Fairmile D
Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: Boats (In alphabetical order)
Forum Name: Motor Torpedo Boats
Forum Description: Discussion on Motor Torpedo Boats
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=1011
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 9:12pm
Topic: Fairmile D
Posted By: TomAC
Subject: Fairmile D
Date Posted: 16 February 2016 at 3:34pm
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I'm looking into the remains of any Fairmile D's that may be about does anyone know of any other hulks/wrecks still surviving? Every year we (Bournemouth Uni) run a training exercise excavating a 'D' MTB629 (later a houseboat Kiwi) which was burnt in the Salcombe Estuary not much of her survives but the results of our survey can be seen here: https://skfb.ly/GrXC I've seen a few post on here from a few years back about a Fairmile D (683) being hulked at chatham, I'm visiting the dockyard soon and given the 2006 condition i doubt there will be much to see  but does anyone know if its still there or have a mapped position for the wreck?Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: ASR1255
Date Posted: 16 February 2016 at 8:58pm
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Me4 4qg is the post code where the Chatham remains were I went there years ago only the bottom remained and 5ft of the bow which was handy as I "liberated" the 2 roller fairleads I don't know what is left there now sorry ------------- SAVE EM ALL |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 17 February 2016 at 11:34am
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Hi there, Just spotted the this last and most interesting, yes...now the area has been re-developed with a new block of flats and the quay side also re-built...so I think, but have not seen I confess myself since, that the remains of her are all gone now....all the best, Johnk |
Posted By: Tim Deacon
Date Posted: 14 March 2016 at 1:57pm
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Hi. I'm pretty sure there are no 'Ds' left afloat! I have some info on an old Fairmile 'D' which was called 'Glenshe' and was on the River Itchen in Southampton. (I lived on the boat next to her, 'Whimsical Macgoffley' ex-Polish MTB S-8/MTB 427 from 1972 to 1979). I have some photos of 'Glenshe' on two moorings on the River Itchen; one at the old 'Belsize' Boatyard in the 1950s (just upstream from the old 'TVS Television Studios' near Northam Bridge, Southampton); she eventually moved up river to just above the railway bridge, below Cobden Bridge, in what was Priory Boatyard (now called Pettinger Gardens) where there are still some houseboats. 'Glenshe', (we never discovered her wartime number, but it would have been one of the first 32 built, MGB 601-632, as she had 'no torpedo scallops' on the foredeck). She eventually caught fire during the fireman's strike in the 1970s and was towed away and scrapped, as she burnt down to the waterline; what happened to the remains, I have no idea. I have always wondered what her wartime was! Another Fairmile 'D', again no 'deck scallops'(her name was 'Samishon' if I remember correctly) was scrapped in Shoreham some years ago. If you contact me, I have some photos of her too: tim@deacon427.fsnet.co.uk |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 16 March 2016 at 10:29am
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Hi Tim, Many thanks all your last posts there, your personal experience with the houseboats there imp articular.... yes the old studios now gone I believe, saw a documentary on them being built, very wet and lousy weather at the start...but by the by, Grey Goose indeed at Hoo....albeit now all of that frontage including old Hoo marina now under GG owners.....thanks again. Johnk |