Isle of Wight January – Branch Report

JamesBranch News

January 2024 The Branch was looking forward to the Annual Photographic Competition  on 25 January last. Sadly, the Judge became indisposed. The Branch Chairman brought along a DVD on the Branch’s laptop called ‘The Battle of Jutland’ presented by Dan Snow. This proved an interesting alternative to the scheduled programme. The Photographic competition was postponed until the February meeting. Branch …

Bedford Branch January 2024

JamesBranch News

January 2024 The branch started 2024 off by showing 2 DVD’s about the Port of London. The first DVD was based on period News Reals. First images being taken in 1919 of the concrete constructed coaster ARMISTICE also completed in 1919, seen at East India Docks. The DVD took us through the history of the port showing the changing methods …

November 2023 – Port Natal (South Africa) Branch

JamesBranch News

November 2023 At our November Branch meeting member TREVOR JONES  presented his annual slide show, entitled “Highlights of Durban Shipping 2022:”  (yes, being the previous year’s review, and enjoyed by all present). November also yielded the first ship visits for the Branch since post-Covid times.  Two cruise ships were visited, viz. Nicko Cruises VASCO DA GAMA and the still new …

Merseyside Branch – December 2023

JamesBranch News

December 2023 Our December 2023 meeting was a superb evening given by our own Branch Chairman John Luxton. He showed us some nostalgic British Transport DVD Films from the 1950’s era. Firstly we watched the activities of the Atlantic Steam Nav. Co. trading out of Tilbury Felixstowe and Preston featuring ferries such as the Empire Cedric, Bardic Ferry and Ionic …

Haven Ports Branch AGM 2023

JamesBranch News

November 2023 The branch held its AGM on 9th November at the Seafarers centre, Felixstowe Dock.Apologies were given by Graham Dines and David Hazell, with eight members attending the AGM.Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer gave their reports, with the branch still being very solventfinancially. With their being no nominations the current officers agreed to serve for another year, and werevoted into …

Isle Of Wight Branch News November 2023

JamesBranch News

November 2023 The Branch’s presentation on 23 November last was David Williams’  ‘Rivalry on the Atlantic’ . Dave introduced the race for the fastest North Atlantic  crossing,  aka The Blue Riband, early in the twentieth century with the rivalry between four German liners through to 1969, the end of the reign of the last ‘genuine’ holder, the United States.  He …

November 2023 Merseyside Branch

JamesBranch News

November 2023 Our November 2023 was a very interesting evening given by Andy Freeman of the Wallasey Yacht Club which was titled ‘10 Years of Sailing around the World from little yachts to big yachts’. Andy told us he started sailing dinghies when he was about 6 which led him eventually to sail on the Ocean Youth Club ketch, Francis Drake …

Isle Of White Branch News – October

JamesBranch News

October 2024 For our meeting on 26 October our Treasurer, Ken Lowe, gave his epic presentation on ‘The Manchester Ship Canal’ illustrated will his own images, some black & white back in the 1960s, to his more recent colour ones. His talk traced the journey on various ships he had sailed on from the Eastham Lock all the way to …

Branch News – Merseyside – October 2023

JamesBranch News

October 2023 For our October 2023 meeting we were very pleased to welcome Peter Dyer from Southport who gave us a most interesting presentation titled ‘DUKW’s to Water’. He told us that around the late 1990s the last of the red and cream D.U.K.W. Sefton Rescue vehicles was decommissioned. The six-wheel-drive amphibious trucks, used by the Sefton Lifeguards from 1951-1998, were originally …

Isle of Wight Branch- 28 September Meeting

JamesBranch News

September 2023 On the afternoon of 28 September last our Chairman, Nick Hawkins, gave his presentation on ‘HMS Vanguard’. He traced the 20th century purpose behind the building of such capital ships and the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 which effectively limited the tonnage and fire power of such vessels. He picked up from there the reason why the Rodney and …