Ross Revenge
Encyclopedia
The MV
Ross Revenge is a radio ship, formerly the home of Radio Caroline
, as well as having supported Radio Monique
and various religious broadcasters. She was constructed in Bremerhaven
in 1960, and initially served as a commercial trawler, notably taking part in the cod wars of the 1970s. Following her decommissioning, she was purchased by Radio Caroline and outfitted as a radio ship, complete with 300-foot antenna mast and 50 kW transmitter. Her broadcasts began on the 20th of August, 1983; her final pirate
broadcast took place in November 1990. She ran aground on the Goodwin Sands
in November 1991, bringing the era of offshore pirate radio to an end. She was, however, salvaged, and is now maintained by the Caroline Support Group, a group of supporters and enthusiasts.
, Germany
by Seebeck for the Icelandic Government. She was registered in Reykjavik and carried the registration RE 1.
In August 1963 she was sold to Ross Fisheries and renamed "Ross Revenge", registration GY 718 (home port Grimsby
). In this capacity, the ship was involved in the cod wars of the 1970s.
The Ross Revenge holds the World Record for the biggest catch. In 1976 she landed a catch of 3,000 kits (approximately 218 tonnes) of Icelandic cod at Grimsby
, subsequently sold for a world record price of £75,597.
After serving as a diving support ship from 1979 to 1981, she was taken to the Cairnryan breakers' yard in Rosyth
.
to Grothan Steamship Lines, Incorporated. It is worth noting that both Seamore and Grothan were influenced heavily by Ronan O'Rahilly
.
In April 1981, the Ross Revenge was towed from the Cairnryan breakers' yard, and arrived in Solares
five days later. Come Autumn, work began on converting her into a functioning radio ship. Her transmitter mast, at 300 feet (92 metres) above sea level
, was the tallest mast ever fitted to be fitted to a ship.
Early in 1982, new investors were found for Radio Caroline. Of these, the principal investor, James Ryan, was later arrested for fraud
. Chains he had placed on the Ross Revenge would later be removed prior to her drydocking. On the 23rd of September, she was registered as a pleasurecraft in Panama with registry number 9625-POXT, and her callsign was HP-4344. In May 1983, Caroline Communications acquired full legal ownership of the Ross Revenge, whereafter she was drydocked and given a protective coating. Insurance problems regarding the lifeboats would prevent the Ross Revenge from setting sail until the 4th of August.
On the 20th of January, 1984, the Ross Revenge lost her anchor and drifted south onto a sand bank two miles within British waters, and broadcasts were stopped. Broadcasts resumed two days later, at which time she had returned to her anchorage. On the 3rd of March, a force twelve storm necessitated the dragging of the emergency anchor. A new anchor system was installed and operational two days later.
On the 10th of June, 1987, Radio Caroline
closed down for "maintenance" at 07:00; in fact, the Ross Revenge sailed to a new position near South Falls Head, in anticipation of the forthcoming Territorial Sea Act that extended British territorial waters to twelve miles (from three). This was announced when broadcasts resumed at 16:54 that day.
On the 20th of November the same year, the ship started to list to 25° due to exceedingly rough weather. Five days later, force eight storms hit the ship; transmissions ceased abruptly at 02:51. The antenna mast had broken at its base and collapsed into the sea. Other than this, the ship sustained very little damage. The next day, parts were delivered for a makeshift aerial. By the 27th of January, a new mast had been built, but required adjustment.
s, discs
, crew, and DJs
to the Ross Revenge. Diesel was brought in weekly from Nieuwpoort
via the Zeemeeuw, hired in 1984. During and following the "Eurosiege" of 1985, in which the Dutch naval minesweeper
was anchored near the Ross Revenge, the skipper of the Zeemeeuw deemed it too risky to continue ferrying fuel, and so Radio Monique
acquired the use of the Poolster, again operating from Nieuwpoort. In 1987, they changed to using the Bellatrix, operating out of Dunkirk.
On 6 November 1988 two new aerial masts were taken out to the Ross Revenge. On 4 January 1989 were taken aboard to give the ship as much stability as possible while erecting the new transmitter masts. On 12 February the front mast had been rebuilt bar one section, and the shortwave aerial had been restored. The work on the two new masts continued until May.
warned the station that the ship must be lit during the hours of darkness, to comply with maritime regulations. As the Ross Revenge was low on fuel, and the main generators had failed due to disuse, a small petrol generator was being used to power the ship. During force nine storms on the 10th of December the Ross Revenge suffered another power failure, the small petrol generator having been thrown around the deck, and the supplies of petrol having been washed over the side by waves. The crew called the station office, who in turn called the Dover
Coast Guard. The coast guard contacted the ship, and a helicopter was sent out at 23:00. By 23:45 the Ross Revenge was completely evacuated.
