The details of past NLB Ships (1799 - 1993) was reproduced with the kind permission of Graeme Somner.
Click on the Image to enlarge.
1799 - c1810 PHAROS (I) Wooden Sloop, 49 x 18 x 8 feet 59 Registered Tons 1799: Built at Elie, Fife for the Board 1810c: Sold to unknown Leith owners, name unchanged 1814: Owners now Archibald Young, Alexander Crombie & Robert Cox, Leith, name unchanged 1823: Broken Up 1807 – 1820 THE LIGHTHOUSE YACHT Wooden Sloop, 58 x 18 x 10 feet 81 Registered Tons 1807: Built at Leith for the Board 1820: Sold to Alexander Houston of Clarkington, Haddingtonshire, name unchanged 1823: Lost 1807 - 1817SMEATON Wooden Sloop, 55 x 10 x ? feet 42 Registered Tons 1807: Built at Leith and employed in the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse as a stone carrier and tender 1817: Sold - no further details 1808 - Not known SIR JOSEPH BANKS Wooden Sloop 42 Registered Tons 1807: Built at Arbroath, purchased on stocks and employed assisting SMEATON in the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse. 1808: In service - no further details 1809 - Not known PATRIOT Sailing Vessel, 56 x 10 x ? feet 46 Registered Tons 1808: Built at Kirkcaldy 1809: Purchased to assist SMEATON in construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, name unchanged. No further details. 1816 - 1842 PHAROS (III) * Wooden Sloop, 45 x 14 x 8 feet 38 Registered Tons 1816: Built by Morton at Leith for the Commissioners and based at Leith as tender to Bell Rock Lighthouse. 1842: Sold to Archy MacQueen of Broadford, Skye, registered at Inverness, name unchanged 1858: Sold to James Finlay & John McGregor, Lochalsh, name unchanged 1859: Wrecked in Sound of Mull (*(II) was a lightship) 1820 – 1846 REGENT Wooden Schooner; 66 x 21 x 11 feet 107 Registered Tons 1820: Built by Robert Davey, Topsham for the Board and based at Leith 1846: Sold to John Crabbie, Leith, name unchanged 1850: Sold to Thomas Mackie, Leith, name unchanged 1852: Sold to D R MacGregor, Leith, name unchanged 1859: Sold to Thomas Reddie, Charlestown, Fife, name unchanged 1863: Lost at sea 1839 - 1847 SKERRYVORE (I) Wooden Paddle Steamer, 87.3 x 17.5 x 9.5 feet 129 Gross Tons; 48 Net Tons 1839: Built by Robert Menzies & Sons, Leith and based at Hynish, Tiree in connection with the construction of the lighthouse on Skerryvore. 1847: Sold to Liverpool Steam Tug Co, Liverpool, name unchanged. 1850: Sold to John Houghton, Liverpool, name unchanged 1851: Sold to William M Jackson, Liverpool, name unchanged 1853: Sold to John Barnet, Liverpool and reduced to a brigantine, 215 reg, name unchanged 1860: Lost 1841-1852 PRINCE OF WALES Wooden Sloop, 58 x 16 x 9 feet 51 Registered Tons 1841: Built by Robert Steele & Co, Greenock and based at Leith as tender to the Bell Rock Lighthouse 1852: Sold to William Hay, Lerwick as fishing vessel, name unchanged 1866: Owners now George H B Hay, Arthur J Hay & William Irvine 1883: Owners now George H B Hay & Arthur J Hay 1896: Sold to Danish owners - no further details available 1843 – 1852 FRANCES Wooden Sloop; 39 x 13 x 7 feet 24 Registered Tons 1842: Built by Thomas White, Cowes, Isle of Wight for Thomas & John White, Cowes 1843: Purchased, name unchanged 1852: Sold to John H Baikie, Kirkwall, re-rigged as dandy, name unchanged 1871: John H Baikie declared bankrupt and sold to John Hewison, Kirkwall, name unchanged 1871: Sold to James Seatter of Westray, re-rigged as a schooner, name unchanged 1883: