1946 EMPIRE RAYMOND, 1947 CERVIA

UK Navy Empire tug, Foremost-class
Registered: LR47-48:05747 /LR50-51:55212 /LR56-57:55800 /LR60-61:56410
IMO 5067534 /(GBR)ON 180997
233 GRT, L34,40m(32,01), B8,26m, D3,550m(3,81) (112.8'(105.2')x27.1'x11.7' or 112'10"(105'0"x27'1"x11'7.3/4"(12'6")
1 scr, T3cyl by shipbuilders, oil fired, 144nhp-700ihp

EMPIRE RAYMOND
1946 -21/01: Launched by "A. Hall & Co" at Aberdeen (GBR) (YN 709)
1946 -30/04: delivered to Ministry Of Transport, handed over to "Townsend Brothers Ferries Ltd" at London for onward delivery
1946: Sold to "William Watkins Ltd" for £36,000, mng J.R. Watkins at London (GBR)
(GBR flag, regd London, ON 180997, c/s GDPM)
1947: renamed CERVIA
1954 -25/10: capsized and sank while towing the turbine steamer Arcadia at Tilbury (GBR) (master + 4 crew lost)
1954 -28/10: raised and repaired at Ramsgate (GBR)
1955: mng "Ship Towage (London) Ltd"
1968: amalgamation between "William Watkins Ltd" and "W.H.J. Alexander Ltd" to form "London Tugs Ltd" (GBR)
("Ship Towage (London) Ltd" still managers)
1971 -xx/06: laid up with surveys overdue (reported an unknown Australian party agreed the purchase: sale not completed)
1972 -xx/03: Sold to Mrs M.L. Brain and Stevens as an exhibit to the new Medway Maritime Museum (GBR)
but soon returned to towage work, operated by "ITL - International Towing Ltd"
1976: Sold to "ITL - International Towing Ltd", mng M.L. Brain at Sittingbourne (GBR)
1979: transferred to Ramsgate (GBR)
1984: transferred on permanent loan to the East Kent Maritime Museum at Ramsgate (GBR)
has been worked on by groups from the "Manpower ServicesCommission", partly restored in William Watkins livery
2007: still in existence in a sad state. Weeds on deck,wood rotting and starting to rust in places.

Seen 16th Sept 2007
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Photo copyright Ben @ riverthames.co.nr