Historic Vessels Reserve List

The maritime heritage movement in the UK ought to plan ahead regarding what ships might be worth preserving in the future. This list highlights some of the ships that we suggest ought to be strongly considered for future preservation in the UK when they are retired from service. Indeed some already have been retired and are presently laid up awaiting their fate.

Pre WW2 and Second World War era (Pre 1950):

HMS Caroline (1914) – WW1 Royal Navy “Caroline” class Light Cruiser. Built by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd, Birkenhead, Merseyside, England, UK. Currently serving as a RNR ship in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK and likely to be decommissioned in about 2011.

HMS Whimbrel U29 (1943) - WW2 Royal Navy “Modified Black Swan” class Escort Sloop. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Currently laid up in Alexandria, Egypt as ENS Tariq after service as an accommodation ship.

HMS Stalker LST 3515 (1944) - WW2 Royal Navy Landing Ship Tank (LST). Built by Canadian Yarrow Ltd, Esquimalt, Canada. Currently laid up in Portsmouth Harbour, England, UK.

HMS Zenith R95 (1944) - WW2 Royal Navy “Z” class Destroyer. Built by William Denny & Bros, Dumbarton, Scotland, UK. Currently laid up in Alexandria, Egypt as ENS El Fatah after service as an accommodation ship.

Postwar Era (1950 - 1970):

MV Royal Iris (1950) – Mersey Ferry. Built by William Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, Scotland, UK. She is possibly the most innovative ship built on the Clyde. Currently laid up near Woolwich on the River Thames in London.

HMS Decoy D106 (1953) – Royal Navy “D” class Destroyer. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. (This class was the last conventional gun destroyers of the Royal Navy built before the advent of guided missiles). After service in the Peruvian Navy as PNS Ferre and was decommissioned in July 2007. She is now stored in Callao Naval Base.

S/S Manxman (1955) – Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ferry. Built by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd, Birkenhead, England, UK. Currently laid up at the Pallion Shipyard in Sunderland on the River Wear awaiting her fate.

S/S Duke of Lancaster (1956) – British Railways (BR) Irish Sea ferry. Built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Currently laid up near Rhyl on the North Wales coast awaiting her fate.

HMS Hermes R12 (1959) – Royal Navy “Centaur” class Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. Notable as the flagship of the Falklands War and today is Britain’s last surviving traditional aircraft carrier. Currently serving in the Indian Navy as INS Viraat and likely to be decommissioned in about 2010.

HMS Dreadnought S101 (1960) – Royal Navy “Dreadnought” class Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) Fleet Submarine. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. (Britain’s first nuclear submarine, although designed with US assistance) Decommissioned in 1980, currently laid up at the HM Rosyth Naval Base, Scotland, UK.

HMS Valiant S102 (1963) – Royal Navy “Valiant” class Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) Fleet Submarine. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. (Britain’s first nuclear submarine, designed and built in the UK). Decommissioned in 1994, currently laid up at the HM Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth, England, UK.

HMS Resolution S22 (1966) – Royal Navy “Resolution” class SSBN Polaris armed ballistic missile nuclear submarine. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. (Britain’s first Polaris armed nuclear deterrent submarine). Decommissioned in 1992, currently laid up at the HM Rosyth Naval Base, Scotland, UK

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (1967) - Cunard Line transatlantic ocean liner. Built by John Brown & Co., Clydebank, Scotland, UK. The last transatlantic ocean liner built in Britain for a British shipping line. Currently in service with Cunard Line based in Southampton and will be retired from service in November 2008. She will be preserved as a hotel ship in Dubai.

Hovercraft THE PRINCESS MARGARET (1968) - British Rail Seaspeed SRN 4 cross-channel hovercraft. Built by the British Hovercraft Corporation, Cowes, IoW, England, UK. Retired 2002, currently laid up and for sale at the Hovercraft Museum site, HMS Daedalus, Lee-on-Solent, England, UK.

Hovercraft THE PRINCESS ANNE (1969) - British Rail Seaspeed SRN 4 cross-channel hovercraft. Built by the British Hovercraft Corporation, Cowes, IoW, England, UK. Retired 2002, currently laid up and for sale at the Hovercraft Museum site, HMS Daedalus, Lee-on-Solent, England, UK.

Modern Era (1970 - 2000):

M/S Vistafjord (1973) - Norwegian American Line (NAL) ocean liner. Built by Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend on Tyne, England, UK. The last ocean liner built in Britain for any shipping line, having been launched at Swan Hunter Shipbuiders Ltd in 1973. Currently in service with Saga Cruises as the Saga Ruby having been sold to them by Cunard Line in 2004. 

M/S Senlac (1973) - British Rail Sealink ferry. Built by Arsenal de la Marine National Francaise, Brest, France. Sister ship to the Hengist and Horsa, she served mainly on the Newhaven to Dieppe cross channel ferry service. In 1987 she was sold to Greek interests. Since 2006 she has been withdrawn from service and she is currently laid up and for sale in Piraeus owned by Hellenic Seaways as Express Apollon.

M/S Chartres (1974) - SNCF Sealink ferry. Built by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A. in France. She served mainly on cross channel ferry services from Dover. But she also spent a short time on the Newhaven to Dieppe service. In 1993 she was sold to Greek interests and today is in service with Hellenic Seaways as Express Santorini.

HMS Splendid S12 (1979) – Royal Navy “Swiftsure” class Submersible Ship Nuclear (SSN) fleet submarine. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. Decommissioned 2003, currently laid up at the HM Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth, England, UK.

