ST Sea Alarm

ST Sea Alarm was a 263-ton tug which was built as Empire Ash in 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was sold in 1947 and renamed Flying Fulmar. She was sold in 1956 and renamed Sea Alarm. On retirement in 1973 she became an exhibit at the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum in Cardiff, but was controversially scrapped in 1998 after the forced closure of the museum.

ST Sea Alarm, formerly Empire Ash.
History
Name:
  • Empire Ash (1941-46)
  • Flying Fulmar (1946-56)
  • Sea Alarm (1956-98)
Owner:
Port of registry:
  • Glasgow (1941-56)
  • Bristol (1956-98)
Builder: John Crown & Sons Ltd, Sunderland
Yard number: 201
Launched: 13 August 1941
Completed: 17 October 1941
Identification:
Fate: Scrapped 1998
General characteristics
Tonnage: 263 GRT
Length: 107 ft 8 in (32.82 m)
Beam: 26 ft 2 in (7.98 m)
Draught: 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)
Propulsion: 1 x triple expansion steam engine (Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne) 102 hp (76 kW)

History
Sea Alarm laid up in Cardiff Docks in 1976, before restoration

Empire Ash was built by John Crown & Sons Ltd, Sunderland as yard number 201. She was launched on 13 August 1941[1] and completed on 17 October 1941. [2] She was built for the MoWT.[1] On 15 May 1946, Empire Ace was sold for £18,750 to Clyde Shipping Co Ltd, Glasgow and renamed Flying Fulmar. In May 1956[3] she was sold to C J King & Sons, Bristol[1] and renamed Sea Alarm. Operated under the management of the Alarm Steam Tug Co Ltd. In January 1973 she was sold to Thos W Ward, Briton Ferry for scrapping, but was resold the following month to the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum in Cardiff.[3] She was restored by 1978[1] and was dry-docked for many years at Roath Dock.[3] The museum closed on 1 June 1998 and Sea Alarm was scrapped apart from her engine.[4] Questions were asked by the Select committee on Welsh Affairs about the scrapping of the tug as there was public outcry at the time.[5]

Official number and code letters

Empire Ash had the UK Official Number 168694 and used the Code Letters BCRK.[6] Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Sea Alarm was subsequently assigned IMO number 5315943.

References
  1. Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. 316. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
  2. "5315943". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  3. "INDUSTRIAL SUNDERLAND - PAGE 15 / SHIPBUILDERS - PAGE 4". Thomas Hemy. Archived from the original on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  4. Roger Dobson (2 June 1998). "Shops replace ships as maritime history goes west". The Independent. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. "Select Committee on Welsh Affairs: Examination of witnesses". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 26 October 1998. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  6. "LLOYDS REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS UNDER 300 TONS, TRAWLERS &c" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
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