Ark Royal

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 6:35 pm

With the announcement that the Ark Royal is shortly to be broke-up, does anyone know if Leeds has been given any token of the ship in view of the shared history?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 7:28 pm

The ships bell is on display at the Civic Hall - presumably it's the original as the ship has been out of service for a while now.I still think that the City of Leeds should have bought it and floated it up to Clarence Dock - that would have got visitor numbers up!

tilly · Post by **tilly** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 7:42 pm

raveydavey wrote: The ships bell is on display at the Civic Hall - presumably it's the original as the ship has been out of service for a while now.I still think that the City of Leeds should have bought it and floated it up to Clarence Dock - that would have got visitor numbers up! There might have been a problem with depth on the river Aire.Then there is the matter of getting it into Clarence Dock.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 8:42 pm

RaveyThere must have been a way of doing that. And it would've been ace.Ark Royal was one of the invincible class of AC's.Build Swan Hunter's ship yard at Wallsend.Construction of hull began 1978, launched 1981, commissioned 85.We were fortunate enough (or so we thought..) to be at Port of Tyne for her decommssioning tour.See pics.Sadly arrived tad too late as they closed off the queue for trip round it . I think I spotted a Phalanx CIWS which I'd have liked a go onhttp://youtu.be/8t8ZpvW0WMo

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 8:43 pm

Ark Royal pic 2 of 2

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 9:15 pm

Link to the YEP article here: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -4912901It quotes an MOD source rather disingenuously stating “HMS Ark Royal was decommissioned in 2010 after three decades of service"Hmmmmm...entered service 1985, decommissioned 2010 - that's 25 years isn't it? A bit shy of 3 decades I think they'll find.

book · Post by **book** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 9:16 pm

It would have been great to have it resting in Leeds on the river.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Mon 10 Sep, 2012 11:49 pm

Launched in 1981, decommissioned 2011...three decades no?

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Tue 11 Sep, 2012 11:17 am

I spent 9 months on Ark Royal 4 in 1975, 9 brilliant months.

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Tue 11 Sep, 2012 1:17 pm

raveydavey wrote: The ships bell is on display at the Civic Hall - presumably it's the original as the ship has been out of service for a while now.I still think that the City of Leeds should have bought it and floated it up to Clarence Dock - that would have got visitor numbers up! I can see perfectly the point you are making Ravey but let me float this one past you. How about mooring it in the Humber, as near to Leeds as possible, north bank of course, and using it as an extra runway for Heathrow? Just a thought. I look forward, with eager anticipation, to your input.