Ever seen a ship jack ?

[Jack Ratt]

This beastie has just arrived from Holland ready to lift a Royal Navy minesweeper out of the water and guide it into the big shed for a refit. For some reason the minesweepers don't go into dry dock, they are lifted out of the water and laid on wooden blocks in the shed

Here's another view from across the basin

The Sky Lift is just left off centre of the pic. On the left of the picture is HMS Daring one of our type 45 destroyers. You can just about make out the back end or stern of HMS Duncan another type 45 in dry dock. It is covered with scaffolding and is right centre between the two cranes

While I'm here, here's pic I took this afternoon of a First Word War steam powered landing craft that was recovered after lying on the seabed for over 70 years. It's being refurbished and will be going to the museum at Southsea. You should have seen the condition this vessel was in when it was put in the big shed.

 

[Alan Slade]

I used to work in Portsmouth Dockyard when it employed far more than it does today, there were 8000 industrial workers back in the 1960s but we have a much smaller navy today.
BAE systems built that huge shed over what was 13 dock so that they could build sections on the two aircraft carriers and then float them up north to assemble the whole ship. Now they are finished I believe they have to find a use for that shed. There must be room for a dozen minesweepers Could make it the Pompey Zedshed

 

[Synclare]

Seen stuff like that on Megaships on Quest channel. Really interesting. Is the wooden bed for minesweepers something to do with magnatism? You have an interesting job Garry.

 

[Jack Ratt]

I used to work in Portsmouth Dockyard when it employed far more than it does today, there were 8000 industrial workers back in the 1960s but we have a much smaller navy today.
BAE systems built that huge shed over what was 13 dock so that they could build sections on the two aircraft carriers and then float them up north to assemble the whole ship. Now they are finished I believe they have to find a use for that shed. There must be room for a dozen minesweepers Could make it the Pompey Zedshed

Nine minesweepers of the type currently in service will fit in the big shed if laid out bow to stern and side to side. Three abreast and three bow to stern.

 

[Jack Ratt]

Seen stuff like that on Megaships on Quest channel. Really interesting. Is the wooden bed for minesweepers something to do with magnatism? You have an interesting job Garry.

The current minesweepers have GRP hulls and the wooden blocks they are laid on are set onto steel stools. To be honest Adrian I don't know the reason they do it. It's a lot easier working inside undercover though plus they have much more craneage to help with the work. Inside the main bay of the big shed there are 2 x 200t overhead cranes and 3 x 10t cranes. In the annex there are 3 x 60t and 2 x 15t cranes.

I do have an interesting job Adrian, no two days are the same. The bulk of my work is examining cranes and lifting equipment, PPE such as safety harnesses and man riding equipment, MEWP's, (cherry pickers) plus I also do pressure vessels ie air receivers and compressors and fume extraction ie LEV's. I have to carry out my examinations and assessments from a H&S viewpoint. ie is the equipment safe to remain in service.

I'm 63 now and approaching retirement age but as things stand I have no plans to pack it in just yet. As long as my eyesight is good and while I can still climb the ladders and stairs to the overhead cranes I'm hoping to be around for a while yet.