Lundy deep , Balvenie

[The Old Ruminator]

Well looking at Balvenie I dug out a little write up I did.
Will give the old gang a laugh.

[The Old Ruminator]

Well since I wrote that up I have found out that the Bideford tank engines were not lost at sea anyway.It was all rather a local myth but thats North Devon for you.
I still remember Colin turning white and pacing the deck when we went past Hartland point.Also the time the engine mountings went. Oooo ah !

[The Old Ruminator]

Better do some photos.

The North Devon and Lundy Atlantic Technical Wreck Research Team. ( Prelude to Tossers ).

Left to Right -
A Smallcock, The Perv,Mr Hansome man about town raconteur and noted wit Salsettediving, Cautious Colin,
Mad Dog Mcnulty, Mr Silly hat Jstop, Numpty Nigel.
Mrs Smallcock took the photo.

[The Old Ruminator]

Ace diver Mr S'diving on the deco station. Fantastic blue water viz.
Great conditions ( rare ) on Balvenie. Lundy in the background.



Mr Smallcock needing a hand up the ladder.
Colin has that worried look as the Perv kits up.



The "Porthole Queen" just up from Balvenie.
Clovelly in the steamer days.



The beautiful lines of Glenart Castle ex Galician.

[The Old Ruminator]

My working plan of Balvenie.Beam measured and engine aft established. Railway engines measured at 35 ft long.



The forward GA of Balvenie. This hold appears to contain the tenders and assemblies from the locomotives.



After hold of Balvenie. Initially it was important to discover if the ship could actually accommodate railway engines of this size.

[The Old Ruminator]

The engines would fit with a little room to spare. Two are clearly visable but it is possible another two are buried underneath.

[The Old Ruminator]

The initial process of elimination. This is where Shipwreck Index and Lloyds losses are invaluable. All losses in the " box " noted and compared with the wreck. At the end only Balvenie matched criteria. Unfortunately the written Shipwreck Index did not record cargo or we could have got there sooner.



Lloyds Register entry important for the ships size, machinery arrangement, engine details etc.

[The Old Ruminator]

Pallion. Fairly easy to identify in one dive.

[The Old Ruminator]

Links to wreck Report.

http://www.southwestmafia.com/forums...ead.php?t=3117

[The Old Ruminator]

http://www.southwestmafia.com/forums...glenart+castle

[The Old Ruminator]

http://www.southwestmafia.com/forums...hlight=pallion

[jstop]

For those who have not visited Clovelly, this is what it looks like from the boat.


and this is what the boat looks like from the land.


The blue boat that is high and dry is the dive boat. Unloading and loading kit in these conditions was arduous.

Sorry, but I don't seem to be able to find many pictures from these trips. Plus Colin nabbed my underwater film for the railway magazine. Little did he know the camera jammed