Fund-Raising Campaign to Save Veteran Timber Hulled Former Minesweeper on Merseyside

28th February 2022

A campaign is underway to save a former UK Royal Navy 'Ton' Class Minesweeper that is partially sunk in Birkenhead Docks on Merseyside. The mahogany-hulled minesweeper, Bronington dating to 1953, was one of the last of timber built naval vessels in the UK. Among sisters of the class, AFLOAT highlights included a trio acquired by the Irish Naval Service in the early 1970's, they were HMS Oulston (renamed LÉ Grainne) HMS Alverton (LÉ Banba) and HMS Blaxton (LÉ Fola). The minesweepers were used as Coastal Patrol Vessels (CPV) with two of the remaining trio in service until 1987, when they too went for scrapping in Spain. Credit: HMS Bronington-twitter

A fund-raising campaign is underway to save and restore a former UK Royal Navy minesweeper that lies partially submerged in Birkenhead Dock on Merseyside.

HMS Bronington which belonged to the 'Ton' class of minesweepers, where intended to meet the threat of seabed mines laid in shallow coastal waters, rivers, ports and harbours.

According to the National Historic Ships UK, since the voluntary liquidation of the Warship Preservation Trust took place in 2006, the veteran vessel has remained abandoned and neglected. (More ship details, here).

It was in March that year, when the vessel sank at moorings in Gilbrook Basin, part of the Birkenhead Docks system, and now sits up to the gunwales on the silty bottom, listing to starboard.

Built by Cook, Welton and Gemmel in Beverley, Yorkshire, Bronington was launched in 1953, and spent the first four years as part of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve's Humber Division, based in Hull. During 1976 HMS Bronington was commanded by Prince Charles.

The Ton class ship saw service in Portsmouth, the Firth of Forth, and for NATO role in the Mediterranean.

Last year, supporters formed the HMS Bronington Preservation Trust to explore the possibility of re-floating and restoring the vessel. As this will take a lot of time and money, the Trust has launched a GoFundMe page to raise the initial funds required.

Firstly, a dive survey will assess the state of the hull and whether there is any significant damage which may result in the project having to be abandoned.

The Trust are hoping to raise £20,000 which will cover the costs of the survey, subsequent re-floating and pumping out.

The Trustees are asking for your help with this phase by asking you to donate to the initial costs required to get this project off the ground. Any donation, large or small, will be gratefully received.

If the survey is successful, the Trust will be actively seeking sponsorship and grants to fund the remaining phases of the restoration i.e. removal to a repair facility and full restoration to her former glory.

Should the project be abandoned, all donations will be further donated to Forces charities.

Published in Historic Boats

Tagged under

Ton class survivor

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

Email The Author

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.