Wyre Trawlers | Fleetwood Motor Trawlers

Additional information courtesy of Geoff Davidson

Technical

Official Number: 187842
Yard Number: 1407
Completed: 1956
Gross Tonnage: 338
Net Tonnage: 119
Length: 127.5 ft
Breadth: 27 ft
Depth: 13 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: 736bhp 4-stroke 7-cyl oil engine by Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day Ltd, Stockport
Speed: 11.25 knots

History

21.7.1955: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1407) for Wyre Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood as WYRE DEFENCE, at a cost of £138,372.
11.1.1956: Completed. Registered at Fleetwood as (FD37).
01.07.1969: Became part of British United Trawlers fleet.
1973: On an Icelandic trip (Sk. Don Evans). One of two vessels (BRUCELLA was the second) involved in an incident with the patrol boat AEGIR. Unsubstantiated reports claimed several blanks were fired and, possibly, one live shell. AEGIR countered by claiming that BRUCELLA had fired a line carrying rocket at the patrol boat.
1974: Converted along with WYRE MAJESTIC (FD433) to pair trawl for pelagic species (herring & mackerel).
18.10.1974: After landing herring at Oban with WYRE MAJESTIC, could not get an overnight berth so decided to sail for Fleetwood in company. Ahead, through the Sound of Islay, WYRE MAJESTIC stranded at full speed at Rubh’ a ‘Mhail, four miles north of Port Askaig, in pos. 55.53n 06.07w. Badly holed and filling with water. The Port Askaig lifeboat attended but with the trawler settling on the rocks, failed to move her. WYRE DEFENCE turned back, managed to connect but also failed as the tide ebbed. WYRE MAJESTIC was a total loss.
18.05.1978: Transferred to British United Trawlers (Aberdeen) Ltd Aberdeen (FD37).
1979: Sold to shipbreakers J Gibson Johnson Ltd, Hull en bloc with WYRE REVENGE, then resold to H Kitson Vickers & Sons (Engineering) Ltd.
12.1979: Resold to Stephen Dalton Skip Hire Ltd, Edinburgh, to be broken up at Bo’ness..
12.1979: Arrived Bo’ness and breaking up commenced.
14.1.1980: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Ted Hammill Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of Phil Rogers

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Peter Hearn Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Stephen Myerscough Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The David Jackson Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The John Worthington Collection

Changelog
17/09/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
25/07/2017: Added image and removed FMHT watermark.
01/06/2108: Updated the information.
20/11/2018: Added an image.
27/08/2020: Added an image.
08/09/2020: Added an image.

Technical

Official Number : 187853
Yard Number: 1414
Completed: 1956
Gross Tonnage: 338
Net Tonnage: 119
Length: 127.5 ft
Breadth: 27.0 ft
Depth: 13.5 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: 736bhp 7-cyl Mirlees
Speed: 11.25 knots

History

12.05.1956: Launched at Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby by Muriel Forbes for Wyre Trawlers Ltd as WYRE MAJESTIC.
11.12.1956: Registered at Fleetwood (FD433).
19.02.1958: Sailed Fleetwood for home water fishing grounds (Sk. John Kelly, 15 crew). 18:30hrs, bosun relieved by Norman Southern (Mate). At 21:00hrs stranded on the Mull of Galloway, one mile to the west of the light. Refloated and returned to Fleetwood.
24.05.1958: BOT formal inquiry found that the stranding was due to the fault or default of the mate, Norman Southern and his certificate was suspended for eighteen months.
24.08.1963: Stranded at Knott End. Refloated on the tide.
01.07. 1969: Became part of British United Trawlers fleet.
1974: Converted for pair trawling (for Herring) with the WYRE DEFENCE.
18.10.1974: Homeward bound. Unable to berth at Oban so decided to return to Fleetwood. On passage through the sound of Islay (Sk. Derek Reader) in company with the WYRE DEFENCE. Set off course by strong currents and ran full speed (18 knots) onto rocks at Rhuba a’ Mhaill and was badly holed and filling with water, fuel tanks ruptured.
WYRE DEFENCE attempted to tow WYRE MAJESTIC clear but was unable to do so.
All subsequent salvage attempts failed and on the 01.11.1974 she was declared a CTL in approx position 55º 52.9’N 006º 07.2’W and left on the rocks.
20.12.1974 Fleetwood registry closed.

Note: At the time of the stranding the skipper was below and the bosun at the wheel. The skipper’s certificate was suspended and the bosun admitted to having been drinking.

Download the Inquiry report in .pdf format HERE

Click to enlarge images