Broken up at Westray, Orkney Islands 1846-1861 PHAROS (IV) Iron paddle steamer, 143.2 x 21.7 x 14.8 feet 270 Gross Tons 186 Net Tons 1846: Built by Wm Fairbairn & Son, Millwall Works, London, and based at Leith 1861: Sold to Aberdeen, Grimsby & Hull Steam Packet Co, name unchanged 1863: Title of owners became Aberdeen & Hull Steam Navigation Co 1863: Sold to Aberdeen, Tyne & Hamburg Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Aberdeen, name unchanged 1864: Lengthened to 171.6 feet, tonnage now 328g 243n 1866: Transferred to Aberdeen, Newcastle & Hull Steam Co Ltd, Aberdeen 1877: Sold to Thomas Williamson, Barrow and broken up 1848 – 1851 JANET Wooden Sloop, 38 x 10 x 5 feet 16 Registered Tons 1841: Launched but not apparently registered. 1845: Rebuilt by Denny & Rankin, Dumbarton for Robert Mitchell, Leith, name unchanged 1848: Purchased, name unchanged 1851: Sold to John McLean of Kylerhea, registered at Inverness, name unchanged 1874: Sold to John McLachlan of Kilfinnan, name unchanged 1881: Sold to Peter McIntyre of Rothesay, name unchanged 1881: Broken up
1852 – 1867 ARGYLE Wooden Sloop/Schooner, 48 x 12 x 7 feet 32 Registered tons 1852: Built by Robert Menzies & Sons Leith 1867: Sold to David Watson of Ardour, Mull, name unchanged 1870: Transferred to John C Watson of Ardour, name unchanged 1876: Now registered at Montego Bay, Jamaica 1879: Wrecked 1854 – 1874 PHAROS (V) Iron Paddle, 182.0 x 25.3 x 14.8 feet 524 Gross Tons, 296 Net Tons Compound, 2-cyl by builders, 120hp 1854: Built by Tod & McGregor, Glasgow and based at Leith 1874: Sold to George A Key, Kinghorn but retained registered Leith 1875: Renamed VALETTA prior to conversion to sailing barque, registered tonnage 464 1876: Sold to James W Robertson, Dundee, name unchanged 1880: Sold to Thomas Law & Co, Glasgow, name unchanged 1887: Sank after collision with the Glasgow steam tug FLYING SERPANT (260/86) off the Tuskar Rock, Ireland, while on passage from Point de Galle, Ceylon to Liverpool with a general cargo. 1867-1875 SKERRYVORE (II) Wooden Sloop, 46 x 16 x 8 feet 29 Registered Tons 1867: Built by Archibald McMillan, Dumbarton, and employed as tender to Skerryvore Lighthouse, registered at Glasgow 1875: Sold to Edward Whiteway, Glasgow, name unchanged 1876: Sold to Thomas Stove, Lerwick, converted to a dandy, name unchanged 1880: Sold to Duncan MacKenzie of Skye, name unchanged 1893: Broken up. 1867 – 1898 WHALSAY Wooden smack, 39 x 12 x 6 feet 15 Registered Tons 1867: Built by Alexander Hall & Co, Aberdeen (255) and employed as a tender at Lerwick 1898: Sold to Angus Mathieson of Glasgow, name unchanged 1899: Sold to Thomas McShamrock of Portrush, Co. Antrim, name unchanged 1899: Sold to John A Henitton of Londonderry, name unchanged 1901: Sold to John Johnstone of Kindrum Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, name unchanged 1917: Broken Up 1868 – 1876 DHUHEARTACH Iron Paddle, 125.5 x 18.0 x 9.8 feet 149 Gross Tons, 34 Net Tons Lever, 2-cyl by R & W Hawthorn, 75 hp, rebuilt as twin-screw steamer 1893, compound, 4 -cyl by R Dunlop & Bell, Liverpool, 130hp, tonnage now 167gross 76 net. 1868: Built by Wigham, Richardson & Co, Newcastle (50) and employed in the construction of the Dhuheartach lighthouse 1876: Sold to W H Crocker of Fleetwood, name unchanged 1884: Sold to H Hall, Fleetwood, name unchanged 1886: Sold to S Auberstin, Cardiff, name unchanged 1887: Sold to S Lord, Fleetwood, name unchanged 1887: