SS Robin
Encyclopedia
SS Robin is a 300-tonne steam coaster
, a class of steamship licensed only for passage in coastal waters, the oldest complete example in the world, at the Royal Docks
in London, England for restoration and later display from July 2011.
SS Robin is one of three ships in London on the Core Collection of the National Historic Ships Register (the nautical equivalent of a Grade 1 Listed Building); the others are Cutty Sark
and HMS Belfast. One of a pair of 'coasters' built in Bow Creek
in 1890, the ship was originally intended to carry raw materials and the products of British industry around the UK and northern Europe.
The engine is a steam triple expansion reciprocating (three-cylinder), developing 60 horsepower
(45 kW). Her maximum speed was 10 knots (19 km/h).
Her official number is 98185 and the port of registry is Glasgow
. On the Lloyds register she is registered as TMS SS Robin – Tri Masted Schooner
. It appears that this classification is incorrect, however: SS Robin is a steam vessel and was never a sailing auxiliary. Rather, the authors of the Board of Trade
registration document appear to have taken note of her three masts—which were not used to hold sails—and assumed she was a schooner.
The main objective of the learning centre and gallery was to use photography as an effective means of communication and education, with the aim of integrating communities, building skills and knowledge through a diverse programme of international photography exhibitions, workshops and talks. While moored at West India Quay
, the centre provided an interactive education programme with local schools and businesses.
comprising some 200 objects and documents. These provide a fascinating insight into the life of a ship which has seen three centuries of maritime history.
The museum will open in early 2012, providing exhibition space, a permanent collection of artefacts and a research facility for those interested in the history of the ship. SS Robins heritage is intrinsically linked with the shipbuilding and ironworks of London's East End, the site of the 2012 London Olympics.
of Orchard House Yard
, Bow Creek
. She is a steam vessel built for coastal trade, and was built in a style that had been used since the 1840s; similar ships were in constant use up to the 1940s.
She was built by Mackenzie Macalpine and Robert Thomson
for Ponsonby and Co. of Newport
, Monmouthshire
. SS Robin was towed to Scotland
to have the engine, the boiler and the auxiliary machinery fitted by Gourlay Bros. of Dundee
.
SS Robin was launched on 16 September 1890, and after being fitted out in East India Docks
was towed to Dundee to have the engine and auxiliary machinery fitted. On 20 December 1890, Robin commenced her career in the British coastal service at Liverpool, with a crew of 12 signing the Articles for her maiden voyage.
A sister ship named SS Rook was built at the same time but foundered in a gale off Anglesey in 1925.
As a coaster her range was limited to the coastal waters, within sight of land. However, on her first voyage she went 400 miles (600 km) outside the Home Trade limits to Bayonne
; the owners had to replace Master mate with another who held the correct certificate, until she returned to Swansea
on January 10.
Her second voyage began at Swansea
on 14 January 1891, visiting Rouen
, Northfleet
on the River Thames
, Eastham
and Garston
on the River Mersey
, Plymouth
, Deauville
, Guernsey
, London
, Rochester, Newport
, Swansea
, Cherbourg arriving in Northfleet
by April 5, 1891
In 1892 SS Robin was sold to Andrew Forrester Blackwater of Glasgow
. Until 1900 her trading took place mainly between the seaports of Britain, Ireland and the continental ports and was reported to carry bulk cargoes of grain, iron ore, scrap steel, pits props, china clay, railway steel, general cargoes of casked and baled goods such as herring barrels, and even granite blocks for the Caledonian Canal
.
Until 1965 the structure of Robin stayed mainly unchanged; in 1966 she had a major refit with the whaleback
(at the stern) and the mizzen mast removed, the foremast and the funnel shortened, and the forecastle
extended. The coal-fired furnaces were modified for oil fuel. After this she resumed trading.
SS Robin was discovered by the Maritime Trust in 1972. Following an inspection, it was decided that she was worth preserving, and in May 1974 she was purchased, on the brink of being sold to Spanish breakers. In June 1974 she came home to St Katherine's Dock under her own steam and given back her original name. She was restored at a cost of £250,000, with most work taking place in 1974 and 1975, and was subsequently moored in St Katherine's Dock.
A new mooring was offered in 1991 at West India Quay
where SS Robin stayed until 2008. SS Robin is now listed on the core collection of the National Historic Ships register alongside Cutty Sark, HMS Belfast and Discovery
.
In 2002 David and Nishani Kampfner bought SS Robin and set up the SS Robin Trust as a registered charity. HRH Prince Philip is an honorary member, and Jim Fitzpatrick
MP and Channel 4 news reader Jon Snow are patrons.
Listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, Core Collection
, the restoration of the superstructure of SS Robin began in March 2002. The original beams, structures, fittings and engine were preserved and restored by her volunteer crew.
A bid for lottery funding was refused in 2008; a loan was that year agreed with Crossrail
which underwrote essential minimum repairs to the ship. The loan was provided when the vessel had to be moved from its berth to allow for the development of the Canary Wharf railway station which was to be constructed beneath and within the West India North Dock
. Without the compensation necessitated by the Crossrail construction proposals and negotiated during the hybrid Bill House of Lords Select Committee process it appeared likely that SS Robin would have to be scrapped. Further fund-raising was needed to repay the loan and continue the repair process.
Structural restoration of SS Robin took place between 2008 and 2010. This including the construction of a bespoke display dock. The structure will house her floating museum, opening shortly before the 2012London Olympics
, and provide space for functions and exhibitions.
Before the ship's move to drydock, SS Robin contracted work to dismantle and de-rig the masts, funnel, lifeboats and davits to Cutty Sark Enterprises, beginning mid-late May 2008.
Between 2008 and 2010 she was berthed in Lowestoft
for £1.8m of conservation work to her 118 year-old hull. The ship was repaired using, so far as was practicable, the same craft skills with which she was built in 1890, conserving her Victorian technology.
SS Robin left Lowestoft for the Port of Tilbury
on 17 September 2010.
In July 2011 she returned to east London, where she was built, undergoing internal restoration to become a floating museum at the Royal Docks
in Newham borough
, for public display starting in late 2011 and including the 2012 London Olympic games.
Coastal trading vessel
Coastal trading vessels, also known as coasters, are shallow-hulled ships used for trade between locations on the same island or continent. Their shallow hulls mean that they can get through reefs where deeper-hulled sea-going ships usually cannot....
, a class of steamship licensed only for passage in coastal waters, the oldest complete example in the world, at the Royal Docks
Royal Docks
The Royal Docks comprise three docks in east London - the Royal Albert Dock, the Royal Victoria Dock and the King George V Dock. They are more correctly called the Royal Group of Docks to distinguish them from the Royal Dockyards, Royal being due to their naming after royal personages rather than...
in London, England for restoration and later display from July 2011.
SS Robin is one of three ships in London on the Core Collection of the National Historic Ships Register (the nautical equivalent of a Grade 1 Listed Building); the others are Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark
The Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built in 1869, she served as a merchant vessel , and then as a training ship until being put on public display in 1954...
and HMS Belfast. One of a pair of 'coasters' built in Bow Creek
Bow Creek
Bow Creek is a long tidal estuary of the River Lea and is part of the Bow Back Rivers. Below Bow Locks the creek forms the boundary between the London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets, in east London....
in 1890, the ship was originally intended to carry raw materials and the products of British industry around the UK and northern Europe.
Specification
SS Robin is 143 feet (44 m) long, her beam is 23 feet (7.0 m), her depth is 12.2 feet (3.7 m) and her tonnage (distinct from weight) is 366 gross register tons. She carried 400 tons of cargo (hold door) or 450 tons (plaque).The engine is a steam triple expansion reciprocating (three-cylinder), developing 60 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(45 kW). Her maximum speed was 10 knots (19 km/h).
Her official number is 98185 and the port of registry is Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. On the Lloyds register she is registered as TMS SS Robin – Tri Masted Schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
. It appears that this classification is incorrect, however: SS Robin is a steam vessel and was never a sailing auxiliary. Rather, the authors of the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
registration document appear to have taken note of her three masts—which were not used to hold sails—and assumed she was a schooner.
Education Centre and Gallery
The original intention after her return was to develop a learning centre and photojournalism gallery which would run an extensive programme of talks, seminars and workshops designed to build bridges between communities. The gallery is a 100 by 23 ft (30 by 7 m), with a flexible classroom and exhibition space within the steel hull.The main objective of the learning centre and gallery was to use photography as an effective means of communication and education, with the aim of integrating communities, building skills and knowledge through a diverse programme of international photography exhibitions, workshops and talks. While moored at West India Quay
West India Quay
West India Quay is an area on the Isle of Dogs in Docklands, London, England. It is immediately to the north of the West India Docks and Canary Wharf...
