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Radio Ships or Pipe Dream?

There's been much speculation about a new offshore station

Here are the first published pictures of the vessels

Gampian Dawn & Princess

The "Grampian Dawn" formerly "Ben Strome" has a tonnage of 272GRT, 89NRT, is 37.9 metres long, 7.75 metres in beam, & has a 3.18 metre draft

She was built in 1962 by J Lewis & Sons of Aberdeen, yard number 318, & registered to North Star Shipping, owned by George Craig & Sons

She was converted into a side trawler in 1980 & classed until 15/7/83 before becoming a motor standby safety vessel - pollution control, in her role as a rig support ship

The "Grampian Princess" formerly "Linden Lea" was built in the same yard in 1960, number 292 & had the same owners

Tonnage, 280GRT, 95NRT, she's 36.89 metres long, 7.88 metres in beam with a draft of 3.89 metres & similarily was converted to a side trawler & classed until 8/4/83 before her role as a rig support ship

Both vessels were purchased recently by an offshore devotee for fitting out as radio ships with one ship destined for RSL broadcasts around the UK

Gampians bow views

Both ships have Mirrlees 712 BHP engines, & whilst the ancillory engines & generators are reasonable, neither ship has turned a propeller since legislation over 10 years ago put them out of service. Therefore they were towed from London to Ipswich Docks

Gampian bridges

From the fore peak of the ballasted Grampian Dawn, it was rumoured that one of the ships could have found it's way to the sea!

Audio
Offshore Radio 'Pirate' Montage

Starboard side of Gampian Dawn

Starboard side of the Grampian Dawn clearly showing the signs of decay & neglect

Stern of Gampians

Starboard stern of both ships

Princess fore peak Dawn fore peak

The Princess from Dawn & her own fore peak

Gampians stern view

The Grampians from Princess stern deck

princess starboard

Grampian Princess rear starboard side

Gampians stern view

Stern view of the proposed radio ships Grampian Princess & Dawn Plans were going ahead to moor one ship off the Irish Coast & again broadcast as Radio London or was it a pipe dream!

Who could possibly say!