Return of Brunel's great ship to the dock where she was built. To find out more about the SS Great Britain and Brunel's other works visit isambardkbrune...
Its hard to believe that Britain was once a technology and manufacturing powerhouse , looking the crowd that welcomed that ship back home , at least there are a lot of people that appreciate the brilliance and industrious of the forefathers .
Where it says, " A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE LINED THE BANKS" you will see among all the slow moving cars on the Portway Road a large white road tanker. This was me (Ron Barrable) driving this ICI ,CO/2 tanker on my way from the ICI Severnside Works to Hinkley Point nuclear Power Station. Because I was moving so slow with the rest of the traffic I kept pace with the ship on my right for several minutes which I could clearly see from my lofty position in the cab of my vehicle. Eventually the road in front of me cleared and I continued my journey. I would like to mention what a wonderful city BRISTOL is.
Forgive me if I am wrong but weren't the severnside works of ICI in avonmouth? Hinckley point power station being due SSW from there you would have joined the M5 and not even touched the portway.
I remember watching it being towed down the avon gorge on a sunday sat on an embankment when I lived in shirehampton. It looked like a ghost ship. It was meant to be towed down the day before but was held up. Going down the evening before to watch I saw crowds coming towards me. I asked someone & a skinhead said 'it's sunk mate'. I went on it later & have been on it many times since. A great job has been done on it.
I think it would have been quite surreal to have seen this grand old lady when she was laid up at Sparrow Cove in the Falklands. Even if one did not know at the time what you were looking at you still would have had that little voice in the back of your head telling you "this is extraordinary, this is something special". I wish I could have see her the day she came home but I have seen her in Bristol and the folks looking after her have done a beautiful job.
Miraculous I say, especially that Glass cover, that keeps warm dry Air around the Iron rusty Hull. It really looks like she is afloat, a few feet away. Pandemic allowing, I MUST, visit the new BRUNEL MUSEUM, alongside the ship. It has the largest and best collecton of Brunels personal Items, on view, they even re created his Drawing office, with his engineering tools.
My wife and I had just moved to Stockwood Bristol from Tuffley Gloucester after sorting out the move we went to Bristol to have a look round on the Sunday afternoon. Ended up on Mr. Brunel's Bridge looking down on his Ship being towed back to it's launching place. That was a day to remember.
"Shipshape and Bristol fashion" meaning everything is as it should be. The truth is that a ship leaving Bristol might have a sloppy appearance with slack yards ,etc. but upon returning it would be squared away because the crew would have spent months seeing to it.
I was there watching i was so dumb I was expecting a sailing ship with all sails like the cutty sark after all the hype in papers and TV.i couldn't believe it was a heap of rust fit for scrap
Its hard to believe that Britain was once a technology and manufacturing powerhouse , looking the crowd that welcomed that ship back home , at least there are a lot of people that appreciate the brilliance and industrious of the forefathers .
Probably one of the greatest feats of restoration ever.
Where it says, " A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE LINED THE BANKS" you will see among all the slow moving cars on the Portway Road a large white road tanker. This was me (Ron Barrable) driving this ICI ,CO/2 tanker on my way from the ICI Severnside Works to Hinkley Point nuclear Power Station. Because I was moving so slow with the rest of the traffic I kept pace with the ship on my right for several minutes which I could clearly see from my lofty position in the cab of my vehicle. Eventually the road in front of me cleared and I continued my journey. I would like to mention what a wonderful city BRISTOL is.
Forgive me if I am wrong but weren't the severnside works of ICI in avonmouth? Hinckley point power station being due SSW from there you would have joined the M5 and not even touched the portway.
Please appreciate that I would have taken that detour and you timed it to perfection my friend
Great story Ron, having to drive away must have beeen Un--Barrable.
I remember watching it being towed down the avon gorge on a sunday sat on an embankment when I lived in shirehampton. It looked like a ghost ship. It was meant to be towed down the day before but was held up. Going down the evening before to watch I saw crowds coming towards me. I asked someone & a skinhead said 'it's sunk mate'. I went on it later & have been on it many times since. A great job has been done on it.
Q
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i live in shirehampton now i go to see this ship almost evry weekend
That's good. How's shirehampton.
@@AndrewWilliams-zc1hf it’s now Polishhampton!
I think it would have been quite surreal to have seen this grand old lady when she was laid up at Sparrow Cove in the Falklands. Even if one did not know at the time what you were looking at you still would have had that little voice in the back of your head telling you "this is extraordinary, this is something special". I wish I could have see her the day she came home but I have seen her in Bristol and the folks looking after her have done a beautiful job.
Miraculous I say, especially that Glass cover, that keeps warm dry Air around the Iron rusty Hull. It really looks like she is afloat, a few feet away. Pandemic allowing, I MUST, visit the new BRUNEL MUSEUM, alongside the ship. It has the largest and best collecton of Brunels personal Items, on view, they even re created his Drawing office, with his engineering tools.
My wife and I had just moved to Stockwood Bristol from Tuffley Gloucester after sorting out the move we went to Bristol to have a look round on the Sunday afternoon. Ended up on Mr. Brunel's Bridge looking down on his Ship being towed back to it's launching place. That was a day to remember.
Yes, I remember seeing SSGB being brought into Cumberland Basin at the time!
I was on holiday in Weston and watched it on TV.
"Shipshape and Bristol fashion" meaning everything is as it should be. The truth is that a ship leaving Bristol might have a sloppy appearance with slack yards ,etc. but upon returning it would be squared away because the crew would have spent months seeing to it.
I was there watching i was so dumb I was expecting a sailing ship with all sails like the cutty sark after all the hype in papers and TV.i couldn't believe it was a heap of rust fit for scrap
It was moored up before going into the dry dock because I stood on it
Wow.
Heil Great Britian!Heil Great Eastern!
Wasn't it brought to Britain on a barge of some sort?
Jessica 🇬🇧
Send to Dad
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