A visit to HMS Belfast

[trackend]

I visited HMS Belfast today and took a few snaps so
I thought your guys may like a butchers at them I shall post more pictures later as there are some interesting facts to go with them.

Launched in 1938 HMS Belfast is a six inch cruiser and
was commissioned just in time for the out break of the
war although she has been refitted several times the
basic vessel is the same as she was during the war.
The main differences are the loss of the six 21" torpedo
tubes and the Walrus aircraft she once carried .
She is moored in London near Tower bridge on the
South bank of the Thames

Displacement 11,553 tons
Length 613 ft
Beam 69ft
Draught 19ft 9 inches
Armament
12 X 6 inch
8 X duel purpose 4 inch
12 X 40mm Bofors
Propulsion
Four Parsons oil fired turbines with 80,000 shaft horse power
Maximum speed
32 knots
Compliment
750-850

 

[Gnomey]

Nice pics Lee. Belfast is one of things I haven't seen when I have been down in London, it is something I plan on doing though next time.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Swwweeeeeeeet!
Great pics! I almost shot my wad...almost.

 

[trackend]

Sorry about that I think I made the pictures a bit to big I will re size them now

 

[syscom3]

yeah, great pictures!

Lets see some from inside. I want to see the engines.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Oooooooo! Me too! Me too!

 

[Gnomey]

Oooooooo! Me too! Me too!

And me...

 

[trackend]

I was going to give you a guided tour you impatient lot

Right then for those who dont know the diagram below gives a rough guide to the lay out of one of the four turbines this produces 20,000 shaft horse power.
The super heated steam is fed in at 350psi to the high pressure turbine as the energy is used it goes to the low pressure turbine. The cruising turbine is what it says a fuel saveing smaller turbine.
The shafts of the turbines are connected to a reduction gear and this is connected to the propeller shaft via a stuffing box (a big bearing that takes the thrust of the propeller).
Sorry if I'm telling any of you guys how to suck eggs.

 

[Glider]

Please forgive me for story time while I take a trip down memory lane. When in the RN I served on HMS Tiger which was basically a modified Belfast. The guns, radars ect were all new but the basic hull design was very similar.
They took the aft 6in Gun Turret off to put on a helicopter hanger which didn't weigh much so she was a few hundred tons nose heavy. Our mess deck was rght forward around the front turret bustle and this wasn't a place to be in rough weather. When going through the Bay of Biscay the deck was going up and down 30ft with each swell for hours. You will not be suprised to hear that I was a sick as a dog.
You had to be very careful going up and down the ladders, walking around was very tricky but going up a ladder was dangerous and there are a lot of ladders on the ship.

 

[trackend]

Ive got a few shots of the forard mess deck Glider I dont know if slung hamocks was the order of the day in your time.

 

[Glider]

No we had bunks three high. The last time I went on Belfast they had a mess deck that was done up in a similar manner to ours. The engine room brought back memories as although I was Fleet Air Arm we had to do a turn in the engine room and a noisy, hot place it was. There was a problem with one of the engines and we helped with the night watches to give the engine roomstaff a chance to catch up on some sleep. Wasn't nearly as bright as it is in the photo's.

 

[trackend]

My old man was on a coal burner merchantman Glider carrying his flotilla of LCA's and they got given the shaft room as a mess
so not only did they get the noise which increased to a cacophony in heavy seas as the prop thrasher the surface
they got the arse end going up and down like hell and a stink of bilge oil he couldnt wait to get off the thing.


Ok a few more shots this time relating to the main guns from the director tower though the ploting room to B turret and down to the shell room
the cordite room is situated below the shell room but no access was allowed.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Absolutely first-rate! Beautiful! I'm very glad to see that they've kept her in such good shape. Outstanding!

Very interesting additional info there too, Glider. Thanks.

 

[lesofprimus]

Excellent, EXCELLENT shots track, and Glider, thanks for sharing ur memories with us... That made this thread all the more realistic...

 

[trackend]

I believe you asked Skim some time ago about the Magnetic mine that broke the Belfast's back I managed to get a shot of the one on board
and a mk9 21inch tin fish and a tradition

I bet you wish was stll about , rum ration ,oh and one other the compass platform

 

[syscom3]

Great Pics!!!

I cant believe the size of the bolts holding down the engine cover. Just to use a wrench on it would require a few men.

Les, youre "not" to far from Houston. Maybe one day you can take a trip there and take some pix of the USS Texas.

I was there years ago. It was a fascinating tour of a WW1 era battleship. They even have on display a German 8" dud that hit it off of Normandy in 1944.

 

[trackend]

I always felt it was a shame the old Warspite was not saved
for the nation as she saw service in both the WW1 and WW2
while retaining many of the Dreadnought features. at least the US has kept some battleships
to remind people why in there day
these leviathan's ruled the world.



More shots

 

[trackend]

Sorry for a double post I needed more space

 

[Gnomey]

Great pics Lee and thanks for the interesting extra information Glider, really brought it to life.

 

[evangilder]

GREAT stuff, Lee! It's almost like being there.