, the centre provided an interactive education programme with local schools and businesses.
Floating museum and archive
SS Robin has her own archiveArchive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
comprising some 200 objects and documents. These provide a fascinating insight into the life of a ship which has seen three centuries of maritime history.
The museum will open in early 2012, providing exhibition space, a permanent collection of artefacts and a research facility for those interested in the history of the ship. SS Robins heritage is intrinsically linked with the shipbuilding and ironworks of London's East End, the site of the 2012 London Olympics.
History
SS Robin was built in 1890 by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd.Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company
The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited was a shipyard and iron works straddling the mouth of Bow Creek at its confluence with the River Thames, at Leamouth Wharf on the west side and at Canning Town on the east side...
of Orchard House Yard
Orchard House Yard
Orchard House yard was at Leamouth, on the River Lea at Bow Creek. The SS Robin was built at Orchard House Yard in 1890, and is currently moored a short distance away at West India Quay in London Docklands.-External links:**-See also:...
, Bow Creek
Bow Creek
Bow Creek is a long tidal estuary of the River Lea and is part of the Bow Back Rivers. Below Bow Locks the creek forms the boundary between the London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets, in east London....
. She is a steam vessel built for coastal trade, and was built in a style that had been used since the 1840s; similar ships were in constant use up to the 1940s.
She was built by Mackenzie Macalpine and Robert Thomson
Robert Thomson
Robert Thomson may refer to:*Bobby Thomson , Major League baseball player who hit "The Shot Heard Round the World"*Bobby Thomson , former Aston Villa and Birmingham City footballer...
for Ponsonby and Co. of Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
. SS Robin was towed to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to have the engine, the boiler and the auxiliary machinery fitted by Gourlay Bros. of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
.
The launch: 1890 to 1900
East India Docks
The East India Docks was a group of docks in Blackwall, east London, north-east of the Isle of Dogs. Today only the entrance basin remains.-History:...
was towed to Dundee to have the engine and auxiliary machinery fitted. On 20 December 1890, Robin commenced her career in the British coastal service at Liverpool, with a crew of 12 signing the Articles for her maiden voyage.
A sister ship named SS Rook was built at the same time but foundered in a gale off Anglesey in 1925.
As a coaster her range was limited to the coastal waters, within sight of land. However, on her first voyage she went 400 miles (600 km) outside the Home Trade limits to Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
; the owners had to replace Master mate with another who held the correct certificate, until she returned to Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
on January 10.
Her second voyage began at Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
on 14 January 1891, visiting Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
on the River Thames
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,...
, Eastham
Eastham, Merseyside
Eastham is a village and an electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the Wirral Peninsula, to the south of Bromborough...
and Garston
Garston, Merseyside
Garston is a district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is bordered by Aigburth, Allerton, and Speke.-History:Gaerstun, meaning 'grazing settlement' or 'grazing farm' in Old English, is one possible root of the name....
on the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Deauville
Deauville
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and...
, Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Rochester, Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Cherbourg arriving in Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
by April 5, 1891
In 1892 SS Robin was sold to Andrew Forrester Blackwater of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Until 1900 her trading took place mainly between the seaports of Britain, Ireland and the continental ports and was reported to carry bulk cargoes of grain, iron ore, scrap steel, pits props, china clay, railway steel, general cargoes of casked and baled goods such as herring barrels, and even granite blocks for the Caledonian Canal
Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal is a canal in Scotland that connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William. It was constructed in the early nineteenth century by engineer Thomas Telford, and is a sister canal of the Göta Canal in Sweden, also constructed by...
.
1900 to 1972
In 1900 SS Robin was sold and renamed the Maria; for the next 75 years or so she had three different Spanish owners.- 1900–1913 Blanco Hermanos y Cia of BilbaoBilbaoBilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
- 1913–1965 Hijos de Angel Perez y Cia of SantanderSantander, CantabriaThe 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:...
. During World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
she carried iron slabs for the French government from the foundry at SantiagoSantiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
to BayonneBayonneBayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
and Burdeos, escorted by two destroyers to protect her from German U-boatU-boatU-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s. From 1935 to 1939 (the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil WarThe Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
) the ship was laid up at San Esteban de PraviaSan Esteban de PraviaSan Esteban de Pravia is one of two parishes in Muros de Nalón, a municipality within the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain.- Population :...
