Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

From: Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated Friday 7th April 1972

CHINESE VISIT ?VICKERS VENTURER?

The research ship ?VICKERS VENTURER?, which is based in Ardrossan Harbour, did her small bit to improve East/West relations on Thursday when she was host to a party of six visiting Chinese scientists who had come to this country to study geophysical and oceanographic work.

The five man delegation from the Chinese People?s Republic were led by Mr Wang T Chao a professor geophysics and oceanography from Peking and they were accompanied by an interpreter from the Chinese Embassy in London

Last week the party had visited ?OCEANOLOGY 72? an oceanographic exhibition held in Brighton and while there they expressed an interest in the work carried out by the ?VICKERS VENTURER? and the mini submarine, ?PISCES?, which the ship is specially adapted to carry.

HIGHLIGHT

The party travelled up to Ardrossan and spent the entire day studying the various research processes and methods used on the ship, and on ?PISCES?, and a highlight of the tour of the ship was the lowering of the ?PISCES? into the harbour partially to submerge, with Professor Chao and the pilot in charge, Ralph
Eastbough, on board her.

The ?VENTURER? herself is a former stern trawler and she was specially converted by Vickers, the well known Naval ship builders, to carry out research work with a mini sub on board.

She is commanded by Captain Robert Brown, of West Kilbride, and is able to undertake practically any type of undersea research and survey work that may be asked of her. It is in this type of work that the ?PISCES? plays a major part - being able to dive to a depth of 3,000 feet and, totally independent of the mother ship, it can cover a fantastic range by itself.

UNUSUAL

The ?VENTURER? is based at Ardrossan as she is now working regularly in the Firth of Clyde. However, she often gets further afield. One of her more unusual jobs was to repair and re-lay part of the transatlantic telephone cables in the Bay of Biscay.

The ?VENTURER? has proved such a success that Vickers are converting another, larger trawler, to do the same type of jobs that ?VENTURER? tackles. The new ship will be called the ?VICKERS VOYAGER? and will carry two mini subs.

Scribe Tango