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RASC Boats and Others

Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: General Discussion
Forum Name: Where Are Those Boats Now
Forum Description: Tell everybody where those old boats are
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=180
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 11:36pm


Topic: RASC Boats and Others
Posted By: Pioneer
Subject: RASC Boats and Others
Date Posted: 14 July 2006 at 8:26pm

I have had forwarded an e-mail from Jonathan Hammonds. I think the detail interesting enough to include here in full

""Enquiry: Your web site has just been brought to my attention and I read
> with interest the description of the Hyperion.  I was brought up in
> Aberdovey, Merionethshire  during the 1950s and early 60s.  The RASC boats
> that patrolled the Tonfanau (Towyn) anti-aircraft artillary range were
> based there during the summer months. I remember the Hyperion and the
> Grand Parade as they were \'fast boats\' compared with the Newman Noggs
> and other RASC boats which were far more pedestrian and less impressive.
> The father of a primary school friend (a Capt Williams) used to command
> one of the boats, he would be at their home base \'out of season\' (their
> personal home town used to be Barry Island, but I don\'t know it that is
> where the boats went) and then in Aberdovey during the summer months.  The
> AA range closed in the 1960s and sadly the boats went with it.  I guess
> the Newman Noggs would have been a Dickens Class or something similar?  I
> hope this fills in a few years of the Hyperion\'s
>  history.
> Regards
> Jonathan Hammonds

You may wish to comment on Jonathan's memories.

Regards
Ted



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Pioneer - Forum Moderator


Replies:
Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 15 July 2006 at 12:05am

Hi Ted,I'm sure Dad will be interested to learn more about Grand Parade's history,thanks.

Regarding the Dickens Class launches,does anyone know more about them?There's a dearth of information on the internet,all I know is that Peggotty,a survivor,is a magnificent looking craft (see nhsc website).

Posted By: David Earle-Pay
Date Posted: 16 July 2006 at 10:32pm
thanks, the information re. 'Hyperion' is very interesting, it's good to learn some more of her history.

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David Earle-Payne
Make it idiot proof, and then someone will make a better idiot!

Posted By: slightlyriskyneil
Date Posted: 27 June 2011 at 5:40pm
Hi - my name is Neil Fisher and I own the ex RASC vessel Peggotty and thank you she does look fine. I picked her up in 1998 and she needed lots of TLC and a few years ago engine replacement. The old Alisa Craig’s were too weak and unreliable to offer predictable safety on anything other than local voyages. She now has a pair of Ford 6D’s giving her 8 knots and grunt to get out of harm’s way of off the putty when called to do so. There are a couple of fine photo’s posted late last year showing her in her very early days and also in what appears to be the 1970’s due to the primitive electronic gear on her roof and mast. Google Peggotty dickens RASC and she comes up on a ‘flicker’ site. I recently emailed Sunseekers in Hamworthy Poole to see if they had any records of the R. A. Newman and son yard which built Peggotty and stood on their site. Sadly they could not assist. I tried to research on my last visit to Southampton a few years back but the library archive section was closed for refurbishment !! I would love to know more about her early history and the men who built her ... I guess I’ll keep looking – any information would be greatly appreciated. Regards


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