Author Topic: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)  (Read 11880 times)

Offline Story

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H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« on: July 11, 2025, 11:45:01 PM »
Tripped over these two structures recently and I've been dumpster diving reference material to see how hard it'd be to cobble up a reasonable facsimile.


EDIT - for clarity's sake, these will be referred to as Admiralty Floating Dock 1 (AFD1) and Admiralty Floating Dock 2 (AFD2)

These two docks can easily be confused, so this thread should offer enough information to make the differences between both clear.

To start, some background readings.

https://www.surfertoday.com/skateboarding/hm-floating-dock-bermuda

Some points - The grandiose half-pipe-shaped structure was 381 feet long, 74 feet tall, and 123 feet at its maximum width. So that'd be 13 inches long and some change at 1/350th scale

Actual     1/700    1/350     1/124th

381     6.53      13.6         36.9

123      2.1         4.2          11.9

74       1.27        2.6           7.16

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/maritime-history/library-archive/arrival-bermuda-floating-dock-july-1869

Current location of the original.
https://www.bing.com/maps?q=Stovell+Bay%2C+near+Spanish+Point%2C&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOagCALACAA&FORM=ANCMS9&PC=HCTS&cp=32.305801%7E-64.81619&lvl=19.0&style=h

This is the second incarnation - note how simple the lines are. Someone check my math
Actual     1/700    1/350     1/124th
l 545'      9.34"     18.5+"    52.7"
w 126'      2.16"      4.3"     12.2"
h 55+'   .94"         1.88"       5.3"

« Last Edit: July 19, 2025, 08:15:14 AM by Story »

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2025, 12:22:55 AM »
Admiralty Floating Dock 1 (AFD1)


Three period prints and a photo of the original.

For those of you familiar with the Royal Dockyard at Bermuda, the clock towers show the 2nd drydock moored roughly where cruise ships berth today.

Inset shows what I believe to be the 1st drydock with some sort of seaworthy bow tacked onto it.




From these images, it looks like a regular mid-19th century ship's hull could be drafted - possibly as an Out-Of-Scale exercise.

380' at 1/124th scale (which is what I use for Civil War blockade runners) would result in a drydock @ 36" long.

 

Two photos from the end of the first one's life.  Using the dockyard clock towers as a position fix, it's not far from the original mooring. Note the lack of the seaworthy bow.





Thoughts?
« Last Edit: July 14, 2025, 03:45:16 AM by Story »

Offline apophenia

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2025, 03:50:22 AM »
So, are you trying to decide between modelling the original, 1866-68 Woolich-built floating dock or its 1902-06 Swan & Hunter replacement? Or are you going to do both?   8)

Some more lithographs of the original floating dock from its delivery:
-- https://www.bada.org/object/largest-floating-dock-world

The satellite view of the wreck in situ (in your Bing link) is very cool. That whole scene would make for a very cool diorama (were one a glutton for modelling punishment).  :o

Q: I know that the Swan & Hunter replacement was called H.M. Floating Dock, was the Woolich version also named that? (She mostly seems to be referred to as 'Admiralty Floating Dock Bermuda'.)

For those wondering, the wreck at Spanish Point is the original floating dock. [1] After retirement, she was stripped of non-ferrous metals, and towed out for scrapping. However, she broke loose in a gale and was grounded. Since then, she has successfully resisted all attempts to remove or break her up.

_______________________________

[1] The Swan & Hunter H.M. Floating Dock - aka Admiralty Floating Dock No. 1 - served until March 1950. In July 1951, she left Bermuda under tow for scrapping at Falmouth.
15 Aug 2025: "We are now half-stupid! Soon we shall be completely stupid!"

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2025, 08:20:32 PM »
So, are you trying to decide between modelling the original, 1866-68 Woolich-built floating dock or its 1902-06 Swan & Hunter replacement? Or are you going to do both?   8)

Not sure but leaning towards the Woolich-built simply for the esthetics. The 1902 looks like a Confederate ironclad. Both? Easy there, tiger.

Some more lithographs of the original floating dock from its delivery:
-- https://www.bada.org/object/largest-floating-dock-world

Cool, thanks

The satellite view of the wreck in situ (in your Bing link) is very cool. That whole scene would make for a very cool diorama (were one a glutton for modelling punishment).  :o

Agreed wholeheartedly but again, easy there tiger.

Q: I know that the Swan & Hunter replacement was called H.M. Floating Dock, was the Woolich version also named that? (She mostly seems to be referred to as 'Admiralty Floating Dock Bermuda'.)

I can not locate a *shrug/dunno* emoji

For those wondering, the wreck at Spanish Point is the original floating dock. [1] After retirement, she was stripped of non-ferrous metals, and towed out for scrapping. However, she broke loose in a gale and was grounded. Since then, she has successfully resisted all attempts to remove or break her up.

Must be some sort of Jonah at work.
_______________________________

[1] The Swan & Hunter H.M. Floating Dock - aka Admiralty Floating Dock No. 1 - served until March 1950. In July 1951, she left Bermuda under tow for scrapping at Falmouth.

Now THIS would make a cool WW2 diorama for someone else.

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2025, 08:23:03 PM »
Admiralty Floating Dock 2 (AFD2)

Caption reads "Aerial photograph of HMS York in the AFD1 floating drydock at the HMD Bermuda in 1933" but we know by now this is AFD2, right?.