The next day the crew from the Trinity House vessel Patricia boarded the Ross Revenge, checked the stores and general condition of the ship and then left. By dawn the Dover Coast Guard were reporting that the Ross Revenge was abandoned. North Foreland Radio and other coastal stations issued hourly reports warning shipping vessels that the Ross Revenge was unmanned and unlit. On the 14th of December a successful boarding attempt was made, and at approximately 11:00 Peter Chicago (main engineer) regained control of the Ross Revenge. He was joined by Tony Collis, who had advised Chicago of rumours of foreign tugs on their way to claim the Ross Revenge for salvage.
, and at 04:45 the Dover tug Dextrous was on her way. At 05:35 the crew of the Ross Revenge made contact with the Ramsgate lifeboat, which had also been sent by the Dover coast guard. At 06:58 the lifeboat became stuck on the Goodwin Sands, but her crew managed to free her. At 06:57 hours RAF Manston
Sea King
helicopter 166 took the crew of the Ross Revenge off the ship. On the 21st of November, the Dextrous managed to get lines on the Ross Revenge and successfully pulled the Ross Revenge off the Goodwin Sands. The Ross Revenge was then towed back to the Eastern Docks at Dover.
Following the near shipwrecking, the ship has been maintained by an association of enthusiasts called the Caroline Support Group (formerly, the Ross Revenge Support Group).
In October 1993 the Ross Revenge was anchored off Bradwell in the River Blackwater
in Essex
, within sight of the Bradwell nuclear power station (latitude 51° 44" North, Longitude 0° 52" East). In August 1995 the Ross Revenge was towed to Clacton on Sea. In September the vessel was moored near Southend on Sea and in the middle of that month it was moored at the end of Southend Pier. On the 25th of September the Ross Revenge was towed from Southend to the Thames Quay
, West India Docks in Docklands, London by the tugs Horton and Warrior. In February 1996 the ship was towed from South quay, Docklands towards Ailsa Perth Marine's shipyard at Chatham, Kent and put into dry dock. In August 1997 the MV Ross Revenge was moved to Queenbourgh, Isle of Sheppey, by the tugs Lady Morag and Lady Brenda. On the 21st of June, 1999 the ship was towed to Southend-on-Sea Pier. The ship left Southend on September 28 under tow from the tug Horton and is now moored on the River Medway
in Kent
at ship berth No. 24.
On Christmas Eve 1999, the MV Ross Revenge, still anchored in the River Medway, broke its moorings during high winds and ran aground on a sandbank. Two tugs were radioed by another ship moored nearby and managed to pull the Ross Revenge off the bank and tow it into Sheerness
harbour. The two people on board were both unhurt. Although the ship was not badly damaged, the salvage was extremely expensive. On January 8, 2000 the vessel was moved back onto the moorings at Queenbourgh. From July 2003 the Ross Revenge was moored on the River Medway at Strood/Rochester, just downstream from Rochester Bridge.
at Tilbury
. This was funded by the UK National Lottery organisation. As is usual with Restricted Service Licence broadcasts, transmission power was restricted to one watt. Following broadcasts, she remained berthed at Tilbury, and restoration work continued on the studio, which was completely reconstructed. General restoration and refitting of the ship took place during 2004-2006, including the fitting of a new central heating boiler, improvements to the electrical system, repainting of the ship, and refurbishment of the Mess Room and Crew Quarters.
to position the vessel next to Erith
pier, with the consent of W. M. Morrison who had previously restored the pier as part of a supermarket development. The application was given the case reference 08/07453/FUL and may be inspected on the authority's web site, where representations are invited. The initial intent is to moor the ship there for a six month period, during which time a Restricted Service Licence permitting short range broadcasting might conceivably be sought. The planning application gives no guarantee of public access, but this might be a more practicable proposition at Erith than at the busy international port of Tilbury
.
It is worth noting that Bexley has some association with popular music through sometime local residents such as Kate Bush
, Max Bygraves
, Rosemary Squires and John Paul Jones (musician)
. Certain Erith tower block(s) have been associated with ad-hoc onshore pirate radio stations since the demise of the offshore variety.
Gross Tonnage: 980 tonnes
Length: 67m
Beam: 10.3m
Draft: 6m
Main Engine: Werkspoor 10 cylinder Diesel, dual turbo.
