HMNB Portsmouth

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jbryce1437
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HMNB Portsmouth

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Now known as HM Naval Base Portsmouth, it is the oldest naval base of the Royal Navy.
The first recorded dry dock in the world was built in Portsmouth by Henry VII in 1495. The first warship built here was the Sweepstake of 1497; of more significance were the carracks Mary Rose of 1509 and Peter Pomegranate of 1510—both were rebuilt here in 1536.
Following the establishment of Chatham Dockyard in the mid-1500s, no new naval vessels were built here until 1648, but ships from Portsmouth were a key part of the fleet that drove off the Spanish Armada in 1588. There are no on-site remains of the Tudor Dock and Yard. Naval shipbuilding at Portsmouth recommenced under the English Commonwealth, the first ship being the eponymous Fourth-rate frigate Portsmouth launched in 1650.
In 1800, the Royal Navy had 684 ships and the Dockyard was the largest industrial complex in the world.
HMS Andromeda was the last ship to be built in Portsmouth's Dockyard in 1967.
Construction of modules for the Type 45 destroyers and Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers took place here, latterly under BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships; but in 2013 it was announced that shipbuilding in Portsmouth would cease as of 2016 the former shipbuilding complex is being used for repairing minehunters and other small craft.
Part of the site is now home to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and is open to members of the public. This has its own section on our Forum.
Some photos of the dockyard area
Many thanks to contributors on the old Forum, where some of these photos first appeared.

pompey-aerial-1967.jpg
Portsmouth Dockyard c1840.jpg
Portsmouth Dockyard gates.jpg
pompey aerial 1950s.jpg
Portsmouth (UK) Harbour-37.jpg
portsmouth harbour 1960s aerial.jpg
PortsmouthVanguard_1.jpg
portsmouth[1].jpg
Portsmouth_1.jpg
PORTSMOUTH-1980c-HMS%20ARK%20ROYAL-1TZ[1].jpg
portsmouth harbour HMS Nelson.jpg
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HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
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Little h
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

Unread post by Little h »

Cracking thread opener Jim - thanks.
Little h
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Pelican
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

Unread post by Pelican »

MAJOR INVESTMENT ARMS NAVAL BASE FOR FUTURE WARSHIP WORK
14 February 2020
The landscape of HM Naval Base Portsmouth is set to transform with work beginning on its newest and tallest structure.

It’s part of a £15 million package for 14 Dock which will be ready to take on major warship maintenance next year and will increase the number of dry docks available to the base.

A new gantry crane will reach 68 metres and enable heavy lifting from Type 45 destroyers, or any other class of frigates or destroyers given deep maintenance at Portsmouth in the future.

Lower down, 14 Dock has been drained for the first time in 15 years, 13,500m² of dock surface cleaned, a new caisson fitted and a sonar pit installed to accommodate vessels with hull-mounted domes.
Continues at:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... pR8vjnIof4

And:
https://www.facebook.com/savetheroyalna ... =3&theater - for 3 more photos.
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
designeraccd
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

Unread post by designeraccd »

A view from 1944............ ;) Any RN fans care to ID the visible units? DFO
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oldsalt
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

Unread post by oldsalt »

I was 18 months in Pompey Barracks, it was HMS Victory then. I was there while on the Mechanicians training course. The barrack rooms were long & we each had a bed & locker. We used to march each day of instruction to the Dockyard where the course was carried out. The course lasted two years , for the last 6 months we were drafted to HMS Sultan, which used to be the Fleet Air Am's HMS SISKIN.
I notice there is no thread for HMS Sultan, may we start one?
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jbryce1437
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Hello Keith, I have started a new thread for HMS Sultan, feel free to post on it.


Jim
HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
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Pelican
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

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Portsmouth Dockyard, Early 1968

The unfinished Majestic class light fleet carrier "Leviathan" lies alongside Berth 8 in Number 3 Basin. Her boilers had been sold to the shipyard refitting the Argentinian aircraft carrier Vienticinco de Mayo (V-2). She would be scrapped in May 1968.
The decommissioned HMS Centaur (R06) alongside the North West Wall, was acting as an accommodation ship. The catapults seem to have been removed.
HMS Victorious (R38) which is alongside Middle Slip Jetty was decommissioned on March 13, 1968.
In the foreground is the County class destroyer, HMS Fife (D20)
A Rothesay class frigate is alongside the South West Wall.
Another County class destroyer, London, in Loch C with another in the distance.
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HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Pelican
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Re: HMNB Portsmouth

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PORTSMOUTH Past And Present

A couple of images show a recently referenced former waterhole, named The Mediterranean, located along Stamshaw Road and reported closed in 1976. The beautiful pub sign engraving dated 1904 is relevant for naval connections, and in particular the Fleet, from useful feedback. Featured is the Rock of Gibraltar, as a backdrop to several shipping vessels. Also commonly known the Mediterranean Sea is just beyond the Atlantic Ocean, stretching across to Sicily and Malta, in passing the land masses of Italy and Algeria.
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HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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