Good build for 1/700th scale
Length - 575'
Beam- 57'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_York_(90)




« Last Edit: July 14, 2025, 03:47:35 AM by Story »

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2025, 08:34:02 PM »
Admiralty Floating Dock 1 (AFD1)

1) Excellent details on how a ship was braced for work
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SMS_Falke_in_the_floating_drydock_Bermuda_at_the_Royal_Naval_Dockyard_Bermuda_in_1903.jpg

* Tales of high adventure here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Falke_(1891)
https://pastvu.com/p/2152265



More details
https://dawlishchronicles.blogspot.com/2015/11/bermudas-floating-dry-dock-1869.html




2) From the illustration in the previous post, this answers one of my lingering questions - what was the 1860's hull shape at the keel?


Since it had to be regularly sunk, the keel area should be flat like the 1902 version.  That means if I was to Out Of Scale a Revell 1/96th USS CONSTITUTION hull I'd have to find a stupid-simple way of duplicating that.  ???

« Last Edit: July 14, 2025, 07:07:22 AM by Story »

Offline apophenia

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2025, 02:02:22 AM »
...
Since it had to be regularly sunk, the keel area should be flat like the 1902 version.  That means if I was to Out Of Scale a Revell 1/96th USS CONSTITUTION hull I'd have to find a stupid-simple way of duplicating that.

Yes, I think you're right to assume that the pontoon is flat-bottomed (with the undersides parallel to the working deck). Were the hull of the Revell kit the same basic shape, adding a new 'floor' and then cutting off the keel might work. But I don't think the kit shape is right.

The hull of the USS Constitution seems to be all compound curves (except immediately amidships). The floating dock appears to have been parallel-sided except at either end. Attached in an image to show what I'm banging on about (although I'm sure it is hideously out of scale and proportion).
15 Aug 2025: "We are now half-stupid! Soon we shall be completely stupid!"

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2025, 11:48:26 PM »
I don't think the kit shape is right.

The hull of the USS Constitution seems to be all compound curves (except immediately amidships). The floating dock appears to have been parallel-sided except at either end. 

I see that now and after more homework, even the Tony Hawkes fans on Reddit call it a half-pipe. I'll work up some numbers for 1/700th and 1/124th but off the top of anyone's head, can y'all think of gutter-like material as donor hulls?

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2025, 11:49:30 PM »
Note positions via the clocktowers (mentioned above) showing relativity to the current Cruise Ship berths.
Note that the current King's Warf was once the North Breakwater

Drydock #2 position

Drydock #1 position (at the end of it's active life)

Ordnance Survey map of the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island North, Bermuda, from an Ordnance Survey map of Bermuda published in 1901 based on surveys carried out by Lieutenant Arthur Johnson Savage, Royal Engineers, between approximately 1896 and 1899. The map shows the original Royal Naval Dockyard at the North (right), with the original location in the camber of the Floating Dry Dock Bermuda, protected by a breakwater or arm, and the new South Yard under construction with its own breakwater. On completion in 1903, the new Admiralty Floating Dock 1 (AFD1) would be located in the South Camber, protected by the South Arm. The new South Yard was constructed outside the area protected by fortifications. The Casemates Naval Barracks (used at various times by the Army Ordnance Corps, though the Ordnance Depot would finally be located in The Keep of the fortress at the Northernmost point) stood on a highpoint behind the southern casemates of the old fortified dockyard that was to become the North Yard with the completion of the South Yard. The Cut Bridge at the South of Ireland Island North crosses an artificial channel cut through Ireland Island. Various satellite facilities, such as the Royal Naval Hospital, and married accommodations for the dockyard were located on Ireland Island South and elsewhere in Bermuda.

Ordnance Survey map of the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island North, Bermuda, from an Ordnance Survey map of Bermuda published in 1901 based on surveys carried out by Lieutenant Arthur Johnson Savage, Royal Engineers
« Last Edit: July 14, 2025, 12:08:10 AM by Story »

Offline apophenia

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2025, 03:31:10 AM »
Your gutter half-round idea is an interesting one. Just a matter of finding the right size (and a good PVC adhesive).

In some lines of gutters there is a 'deep flow' option - giving more of an ogive section - which appear to match the Floating Dock shape/section shown in some of your images.
15 Aug 2025: "We are now half-stupid! Soon we shall be completely stupid!"

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2025, 03:42:08 AM »
In some lines of gutters there is a 'deep flow' option - giving more of an ogive section - which appear to match the Floating Dock shape/section shown in some of your images.

Or something more tire (tyre?)-esque.





The 5" half-round might have some potential for pounding into the right shape for 1/350, considering the crimp needed at the top.


https://stormmaster.com/gutters/gutter-sizing-guide/
« Last Edit: July 14, 2025, 05:56:59 AM by Story »

Offline M.A.D

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2025, 08:20:13 PM »
What an intriguing subject Story!

MAD

Offline Story

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Re: H.M. Drydock (Bermuda)
« Reply #12 on: August 04, 2025, 01:37:05 AM »
What an intriguing subject Story!
MAD

Glad you enjoyed it. Inspired enough to make a model?

Messing around with sectionalized images that can be used as templates.



For those of you generating the 10,500 + unique views of this thread so far, another annotated pics of #1 showing position relative to the Dockyard's clock towers AND the upperworks seem to be the same light color as the RN ships (except for the receiving hulk, foreground right). 

Since that ship on the quay beyond the drydock would be the HMS MALABAR (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Malabar_(1866) ), we can date this pic between 1897 and the arrival of #2.  This is like playing a game of CLUE!

Neat, huh?



« Last Edit: August 04, 2025, 02:27:33 AM by Story »