Main Engine Output: 2400HP
Maximum Speed: 18-22 knots
Preserved trawler of the Ross fleet, berthed at Grimsby's National Fishing Heritage Centre
Merchant vessel
A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo or passengers. The closely related term commercial vessel is defined by the United States Coast Guard as any vessel engaged in commercial trade or that carries passengers for hire...
Ross Revenge is a radio ship, formerly the home of Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
, as well as having supported Radio Monique
Radio Monique
Radio Monique was an offshore radio station broadcasting to the Netherlands and Belgium from the Radio Caroline ship, Ross Revenge.Originally intended to broadcast in 1981 from a new radio ship called MV Magda Maria alongside a station to be called Radio Paradise , this arrangement fell through and...
and various religious broadcasters. She was constructed in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
in 1960, and initially served as a commercial trawler, notably taking part in the cod wars of the 1970s. Following her decommissioning, she was purchased by Radio Caroline and outfitted as a radio ship, complete with 300-foot antenna mast and 50 kW transmitter. Her broadcasts began on the 20th of August, 1983; her final pirate
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
broadcast took place in November 1990. She ran aground on the Goodwin Sands
Goodwin Sands
The Goodwin Sands is a 10-mile-long sand bank in the English Channel, lying six miles east off Deal in Kent, England. The Brake Bank lying shorewards is part of the same geological unit. As the shoals lie close to major shipping channels, more than 2,000 ships are believed to have been wrecked...
in November 1991, bringing the era of offshore pirate radio to an end. She was, however, salvaged, and is now maintained by the Caroline Support Group, a group of supporters and enthusiasts.
Service as a Trawler (1960-1983)
The Freyr was built in BremerhavenBremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
by Seebeck for the Icelandic Government. She was registered in Reykjavik and carried the registration RE 1.
In August 1963 she was sold to Ross Fisheries and renamed "Ross Revenge", registration GY 718 (home port Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
). In this capacity, the ship was involved in the cod wars of the 1970s.
The Ross Revenge holds the World Record for the biggest catch. In 1976 she landed a catch of 3,000 kits (approximately 218 tonnes) of Icelandic cod at Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, subsequently sold for a world record price of £75,597.
After serving as a diving support ship from 1979 to 1981, she was taken to the Cairnryan breakers' yard in Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
.
Radio Caroline (1983-1991)
While moored at the Cairnryan breakers' yard, the Ross Revenge was found to be suitable for use in the Radio Caroline project. As a result, Seamore purchased the Ross Revenge for £28,500. The ship was subsequently registered in PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to Grothan Steamship Lines, Incorporated. It is worth noting that both Seamore and Grothan were influenced heavily by Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly is an Irish businessman best known for the creation of the offshore radio station, Radio Caroline.O'Rahilly's parents owned the private port of Greenore in Carlingford Lough, County Louth...
.
In April 1981, the Ross Revenge was towed from the Cairnryan breakers' yard, and arrived in Solares
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
five days later. Come Autumn, work began on converting her into a functioning radio ship. Her transmitter mast, at 300 feet (92 metres) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, was the tallest mast ever fitted to be fitted to a ship.
Early in 1982, new investors were found for Radio Caroline. Of these, the principal investor, James Ryan, was later arrested for fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
. Chains he had placed on the Ross Revenge would later be removed prior to her drydocking. On the 23rd of September, she was registered as a pleasurecraft in Panama with registry number 9625-POXT, and her callsign was HP-4344. In May 1983, Caroline Communications acquired full legal ownership of the Ross Revenge, whereafter she was drydocked and given a protective coating. Insurance problems regarding the lifeboats would prevent the Ross Revenge from setting sail until the 4th of August.
Ross Revenge sets sail
At 15:00 on the 4th of August, the MV Ross Revenge set sail under the command of Cpt. Martin Eve. Problems with the engines forced the ship to be towed to its anchorage. On the 8th of August, the Ross Revenge dropped anchor in the Kentish Knock. The next day, a test transmission was made on 963 kHz, some time after which the Ross Revenge shifted anchorage to the Knock John Deep.On the 20th of January, 1984, the Ross Revenge lost her anchor and drifted south onto a sand bank two miles within British waters, and broadcasts were stopped. Broadcasts resumed two days later, at which time she had returned to her anchorage. On the 3rd of March, a force twelve storm necessitated the dragging of the emergency anchor. A new anchor system was installed and operational two days later.
On the 10th of June, 1987, Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
closed down for "maintenance" at 07:00; in fact, the Ross Revenge sailed to a new position near South Falls Head, in anticipation of the forthcoming Territorial Sea Act that extended British territorial waters to twelve miles (from three). This was announced when broadcasts resumed at 16:54 that day.
