flying colours, as you will see in the following pictures.

Dave tells me that I had no idea at the time just how interesting the history of real Bustler Tugs is. The hull is constructed from small, individual, metal plates that have been soldered together so the plates look like they would have done on real Bustler Tugs.

The hull had rusted through in a couple of places and was leaking. I decided to keep as much as possible original so undertook a sympathetic restoration. I cleaned and kept all the paint work above the water line original. I striped the hull below the water line, back to almost bare metal and repaired it. The plating was protected and left visible by the application of a clear coat of resin to display the skill of the craftsman that built this model. The model is now powered by an old Cheddar Proteus steam plant with full automatic boiler controls. The work on the renovation is not yet complete, there is more work to do to repair the superstructure and fittings, but whilst time consuming its only minor work that is left.

The photos are taken from the 2nd and 3rd trial runs of this boat, the video is of the second trial run, so please bear in mind that the model is not yet in its finished restored condition.

We have more images and video to show you so keep checking back, we also have news on the new Bustler Class rescue Tug book which will now be released at the same time as the new Volume III of the Leith-Built Ships series, all this will be revealed later so keep checking back.

 

Ship Names-Built at Leith

I just thought it would be a little bit unusual to show the stern or Bow names on some of the ships built at Leith. The ship names are self-explanatory so just look through them, perhaps you worked on some of them, I know that I did.

Keep checking back to see more as we upload them to the Blog.

STAND UP FOR UKRAINE

The title says it all, if you can spare a contribution then please do so.

Hibernian family rallies round Dnipro Kids – HSF | Hanlon Stevenson Foundation

Wooden Shipbuilding

 

I love this picture showing the build of a wooden ship in Bellingham, Washington State sometime in 1916.

The foreman stands on the supporting timbers over the ships keel, hands in pockets, somethings never change.

Fight or Flight

 In this ever dangerous world, sometimes you may just wish to sit down and read a good book, if you have a love for ships or the sea with a historical twist then the Davy Stuart series of Historical Maritime books is for you. Starting with the first book, 

Fight or Flight

  “It’s either black or white. There’s no in-between for Davy Stuart.”

 Fight or Flight is an historical adventure novel with a maritime bias; the first in a trilogy.

 Leith, Scotland, 1880. Davy Stuart is an apprentice shipwright down in the docks. He’s from the poorest of the tenements and it’s a tough existence. Davy spends his free time drinking and day-dreaming with his pals.

He then wakes up wounded on a ship, told he has to flee from home, his family and Scotland.

He is like a rudderless ship stumbling from one fight to another, is his best friend really a friend or his worst enemy.

Davy travels on going from adventure to battle, never really knowing who he really is, his encounter with Voodoo leaves him even more confused.

His adventure take him half way around the world, then he lands in post Civil war America, in the South with his Black Friend. He owes his life to Sol.

As he continues his quest to find the woman he intends to marry, things are never how they seem.

Available on Amazon in paperback or kindle.

QE2 under the Forth Rail Bridge

This is a very though provoking photo from a wee while back when the beautiful Queen Elizabeth II, Cunard Liner used to call in at the Firth of Forth, anchoring just off South Queensferry. Her passengers would shipped ashore ,to be whisked off to Edinburgh, so they could spend their tourist money in Auld Reekie.