Sold to Christopher Furness, West Hartlepool, name unchanged 1890: Sold to Direct Acting Jet Propulsion Co Ltd, West Hartlepool, name unchanged 1894: Sold to John Wigham & Thomas Colling, Sunderland, name unchanged 1895: Sold to Thomas Maughan, Sunderland and renamed STARTFORTH 1896: Sold to Skinningrove Iron Co, Middlesbourgh, name unchanged 1900: Sold to Archibald Stewart, Glasgow, name unchanged 1905: Title of owners became Forth Steam Ship Co (Buchan & Hogg Managers) 1908: Purchased by Buchan & Hogg whilst lying at Port Glasgow 1914: Laid Up at Alloa 1915: Sold to Weymouth Diving & Towing Co Ltd, Weymouth, name unchanged 1917: Sold to Samuel W Oakley of London, name unchanged 1921: Sold to Edward T Murphy of London, name unchanged 1921: Sold to E Parker of London, name unchanged 1921: Sold to Woodruff & Co Ltd of London, name unchanged 1922: Sold to Thomas E Hill of Birkenhead, name unchanged 1923: Sold to Southampton Shipping Metal & Shingle Co Ltd, name unchanged 1924: Broken up in Holland. 1869 – 1881 TERRIBLE Iron Paddle Steamer, 129.8 x 19.4 x 10.7 feet 181 Gross Tons, 86 net Tons Lever, 2-cyl by builders, 70hp 1865: Built by Hepple & Co, North Shields for Joseph Ostens, North Shields 1869: Purchased, name unchanged , registered at Greenock, and based at Oban 1881: Broke from moorings in Erraid Sound, Mull, driven ashore and became a total loss. 1874 - 1911 PHAROS (VI)Iron Twin-Funnelled Paddle, 204.5 x 26.7 x 15.3 feet 574 Gross Tons, 241 Net Tons Compound, 2-cyl by builders, 353 hp, new compound, 2-cyl diagonal fitted by Gourlay Bros & Co, Dundee, 1898, 252hp 1874: Built by R Napier & Sons, Glasgow (329) 1911: Sold to Samuel Galbraith of Glasgow, name unchanged 1911: Sailed from Granton for Glasgow for overhaul prior to sale to Brazil. Sale not completed and used as an accommodation vessel on the River Clyde 1915: Royal Navy accommodation vessel at Loch Ewe, West Scotland 1919: Sold to the Admiralty, name unchanged 1920: Sold to Burntisland Shipbuilding Co for use as accommodation vessel at Burntisland during construction of the new yard and renamed FAIROSE 1923: Broken up at Grangemouth by G & W Brunton 1883-1895 SIGNALSteel Paddle steamer, 160.1 x 25.1 x 11.6 feet 345 Gross Tons, 174 Net Tons Compound, 2 cyl by builders, 181nhp 1883: Built by Caird & Co, Greenock (233) and based at Oban, registered at Greenock 1895: Wrecked on Mull of Kintyre while on passage from Greenock to Oban on 28 September. 1892 - 1931 POLE STAR (I) Steel Twin-Screw Steamer,175.4 x 26.4 x 13.8 feet 459 Gross Tons; 207 Net Tons Triple expansion, 6-cyl by builders, 177nhp 1892: Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Glasgow (367) and based at Stromness 1931: To release name for new vessel, renamed ORPHIR 1931: Sold to William Marshall of Glasgow for conversion to salvage, name unchanged 1933: Sold to James M Stewart of Glasgow, name unchanged 1939: Sold to P Svolakis & Co, Colon, Panama, and renamed SOPHIA S 1940: Ran ashore at Constantsa, Romania resulting in damage to the engine 1941: Arrived at Haifa for repairs 1941: Sailed for Port Said 1940: Moved to Alexandria 1940: Hired at Alexandria by Ministry of War Transport 1941: Owners convicted of offences against immigration laws at Haifa and vessel forfeited to Palestinian Government 1941: Requisitioned by British Government 1941: Renamed DARIEN II and employed sailing between ports in Eastern Mediterranean out of Piraeus 1945: Requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport, London and placed under management of Ellerman's Wilson Line Ltd of Hull, name unchanged 1948: Purchased by Ministry of Transport (Ellerman Wilson Lines Ltd, manager) from now Palestinian owners, name unchanged, and employed on sailings between Port Said, Famagusta, Malta, Tripoli and Tobruk 1948: Laid up at Port Said 1949: Sailed from Port Said for Piraeus 1949: Whilst at Trobruk, detained due to corrosion to bottom plate 1950: Arrived at Port Said and laid-up 1951: Sold to Italian Shipbreakers 1951: Arrived at Spezia for breaking up. 1896 - 1940 HESPERUS (I) Steel Twin-Screw Steamer, 175 x 28.1 x 13.8 feet Triple, 6cyl by builders, 166nhp 1896: Built by Gourlay Bros & Co. Dundee (171) and based at Oban 1939: To release name for new vessel renamed ASCOG 1940: Broken up by Clayton & Davie Ltd, Dunston-on-Tyne 1899 - 1938 MAY (I)Steel Twin-Screw Steamer; 116 x 22.2 x11.7 feet 242 Gross Tons, 96 Net Tons Compound, 4-cyl by builders, 76nhp 1899: Built by Hawthorns & Co Ltd, Leith (77) and based at Granton 1937: To release name for new vessel renamed DUNDRENAN 1937: Sold to P & W McLellan for £1,000 and broken up at Bo'ness
1909 - 1955 PHAROS (VII)Steel Twin-Screw Steamer, 206.4 x 31.2 x 15 feet 921 Gross Tons, 393 Net Tons Triple, 6-cyl by builders, 142 nhp 1909: Built by Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow (496) 1955: To release name for new vessel, renamed AVONTOUN. 1955: Arrived at Charlestown, Fife for breaking up by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd 1930 - 1965 POLE STAR (II)Steel Twin Screw Steamer, 195.7 x 31.1 x 14.5 feet 750 Gross Tons, 328 Net Tons Triple-expansion, 6 cyl by builders, 215nhp 1930: Built by Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow (663) 1950: Converted to burn oil fuel 1961: To release name for new vessel, renamed MAY (IV), base transferred to Granton 1965: Sold to P & W MacLellan Ltd, Glasgow for breaking up 1937 - 1962 MAY (II)Steel Twin-Screw Motorship,147.5 x 29.2 x 12.1 feet 491 Gross Tons; 149 Net Tons Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 5-cyl by British Auxiliaries Ltd Glasgow 1937: Built by A & J Inglis Ltd, Glasgow (991P) and based at Granton 1961: To release name for POLE STAR (II) renamed MAY III 1962: Laid up at Leith pending disposal 1963: Sold to William J Sutton, London for gas/oil search operations and renamed SURVEYOR 1966: Sold to Overseas & General Brokerage & Finance Co Ltd, London, name unchanged 1969: Sold to Shackleton Aviation Ltd, London, name unchanged 1969: Sold to Gardline Shipping Ltd, London, name unchanged 1977: Sold to P & W McLellan Ltd and broken up at Bo'ness 1939 - 1972 HESPERUS (II)Steel Twin-Screw Motorship, 202.5 x 35.2 x 13.4 feet 844 Gross Tons, 306 Net Tons Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 8-cyl by British Auxiliaries Ltd, Glasgow 1939: Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee, and based at Oban 1964: Transferred to Granton 1974: Sold to Cosag Marine Services Ltd of Great Yarmouth and renamed SPERUS 1982: Sold to Hydrosphere Ltd of London, name unchanged 1984: Sold to Sunderland to Liguria Maritime Ltd of Sittingbourne, Kent on authority of Admiralty Marshal, name unchanged 1985: Broken up on River Medway 1955 - 1988 PHAROS (VIII)Steel Twin Screw Motorship, 256.9 x 39.4 x 12.6 feet 1712 Gross Tons, 592 Net Tons Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 7-Cyl by