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Inshore fleet at Dumbarton

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Dumbarton Lad View Drop Down
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Joined: 11 August 2021
Location: Chester
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    Posted: 11 August 2021 at 10:47am
You will forgive my ignorance, but I wish to ask questions that go back some 60 years. In abaout 1961 (when I was about 10) my dad bought an ex-RAF hull from the inshore fleet service station on the west bank of the Leven in Dumbarton. The site was about 150 yards long (along the riverside) and about 50yds wide, and backed on at the south end with a brick wall to Denny's boat and Ship Yard, The site finally closed in, I believe, 1963 and now appears to be a park.
My memories of the facility were of it as very run down - essentially gone wild, with trees, shrubs and brambles growing up across the site. There was a main building in the centre of the site near the road (Woodyard Road) that went past the facility, and on the upper floor I can remember seeing several Link trainers. (there were significant quantities of electronics and the remains of link trainers scattered about in the yard)
So far I have completely faileed to find any information abaout this facility at all, yet I can clearly remember there still being many boats at the yard in 1961 when Dad bought his hull. These included 42 ft rescue/tenders, and larger (I believe 72ft) whale backs, four of which were afloat and moored against the pilings ajacent to the site, I believe that one of these had torpeedo tubes (you will forgive me but after 60 years not all of the brian cells are quire as reliable!). I suspect that there must have been the remains of up to 40 or 50 hulls in the yard at the time, many on blocks on the shore.
Despite a lot of hunting I have failed to discover any information on this site anywhere - can anyone help?
With Many Thanks
I remmber it well
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