Photographs Of Newcastle: November 2011

HMS Ledbury, the second ship of the name, is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy. She was launched in December 1979 and commissioned on 11 June 1981, the second ship of her class. She cost £65 million at time of building, which was at the time the most expensive cost-per-metre for any class of ship built by the Royal Navy. Most of this cost went into the research and development of Ledbury's glass reinforced plastic hull.

Operational history

Ledbury is attached to the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron, based in Portsmouth.

1981–1990

Ledbury was not involved in the Falklands Conflict itself but arrived in the South Atlantic in July 1982 with sister ship Brecon to clear the waters around the islands of Argentinian mines.

2001–2010
Ledbury underwent a docking maintenance period, commencing in June 2009, to fit the new Seafox mine disposal equipment.

2011–present
In 2013, Ledbury twice joined NATO Mine Countermeasure groups, one deployment taking her to the Mediterranean Sea, the other to the Baltic Sea. In June 2014, Ledbury took part in the commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

Ledbury entered refit in 2015 during which her engines were replaced with newer, more efficient diesels. Following sea trials, Ledbury took part in Exercise Joint Warrior off the west coast of Scotland. It was announced in March 2017 that Ledbury will deploy to the Persian Gulf later 2017 to relieve sister ship HMS Chiddingfold, it is expected she will remain in the region for at least three years.

Ledbury is now permanently based in Bahrain at HMS Jufair as part of 4 Minehunters of 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Bay Class on Operation Kipion.

Description courtesy of Wikipedia - HMS Ledbury (M30).

24th October 2011

HMS Ledbury arriving on the Tyne 20th October 2011.

HMS Ledbury leaving Newcastle Quayside 25th October 2011.

On board the HMS Ledbury.

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My other photos of boats/ships at the Quayside:

Wallsend Burn trickles through Richardson Dees Park, Wallsend Civic Hall Grounds and Wallsend Burn before eventually opening out into Willington Gut, under the impressive Willngton Viaduct, before it enters the river Tyne.

5th October 2011

Willington Viaduct.

Willington Viaduct, on the North Eastern Railway, Tynemouth Branch, was ompleted for the Newcastle and North Shields Railway in 1839, by John and Benjamin Green of Newcastle. The viaduct was unusual in being of laminated timber arch construction. It has seven spans of up to 128 feet to the centers; the track height is 82 feet above the foundations. The original arches consisted of 14 layers of timber measuitng 22 feet x 3.5 feet held by trenails, the viaduct being built by Messrs Robson. The timber arches were replaced with iron in 1869, the contractors being the Weardale Iron and Coal Company.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Sitelines.

Willington Quay Boat Club.

Willington Mill.

Willington Mill, also known as Kitty's Mill, was one of England's first steam powered flour mills. The Victorians regarded it as the most haunted building in the North of the Country. The building is now listed and is used as a canteen for the rope works along side.

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See my other photos around Wallsend: