Launches
During the 1950's Fairmile was successful in winning orders for different types of steel motor launches for overseas markets.
Fairmile ran it’s own marine consulting department and employed a design group of naval architects based at the firm’s headquarters in Cobham, Surrey. The Fairmile name was already well established in government circles on account of the reputation that the firm had established during the war and its expertise in small craft design. This was undoubtedly an important factors in the company’s success in winning orders for the Berwick yard.
During the 1950’s Fairmile secured orders through the Crown Agents for Overseas Administrations to build different types of steel motor launches. All of the launches built at Berwick during this period were destined for Africa. The first of these were St Peter and St Clare, two 42’ fast game and fisheries launches built for Uganda in 1954 and 1955. Powered by two 75hp diesel engines both vessels had a mahogany superstructure and deck. Of hard chine construction they had 1/8 in. steel sides and a 3/16 in. bottom which made them resistant to the teredo worm which affected wooden hulled vessels in tropical climes.
Photos: © Ward- Philipson
Photo: 1960's Fairmile brochure.The next launch to be built at Berwick was Dastour, a striking white 52” administration launch, built for the government of Sudan. With a steel hull, aluminium superstructure and six-cylinder Gardner engine, Dastour attained a top speed of seven knots during trials on the Tweed in March 1955. Transported to Glasgow by road Dastour was then taken by sea to the Mediterranean before entering service on the River Nile.
Fairmile's reputation and expertise in small craft design brought more work to the yard. By the end of the decade the yard had produced a further two motor launches for Sudan to different designs. Two cargo inspection launches were also built for for the Nigerian Produce Company along with passenger launches for Tanzania and Lake Victoria.
This launch was built for Nyassaland (Malawi) in 1956. On the left the vessel is seen underway in the Tweed Dock. The picture on the left shows the vessel being towed up Berwick High Street. The Waterloo Hotel seen in the picture was demolished in the 1960's. Photos: © Berwick Advertiser An interesting vessel was Yard Number 367, the Edmund Rhoades, a 44’ hydrographic survey launch built for the Rhodesia and Nyassaland High Commissioners. Similar in design to the launch featured in the picture above it was named after the first person to undertake a hydrographic survey of Lake Malawi. Edmund Rhoades was still employed carrying tourists on Lake Malawi in 2006.
Shat (meaning 'River' in Arabic) was a small 36 foot steel launch built in the same year . Photos: © Ward Philipson
TOP