On the 20th of November the same year, the ship started to list to 25° due to exceedingly rough weather. Five days later, force eight storms hit the ship; transmissions ceased abruptly at 02:51. The antenna mast had broken at its base and collapsed into the sea. Other than this, the ship sustained very little damage. The next day, parts were delivered for a makeshift aerial. By the 27th of January, a new mast had been built, but required adjustment.
Logistics
From Radio Caroline's inception, small vessels originating from the English coast brought newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, discs
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, crew, and DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
to the Ross Revenge. Diesel was brought in weekly from Nieuwpoort
Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062....
via the Zeemeeuw, hired in 1984. During and following the "Eurosiege" of 1985, in which the Dutch naval minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
was anchored near the Ross Revenge, the skipper of the Zeemeeuw deemed it too risky to continue ferrying fuel, and so Radio Monique
Radio Monique
Radio Monique was an offshore radio station broadcasting to the Netherlands and Belgium from the Radio Caroline ship, Ross Revenge.Originally intended to broadcast in 1981 from a new radio ship called MV Magda Maria alongside a station to be called Radio Paradise , this arrangement fell through and...
acquired the use of the Poolster, again operating from Nieuwpoort. In 1987, they changed to using the Bellatrix, operating out of Dunkirk.
On 6 November 1988 two new aerial masts were taken out to the Ross Revenge. On 4 January 1989 were taken aboard to give the ship as much stability as possible while erecting the new transmitter masts. On 12 February the front mast had been rebuilt bar one section, and the shortwave aerial had been restored. The work on the two new masts continued until May.
Armed Raid
On 19 August 1989 armed representatives of the Dutch Government boarded the Ross Revenge. The Volans, a Dutch Water Police tug, contained a boarding party of about thirty armed men, including Dutch, British, French and Belgian officials. The boarding party removed studio equipment, records and tapes. The aerial array was taken down, parts of the transmitter were removed , and other components were smashed with sledgehammers.Abandonment and Retaking
At the end of November 1989, the Ross Revenge suffered a power failure, which resulted in the ship being unlit for several nights. Trinity HouseTrinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
warned the station that the ship must be lit during the hours of darkness, to comply with maritime regulations. As the Ross Revenge was low on fuel, and the main generators had failed due to disuse, a small petrol generator was being used to power the ship. During force nine storms on the 10th of December the Ross Revenge suffered another power failure, the small petrol generator having been thrown around the deck, and the supplies of petrol having been washed over the side by waves. The crew called the station office, who in turn called the Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
Coast Guard. The coast guard contacted the ship, and a helicopter was sent out at 23:00. By 23:45 the Ross Revenge was completely evacuated.
The next day the crew from the Trinity House vessel Patricia boarded the Ross Revenge, checked the stores and general condition of the ship and then left. By dawn the Dover Coast Guard were reporting that the Ross Revenge was abandoned. North Foreland Radio and other coastal stations issued hourly reports warning shipping vessels that the Ross Revenge was unmanned and unlit. On the 14th of December a successful boarding attempt was made, and at approximately 11:00 Peter Chicago (main engineer) regained control of the Ross Revenge. He was joined by Tony Collis, who had advised Chicago of rumours of foreign tugs on their way to claim the Ross Revenge for salvage.
Ross Revenge runs aground
On the 19th of November, 1991, storms built up across Europe. Consequently, very high seas with north easterly winds were experienced by the crew of the Ross Revenge. By the early hours of the next morning force ten storms were battering the Ross Revenge, and eventually the main anchoring system failed. Dover Coast Guard asked other sea traffic to confirm that the ship they were tracking was the Ross Revenge. At 03:50 the Ross Revenge grounded on the Goodwin Sands. The crew contacted Dover coast guard and a helicopter was sent from RAF ManstonRAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
, and at 04:45 the Dover tug Dextrous was on her way. At 05:35 the crew of the Ross Revenge made contact with the Ramsgate lifeboat, which had also been sent by the Dover coast guard. At 06:58 the lifeboat became stuck on the Goodwin Sands, but her crew managed to free her. At 06:57 hours RAF Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
Sea King
Sea King
Sea-King , refers to a Viking, pirate chieftain of the early Middle Ages.It may also refer to:-Aviation:* SH-3 Sea King, American, naval helicopter* Westland Sea King, British, licensed version of the SH-3...
helicopter 166 took the crew of the Ross Revenge off the ship. On the 21st of November, the Dextrous managed to get lines on the Ross Revenge and successfully pulled the Ross Revenge off the Goodwin Sands. The Ross Revenge was then towed back to the Eastern Docks at Dover.
Following the near shipwrecking, the ship has been maintained by an association of enthusiasts called the Caroline Support Group (formerly, the Ross Revenge Support Group).