British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow 1955: Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee (507) and based at Granton 1963: Damaged by fire whilst in drydock at Troon 1988: Sold to Windjammer Cruises, Freeport, Bahamas for service as a cruise ship for 80 passengers and mother ship to a flotilla of yachts and renamed ORIENT EXPRESS 1988: Sold to Amazing Grace SA (R.G Garza Inc, managers), Panama and renamed AMAZING GRACE (94 passengers) 1994: Sold to Shower Holding Inc (International Maritime Resources Inc, managers), Malebo 2000: Owners now International Maritime Resources Ltd, registered at Port of Spain, still in service 1961 - 1993 POLE STAR (III)Steel Twin-Screw Motorship, 236.3 x 40.3 x 12.7 feet 1328 Gross Tons; 396 Net Tons Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 6-Cyl, by British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow 1961: Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee, and based at Stromness 1993: Sold to Barefoot Rogue S.A. (International Marine Resources Inc, managers), San Lorenzo, Hohduras and renamed ROGUE 1995: Whilst lying at Port of Spain under going conversion suffered severe damage during hurricane 1997: Sold to Jean Baptiste, Belize, name unchanged 1998: Whilst being pulled up on a slipway at Port of Spain, the rails of the cradle buckled and collapsed 2002: Believe still stranded on the slipway 1964 - 2000 FINGALSteel Twin Screw Motorship, 238.9 x 40.3 x 18.5 feet 1342 Gross Tons Oil Engines (2) 2SCSA each 6-Cyl British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow 1964: Built by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Glasgow, (the last ship to be built by Yard on 8 August 1963) and based at Oban 1994: Transferred to Stromness 2000: Sold to Tamahine Investments Ltd of Hong Kong, registered London and renamed WINDSOR CASTLE, still in service 1993 - 8th September 2006 PHAROS (IX) Steel Twin-Screw Diesel Electric, Length O A 79.58m Beam 14.0m, Draught 4.0m 1986 Gross Registered Tonnage Diesel-electric, through two conventional main propelled aft and gill-jet bow thrusters, Service Speed 12 kts, 20 tonne crane,200 square metre Buoy Working Deck, Helicopter Deck. 1993: Built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, based in Oban. Sold 8 September 2006 to Byron Marine Ltd to work in the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic as a fishery patrol and logistic support vessel.
2000 - still in service POLE STAR (IV)Diesel-electric power, through two azimuthing thrusters and two tunnel bow-thrusters. Length O.A. 51.5m, Beam 12.0m, Draught 3.2m 1174 Gross Registered Tonnage, Service Speed 12 kts, 12-tonne crane, 200 square metre buoy working deck, dynamic positioning. 2000: Built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, based in Oban. 2007 - still in service PHAROS (X) Length O.A 84.25m, Design Draught Moulded 4.25m Gross Tonnage: 3672 tonnes, Service Speed 12.5 knots, Buoy Crane Capacity 30 tonnes. Dynamic positioning, large aft working deck, integrated bridge management system, forward helicopter flight deck, hydrographic surveying, wreck finding. 2007: Built by Gdanska Stocznia "Remontowa" im. J. Pilsudskiego S.A. Based in Oban.
The North Carr Rock is situated at the turning point for vessels entering the Forth coming from the north and bound for the Tay or further north coming from the south, and before being marked was responsible for numerous casualties....MoreBack to top