Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Did anyone go to any Lairds launches?

First Lairds product I saw "launched" were the box section beams they manufactured for the Bidston Moss Interchange!They're still there,so have lasted better than some of their marine builds.
Also saw the launch of Algol,was she one of their "standard tanker" designs?

I remember going to the launch of one of the subs. It was back in about 1965 or 1966. A small party of us went from Primary school.It was exciting and I remember the swirl of energy amongst the huge crowd of people. It was an incredible feeling, even for a child , that sense of pride and for me of wonder.The sub was massive, I had never seen anything like it in my life.

Hi, Lyn; where abouts in Shropshire are you?

If it was 1965 or 1966 it must have been the Oberon Class sub HMS Onyx which was launched in August 1966. The previous sub launch had been HMS Opossum in May 1963, whilst the two Polaris subs Renown and Revenge weren't launched until February 1967 and March 1968.

Onyx, of course was the submarine that used to be part of the Historic Warships Collection in Birkenhead Docks - until Peel Holdings decided they didn't want any grotty old warships cluttering up the view from their new prestige apartment development!

Hi Chris; I am in North Shropshire in a village south of Whitchurch

Hi Marty, I think the launch I went to must have been HMS Onyx.
I do remember that we were told to watch the TV that night as the launch would be shown as part of the local news. Sadly we didn't see ourselves on the telly! What happened to Onyx in the end?

You have a PM.

She is in Barrow I think?

Found my ticket to the one launch I went to!! (stuffed between the pages of a completely unrelated book) It never ceases to amaze me what rubbish I keep...

Excellent Billy, not rubbish at all, obviously made a good bookmark.

went to see the unseen(if you get what i mean!)with school that was well excitin as a kid!