HMS Liverpool D92 (1980) - Royal Navy Type 42 "Sheffield" class Destroyer. Built by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd, Birkenhead, England, UK. Served in the Iraq War and is currently in service in the Royal Navy.

HMS Ark Royal R07 (1981) – Royal Navy “Invincible” class VSTOL Aircraft Carrier. Built by Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend on Tyne, England, UK. Currently in service in the Royal Navy, although likely to be retired from service by about 2015 when the second of the two new “Queen Elizabeth” class CVF aircraft carriers enters service.

HMS Illustrious R08 (1981) – Royal Navy “Invincible” class VSTOL Aircraft Carrier. Built by Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend on Tyne, England, UK. Currently in service in the Royal Navy, although likely to be retired from service by about 2012 when the first of the two new “Queen Elizabeth” class CVF aircraft carriers enters service.

HMS Trafalgar S107 (1981) – Royal Navy “Trafalgar” class Submersible Ship Nuclear (SSN) fleet submarine. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. Currently in service in the Royal Navy.

M/S St David (1981) – British Rail Sealink roll-on roll-off car ferry for the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire ferry route. Built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Queens Island, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Notable as British Rail Sealink’s first class of truly modern car ferry. Currently in service with Stena Line as Stena Caledonia on the Stranraer Harbour to Larne ferry route.

HMS Chatham F87 (1990) – Royal Navy Type 22 batch 3 “Broadsword” class Frigate. Built by Swan Hunters Ltd, Wallsend on Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK. Currently in service in the Royal Navy. Star of the BBC TV programme "Shipmates" and  in 2007 she was awarded the Firmin Sword of Peace (formerly known as the Wilkinson Sword of Peace), the highest military award for peace work, for her efforts in rebuilding life after the devestation of the 2004 Asian Tsunami.

Hoverspeed Great Britain (1990) - Seacat high speed catamaran ferry.

The first car carrying catamaran ferry to enter commercial service, on her delivery voyage she gained the Blue Riband of the North Atlantic. Built by Incat Tasmania and currently in service with Hoverspeed UK.

HMS Vanguard S28 (1992) – Royal Navy “Vanguard” class Trident armed ballistic missile nuclear submarine. Built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. Currently in service in the Royal Navy.

HSS Stena Explorer (1996) - Stena Line HSS 1500 fast ferry.

Built by Finnyards, Rauma, Finland. Currently in service with Stena Line on the Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire route.

HMS Richmond F239 (1996) – Royal Navy Type 23 “Duke” class Anti Submarine Warfare Frigate. Built by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK. Served in the Second Gulf War and is notable as being the last warship built by Swan Hunter. Currently in service in the Royal Navy, although likely to be retired from service from about 2015.

21st Century Era: (2000 onwards):

Research Vessel Triton (2000) - experimental MoD DERA “Triton” Trimaran research development warship. Built by Vosper Thornycroft Ltd, Woolston, Southampton, England, UK. The world’s first Trimaran experimental warship. Currently in service with Gardline Shipping Ltd as a hydrographic survey ship.

HMS Mersey P283 (2003) - “River” class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV). The last naval vessel built by Vosper Thornycroft Ltd at their Woolston, Southampton shipyard. Currently in service in the Royal Navy.

Mirabella V (2003) - 75.2m long composite sloop rigged single masted super-yacht. Built by Vosper Thornycroft Ltd, Woolston, Southampton, England, UK. The last ship built at their Woolston shipyard and the world’s largest composite sloop rigged single-masted yacht. Currently in service with Mirabella Yachts Ltd.

HMS Albion L14 (2003) – Royal Navy “Albion” class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) amphibious assault ship. Built by BAE Systems, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. She replaces the retired HMS Fearless built in 1963. Currently in service in the Royal Navy.

RMS Queen Mary 2 (2004) - Cunard Line transatlantic ocean liner / cruise ship. Built by Alstom Chantiers de l’Atlantique, St Navaire, France. The world’s first 21st century built transatlantic ocean liner. Currently in service with Cunard Line.

HMS Clyde (2006) - Royal Navy "River" class Future Offshore Patrol Vessel (FOPV). The first naval vessel built entirely in Portsmouth since the launch of the HMS Andromeda in 1967. The ship was built by Vosper Thornycroft Ltd at their new facility in the Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.

HMS Daring D32 (2009) – Royal Navy Type 45 “D” class Anti-Air Warfare Destroyers. Built with BAE Systems as prime contractor and with final assembly of the modular parts at BAE Systems, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Launched by HRH The Countess of Wessex on the 1st February 2006 at BAE Systems Scotstoun shipyard. This ship is the first of a class of surface warships to pioneer new “modular” construction techniques in the UK.

HMS Astute (2009) – Royal Navy new generation “Astute” class Submersible Ship Nuclear (SSN) attack submarine. Built by BAE Systems, Barrow in Furness, England, UK. Launched by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall on the 8th June 2007. They are the largest and most powerful nuclear attack submarines ever built for the Royal Navy. 

HMS Queen Elizabeth (2012) – Royal Navy new generation “Queen Elizabeth” class CVF aircraft carrier. Built by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance of UK shipyards with BAE Systems as prime contractor (supported by Thales, Babcock and Vosper Thornycroft). The modular parts will be constructed at BAE Systems Govan / Scotstoun, BAE Systems Barrow in Furness, Vosper Thornycroft Portsmouth and Babcock BES Rosyth shipyards among others. The final assembly of these modular parts will take place at Babcock BES, Rosyth Naval Base, Scotland, UK.