HMNB Devonport

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Pelican
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Re: HMNB Devonport

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Can Plymouth give its Royal Navy heritage the place it deserves?

An ambitious plan has been launched to create a new Cold War and Maritime Heritage Museum in Plymouth featuring the retired nuclear submarine, HMS Courageous, as its centrepiece. Here we look at the hurdles that must be overcome to make this exceptional concept a reality


Background
Plymouth has the largest naval base in Western Europe and has a long association with the RN, dating back to the 1500s. Despite its history being deeply intertwined with supporting the navy, the city has somehow failed to develop a major naval heritage attraction. Chatham has a historic dockyard centred around preserved vessels that are open to the public while Portsmouth’s exhibits are world-renowned and run by the flagship National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN). Plymouth has, however, demonstrated that heritage can be done well. The city museum has been completely rebuilt and recently re-opened as ‘The Box’, a modern, first-class exhibition which has a few naval artefacts but is primarily focussed on the city’s wider history and the arts.

In the 21st Century, there have been two significant efforts to preserve a naval vessel in Plymouth. HMS Courageous was decommissioned in 1992 but a determined group of volunteers managed to persuade the MoD to allow her to go on public display. The nuclear fuel has been removed and the forward section of the boat is in good condition. Volunteers scavenged other laid up submarines to transform an empty hull with appropriate fittings, equipment, memorabilia and artefacts to represent how she appeared in service. Thousands of man-hours of work to repair, renovate and paint the boat have made Courageous a world-class exhibit. She was first opened to the public in Number 3 dry dock at Devonport South Yard in 2002. (Main photo above)

Continues at:
https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/can-pl ... xqdk9BdXwA
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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DaveH
Posts: 395
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:58 pm
Location: PLYMOUTH , DEVON

Re: HMNB Devonport

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David ,

Having lived here in Plymouth since 1959 and I left the RN in 1977 I have seen very little if anything to indicate that Plymouth will ever be a Naval Heritage site . There is no interest shown by the Local Council [Labour under Tudor Evans with Pollard making lots of noise with no substance]. We had the opportunity to have HMS Plymouth here plus others but all came to nothing because there is no interest . In recent years we have seen Royal William Yard sold off to Developers and now is all Bistros and Apartments no local can afford . Stonehouse Barraacks is going the same way and of late the Royal Citadel has been refurbished ready for it's turn with the Developers . The Naval Museum is a laugh in the "Box" which is an absolute monstrosity built on the top of the old Town Museum and it is a BOX . The Dockyard is gradually being sold off and looks like a huge lump of it will become the Marine Commandos Base when they are finally kicked out of Stonehouse Barracks , Seaton Barracks went long ago to the Developers .

They tell us now that the RN has so many recruits that initial training has to be farmed out to BRNC Dartmouth ........ could that be the death knell for HMS Raleigh or the BRNC ...... watch this space but don't hold your breath .

Plymouth - "A Heritage Site" ---- IMHO - The joke of the Week with Pollard only working for Pollard and knocking Government at every turn .
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jbryce1437
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Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:28 pm
Location: Roker, Sunderland

Re: HMNB Devonport

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Devonport Dockyard's £2bn rebuild will make Plymouth thrive...
Babcock, which operates the vast site, has now confirmed an even longer programme of work, which will see up to £2bn invested over a decade, making it the largest capital investment in the site for 40 years.
Full story in the Plymouth Herald

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 Devonport

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A BUSY DAY AT GUZ

The North Yard Basin No. 5 North Arm, Devonport Dockyard on March 3, 1964.

Four RN aircraft carriers are in with HMS Eagle (R05) alongside Wharf 5 & 6, HMS Hermes (R12) astern of Eagle at Wharf 7, and a Centaur class carrier beyond Hermes at Wharf 8.

HMS Ark Royal (R09) is in Dry Dock 10 in the centre. HMS Belfast is in the foreground in Basin No 4.

In the distance, you can see the WWII monitor HMS Roberts (F40), she would be scrapped the following year.
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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 Devonport

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Monitor HMS Roberts in Devonport, Plymouth sometime in 1965, shortly before her scrapping.
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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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jbryce1437
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Location: Roker, Sunderland

Re: HMNB Devonport

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Pelican wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 3:20 pm A BUSY DAY AT GUZ

The North Yard Basin No. 5 North Arm, Devonport Dockyard on March 3, 1964.

Four RN aircraft carriers are in with HMS Eagle (R05) alongside Wharf 5 & 6, HMS Hermes (R12) astern of Eagle at Wharf 7, and a Centaur class carrier beyond Hermes at Wharf 8.

HMS Ark Royal (R09) is in Dry Dock 10 in the centre. HMS Belfast is in the foreground in Basin No 4.

In the distance, you can see the WWII monitor HMS Roberts (F40), she would be scrapped the following year.
I was serving on Ark Royal, in 10 dock, when this photo was taken. HMS Eagle was just emerging from her long refit and HMS Belfast had been used as accommodation ship for her crew during the refit. Just off the photo to the left would have been HMS Blake, which was being used as accommodation ship for some of Ark Royals crew, although the bulk of us were billeted in Drake barracks. I can recall walking around the perimeter of 5 basin and, adjacent to where HMS Hermes is located in the photo, was an old destroyer - Tenacious - was in reserve fleet which was still fitted with torpedo tubes. I think HMS Lofoten is in the dry dock nearest HMS Eagle, which was converted into a helicopter support ship.

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
User avatar
Pelican
Posts: 9622
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:10 pm

Re: HMNB Devonport

Unread post by Pelican »

A BUSY DAY AT GUZ

The North Yard Basin No. 5 North Arm, Devonport Dockyard on March 3, 1964.
Four RN aircraft carriers are in with HMS Eagle (R05) alongside Wharf 5 & 6, HMS Hermes (R12) astern of Eagle at Wharf 7, and a Centaur class carrier beyond Hermes at Wharf 8.
HMS Ark Royal (R09) is in Dry Dock 10 in the centre. HMS Belfast is in the foreground in Basin No 4.
In the distance, you can see the WWII monitor HMS Roberts (F40), she would be scrapped the following year.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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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