Fairmile Bs abroad
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=699
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 9:06pm
Topic: Fairmile Bs abroad
Posted By: FairmileB
Subject: Fairmile Bs abroad
Date Posted: 21 June 2010 at 2:34pm
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Does anyone know the fates of the following Fairmile Bs?
Can't seem to find any current information on them:
"Ariel" who operated out of Nice in the ownership of Gallus
"Europa" who was located in Gabicce, Italy
"La Serenite"
"River Lady"/"Western Diver" who was last spotted in Holland in the 90s
Is "Channel Belle" also still in existance in Australia?
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Replies:
Posted By: Roger P
Date Posted: 21 June 2010 at 11:03pm
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Hello 'Fairmile B', I must admit I hadn't heard of "Channel Belle" out 'ere in OZ but I do know we have the "MV Challenger" in Melbourne as part of -- http://boatcruises.com.au/ She doesn't get a mention in the Fairmile history books, do you know what her hull number was? She was one of two Bs built for the Aussie Army in Sydney to be used as target towers for coastal artillery. They were commissioned just after peace broke out Sept 1945. ------------- Roger Pearson. Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. "Roger's Little Ships". Modelling Allied Light Coastal Forces 1914-1945. |
Posted By: FairmileB
Date Posted: 22 June 2010 at 10:45am
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Hi Roger,
MV Challenger is a Fairmile B but is one of 35 built for the Royal Australian Navy
Channel Belle was sold to Australia in 1953
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Posted By: Roger P
Date Posted: 22 June 2010 at 11:11pm
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'Fairmile B', I think you meant to say "not" built for the RAN. Do you have any other info on 'Channel Belle'? ------------- Roger Pearson. Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. "Roger's Little Ships". Modelling Allied Light Coastal Forces 1914-1945. |
Posted By: FairmileB
Date Posted: 23 June 2010 at 10:26am
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Only what's on Simplon:
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/DorsetBelles.html#anchor184271 - http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/DorsetBelles.html#anchor184271
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Posted By: Roger P
Date Posted: 23 June 2010 at 9:58pm
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Thanks 'Fairmile B', An interesting site. ------------- Roger Pearson. Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. "Roger's Little Ships". Modelling Allied Light Coastal Forces 1914-1945. |
Posted By: jtalce@onetel.com
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 12:44pm
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the River Lady you are asking about, my father and business partner brougth her from a boatyard at Torpoint in Cornwall where she had laid for a while. Her starboard side had been stoved in when she had drifted onto a barge and she looked very sad. Over the next two years, we did her up and changed her name to Western Diver. She then went to the Western Isles in Scotland and was used for a couple of years as a sports diving vessel. After that she came back to Plymouth and was then sold to a company in Holland. I would love to know what happened to her then and now. Anyone got any news about her? Jane ------------- Jane |
Posted By: Bill
Date Posted: 11 February 2011 at 3:47pm
| Although I have no idea where the Fairmile B's are which I worked on. This may possibly be of interest to you.In the early 50's when as an apprentice in a northern boatyard. We had two Fairmile B;s. The one of interest had a name which was "Because" It was owned by a gentleman by the name of Mr, Causton. Whilst undergoing a refit. She had an engine change. The choice of engines were a pair of Junker Opposed piston diesels. Perhaps you know of this vessel. The gentleman who supplied these engines I later worked for in the 80's |
Posted By: Kitcher
Date Posted: 28 December 2013 at 2:04pm
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I know its a long time ago you were asking about the Channel Belle. My husbands father Allan Kitcher purchased the vessel in 1954 to bring back for the Rottnest Island ferry service in Western Australia. The vessel was found to be unseaworthy to sail to Australia and after a long court case, Allan Kitcher was awarded compensation. It had wood rot. The vessel stayed in England but we don't know what happened to it after that. The Channel Belle never went to Australia. We would love to know what happened to it. ------------- western Australian boat operator |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 28 December 2013 at 7:13pm
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Hi there, Many thanks this post, I went to Rottness Island in the early eighties on holiday with my folks, sick as the proverbial! how strange, all these years later, with my interest in coastal forces, that a Fairmile B ALMOST was part of the service, who knows, perhaps it could have been still serving if it had made it. Johnk
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Posted By: Barrack
Date Posted: 29 September 2014 at 9:20am
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Hello Roger, The "Challenger" was hull number AV 2769. She was acquired by the Water Transport Division of the Army in Fremantle, named " Maureen", and was used to transport army personnel to the Kingston Barracks on Rottnest Island from their base in the Swan River. She was in very original livery including the Hall Scott's. The Islander (ex ML 826) ran as a passenger ferry to Rottnest (also with Hall Scott's) was often moored alongside her at Rottnest in the 1950's. As the son of one of the Islander's owners, we used to see her overtake us at about 18 Knots while we ran at 12. She was later sold to the Fremantle Harbour Trust, later the Fremantle Port Authority, who converted her to a pleasure vessel, put in diesels, and renamed her Challenger.    ------------- |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 29 September 2014 at 2:30pm
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Hi there, Just seen this thread and Rottnest Island mentioned, I went there 30 plus years ago! on a conventional ferry ship, as I dimply recall now, sure was not a wooden Fairmile by then....many thanks, Johnk |
Posted By: tony
Date Posted: 14 April 2016 at 2:14am
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Hi Roger, The Challenger was recently scrapped, she had a keel problem that was not really fixable. Challenger was built for the Army. Her number was AV 2769 and operated in Fremantle for many years. She was built by Halvorsen's. hope this helps. Tony ------------- tony |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 16 April 2016 at 6:24pm
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Hi there, Ah, bit sad but she had a good run, my last was dimly, sure perhaps was typo or.. auto correct?.... had a colleague at the Paddle Steamer Medway Queen enquire after RML 497, happy to tell him now at Portsmouth and RML 526, advised last heard still at Rye, albeit last news was HOPING to get to Portsmouth... Johnk |