. - 1965–1974 Eduardo de la Sota Poveda of BilbaoBilbaoBilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, working around BilbaoBilbaoBilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
and the north coast of SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
until 1974, carrying coal for the bunkering of linerOcean linerAn ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
s.
Until 1965 the structure of Robin stayed mainly unchanged; in 1966 she had a major refit with the whaleback
Whaleback
A cargo steamship of unique design, with a hull that continuously curved above the waterline from vertical to horizontal leaving, when fully loaded, only the rounded portion of the hull above the waterline, was unofficially called a "whaleback". With sides curved in towards the ends, it had a...
(at the stern) and the mizzen mast removed, the foremast and the funnel shortened, and the forecastle
Forecastle
Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...
extended. The coal-fired furnaces were modified for oil fuel. After this she resumed trading.
Restoration and history from 1972
A new mooring was offered in 1991 at West India Quay
West India Quay
West India Quay is an area on the Isle of Dogs in Docklands, London, England. It is immediately to the north of the West India Docks and Canary Wharf...
where SS Robin stayed until 2008. SS Robin is now listed on the core collection of the National Historic Ships register alongside Cutty Sark, HMS Belfast and Discovery
RRS Discovery
The RRS Discovery was the last traditional wooden three-masted ship to be built in Britain. Designed for Antarctic research, she was launched in 1901. Her first mission was the British National Antarctic Expedition, carrying Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their first, successful...
.
In 2002 David and Nishani Kampfner bought SS Robin and set up the SS Robin Trust as a registered charity. HRH Prince Philip is an honorary member, and Jim Fitzpatrick
Jim Fitzpatrick (politician)
James Fitzpatrick is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Poplar and Limehouse since the 2010 General Election. From 1997 to the 2010 election he was the member for Poplar and Canning Town...
MP and Channel 4 news reader Jon Snow are patrons.
Listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, Core Collection
National Historic Fleet, Core Collection
The National Historic Fleet, Core Collection is a list of museum ships located in the United Kingdom, under the National Historic Ships register.The vessels on the National Historic Fleet are distinguished by:...
, the restoration of the superstructure of SS Robin began in March 2002. The original beams, structures, fittings and engine were preserved and restored by her volunteer crew.
A bid for lottery funding was refused in 2008; a loan was that year agreed with Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
which underwrote essential minimum repairs to the ship. The loan was provided when the vessel had to be moved from its berth to allow for the development of the Canary Wharf railway station which was to be constructed beneath and within the West India North Dock
West India Docks
The West India Docks are a series of three docks on the Isle of Dogs in London, the first of which opened in 1802. The docks closed to commercial traffic in 1980 and the Canary Wharf development was built on the site.-History:...
. Without the compensation necessitated by the Crossrail construction proposals and negotiated during the hybrid Bill House of Lords Select Committee process it appeared likely that SS Robin would have to be scrapped. Further fund-raising was needed to repay the loan and continue the repair process.
Structural restoration of SS Robin took place between 2008 and 2010. This including the construction of a bespoke display dock. The structure will house her floating museum, opening shortly before the 2012London Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, and provide space for functions and exhibitions.
Before the ship's move to drydock, SS Robin contracted work to dismantle and de-rig the masts, funnel, lifeboats and davits to Cutty Sark Enterprises, beginning mid-late May 2008.
Between 2008 and 2010 she was berthed in Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
for £1.8m of conservation work to her 118 year-old hull. The ship was repaired using, so far as was practicable, the same craft skills with which she was built in 1890, conserving her Victorian technology.
SS Robin left Lowestoft for the Port of Tilbury
Port of Tilbury
The Port of Tilbury is located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London; as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for containers, grain, and other bulk cargoes. There are also...
on 17 September 2010.
In July 2011 she returned to east London, where she was built, undergoing internal restoration to become a floating museum at the Royal Docks
Royal Docks
The Royal Docks comprise three docks in east London - the Royal Albert Dock, the Royal Victoria Dock and the King George V Dock. They are more correctly called the Royal Group of Docks to distinguish them from the Royal Dockyards, Royal being due to their naming after royal personages rather than...
in Newham borough
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
, for public display starting in late 2011 and including the 2012 London Olympic games.