In October 1993 the Ross Revenge was anchored off Bradwell in the River Blackwater
River Blackwater, Essex
The River Blackwater is a river in England. It rises in the northwest of Essex as the River Pant and flows to Bocking, near Braintree, from where its name changes to the Blackwater. Its course takes it near Stisted, and then via Bradwell Juxta Coggeshall and Coggeshall and near Witham where it is...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, within sight of the Bradwell nuclear power station (latitude 51° 44" North, Longitude 0° 52" East). In August 1995 the Ross Revenge was towed to Clacton on Sea. In September the vessel was moored near Southend on Sea and in the middle of that month it was moored at the end of Southend Pier. On the 25th of September the Ross Revenge was towed from Southend to the Thames Quay
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, West India Docks in Docklands, London by the tugs Horton and Warrior. In February 1996 the ship was towed from South quay, Docklands towards Ailsa Perth Marine's shipyard at Chatham, Kent and put into dry dock. In August 1997 the MV Ross Revenge was moved to Queenbourgh, Isle of Sheppey, by the tugs Lady Morag and Lady Brenda. On the 21st of June, 1999 the ship was towed to Southend-on-Sea Pier. The ship left Southend on September 28 under tow from the tug Horton and is now moored on the River Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
at ship berth No. 24.
On Christmas Eve 1999, the MV Ross Revenge, still anchored in the River Medway, broke its moorings during high winds and ran aground on a sandbank. Two tugs were radioed by another ship moored nearby and managed to pull the Ross Revenge off the bank and tow it into Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
harbour. The two people on board were both unhurt. Although the ship was not badly damaged, the salvage was extremely expensive. On January 8, 2000 the vessel was moved back onto the moorings at Queenbourgh. From July 2003 the Ross Revenge was moored on the River Medway at Strood/Rochester, just downstream from Rochester Bridge.
Present Day
Restoration work on the Ross Revenge has been ongoing. In August 2004, she was used for (legitimate) Radio Caroline broadcasts on 1278 kHz, while berthed on the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Tilbury
Tilbury
Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry...
. This was funded by the UK National Lottery organisation. As is usual with Restricted Service Licence broadcasts, transmission power was restricted to one watt. Following broadcasts, she remained berthed at Tilbury, and restoration work continued on the studio, which was completely reconstructed. General restoration and refitting of the ship took place during 2004-2006, including the fitting of a new central heating boiler, improvements to the electrical system, repainting of the ship, and refurbishment of the Mess Room and Crew Quarters.
Future Plans
During the Summer of 2008 a planning application was lodged with the Council of the London Borough of BexleyLondon Borough of Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley lies in south east Greater London, and is a borough referred to as part of Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west, across the River Thames to the north it borders the London...
to position the vessel next to Erith
Erith
Erith is a district of southeast London on the River Thames. Erith's town centre has undergone a series of modernisations since 1961.-Pre-medieval:...
pier, with the consent of W. M. Morrison who had previously restored the pier as part of a supermarket development. The application was given the case reference 08/07453/FUL and may be inspected on the authority's web site, where representations are invited. The initial intent is to moor the ship there for a six month period, during which time a Restricted Service Licence permitting short range broadcasting might conceivably be sought. The planning application gives no guarantee of public access, but this might be a more practicable proposition at Erith than at the busy international port of Tilbury
Tilbury
Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry...
.
It is worth noting that Bexley has some association with popular music through sometime local residents such as Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
, Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves OBE is an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs...
, Rosemary Squires and John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
. Certain Erith tower block(s) have been associated with ad-hoc onshore pirate radio stations since the demise of the offshore variety.
Specification
Built: Bremerhaven, Germany, 1960Gross Tonnage: 980 tonnes
Length: 67m
Beam: 10.3m
Draft: 6m
Main Engine: Werkspoor 10 cylinder Diesel, dual turbo.
Main Engine Output: 2400HP
Maximum Speed: 18-22 knots
See also
Ross TigerRoss Tiger
The Ross Tiger is a traditional side-winder fishing trawler that was converted into a museum ship in 1992. She is currently berthed in Alexandra Dock at her home port of Grimsby, close to the site of the former PS Lincoln Castle. She forms the star attraction of North East Lincolnshire County...
Preserved trawler of the Ross fleet, berthed at Grimsby's National Fishing Heritage Centre
National Fishing Heritage Centre
The Fishing Heritage Centre is a museum at Alexandra Dock, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England, opened in 1991. It depicts the 1950s heyday of the distant waters fishing fleet. The centre also hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Tours of the fishing trawler Ross Tiger are...