Yacht in Leith Opinions?

admin · Yacht in Leith Opinions?

Has anyone who served on the Yacht been up to see her in Scotland?
What did you think of what they have done to her?
We have seen a few photos of the various displays and it sems they are doing a good job of telling the sory of her life.

Dan A · Royal Yacht Britannia

I recently visted the Yot at Leith after attending a riotous wedding over the border.

For anyone who served in the Yot, the first impression is not good, however, it is understandable. Good news is that any members of the Association of Royal Yachtsmen can obtain free entry to the Yot on production of association membership card.

The displays in the visitor centre were very good with the Band having a good representation showing uniforms and an explanation of role. (Good to know after all these years... most bandies thought HM had arranged a private cruise for them as a reward for doing three Tournaments!)

Once onboard access is gained is gained by different entrances to the Yot from various floors of the visitor centre. (lift available), the tour takes in the major interesting areas and the tour guides will arrange to open up parts of the Yot to ARY members not open to members of the public. ( if you want to visit the JR heads or Fwrd Stokers Mess)
The tour takes in the POs mess and an entrance has been made through the bulkhead to the Royal Marines barracks. There is still plenty of stickers and names attached to lockers to verify our past presence. A set pf bunks has been removed to facilitate easy and safer transit through the mess other than that it remains the same as ever.

Bugler Spud Murphys bunk has gone..... probably to the Corps Museum as the most slept in bunk in the history of the Royal Navy!!!!In the forward end of the mess which was the usual sitting out area there still remains much to my delight the Silver Jubilee Boot Locker. This was constructed during the world cruise in 1977 by Mnes Daisy Adams and John Holden to provide a boot locker for the detachment. Its construction was observed daily by several very bored and pi$$ taking Bandies, who on completion promptly put their boots in it much to the anguish of the aforesaid booties. It was promptly fitted with a lock!!! The cupboards protrusion from beneath a locker left it with a shelf that the Band also used as a coffee table. This was also countered by John Holden by fitting angle bead to prevent any other use of the cupboard other than a boot locker... for the booties. How bored we were!!!!. I do recall one of the main protagonists was Pete Best.... who later did something useful in the Band Service!!! I digress.
The Engine Room remains superb and is viewed through a large window cut into the bulkhead.

The old girl looks her age and out of place. Dignity should have berthed her in Pompey where she steamed from on all those cruises and I suppose there may have been a likelihood of ex Yotiies working onboard with a more knowledge than the current maintenance team. It is its easy to pick fault with the condition of the Yot, however the fact remains, the current small team of workers cannot replace the 300 or so Yotties with mostly long term experience of the Yot who kept her so immaculate.

So if you served in the Yot remember her as she was entering harbour on Royal Duty somewhere exotic, cos it doesnt get any better than that.
If you never had the priviledge of serving in the Royal Yacht Band its worth a visit to see how the band lived, rehearsed and performed all aspects of the job at the highest level in what was often difficult and cramped conditions. Either way go and see for yourself I enjoyed the visit as it recalled another era and reminded of superb cruises around the world with great mates.

Dan Archer

admin

Many thanks for that superb account Dan.
I was taken on the 'Yot' once but do not remember leaving her!

GeoffComber · Hiya Dan !

Dan ! How are you ! Sorry to hear the old girl isn't looking any too hot. A colleague of mine (at my previous job) and her husband went up to visit her, about 6 years ago I think, and was absolutely gob-smacked to find out that their lowly service engineer had served on it ! (Not quite as suprised as I was to find out that one of the other lady's cousin is Dave Lambert) .I gather that they don't have the fold-away piano anymore , one day I shall have to visit. At least I can , 'cos Ive been shaving with the Ark Royal for years and years. Nice to see you're still going Dan.
Cheers !

Dan A · Yot

Hi Geoff... good to hear from you agin.... the famous cartoonist of the superb publication the Britannia Bugle.!!!!

No the piano cupboard was empty and no one appeared to know that it had ever existed.!!!!!!

Take care Geoff

Dan

GeoffComber

Funny you should remember the cartoons , guess who got into trouble for doing them in the RAF ? And is even now famous the length and breadth of our branch -line (Peterbprough to Liecester) for still doing them ? Fax machines are tremendous inventions........................and you do get a bit of time between trains !

Gerry · Piano cupboard

Hello everybody.

I have just found this site and find the chat about the piano cupboard fasinating. I remember it well, and sometimes tell friends about the performance involved dragging it in and out. This is going back to the late 50's early60's.

I am still very active in the local music scene, playing trombone in 2 wind bands also accompanying guest singers on piano.

All the best,

Gerry Taylour RMBX 2742

booty2 · R Yot

Did you see the article in this weeks Mail on Sunday: the "Yot" is losing money,(Suprise, Suprise)
the trustees now want to move her berth away from Lieth shopping area,

Lets bring her back to Pompey, gauranteed to be a winner finantial plus she will be looked after.

Steve RMBX/3320

bootybandy

Right on Steve. The Yachts spiritual home is, and always will be in Portsmouth. The sooner she get's back down south the better for all involved....Booty :o)

LTCP123

I only saw the yot once at Dartmouth Lord High Admirals Divisions It wa a very foggy morning at easter timme and must have been some where between 1979 and 80 .
But as the yot came in to the Dart the fog cleared as if by Royal appointment.
and all had a good day
cheers Lucien Priday

Brian Thorogood

Hi all
I was in the yacht band 1962- 1966 with the then Captain Paul Neville, this the better of all drafts I had and my wife did a suprise weekend birthday trip away to Edinburgh in 2004 she had also arrange a visit over the old girl, walking around her bought a lot of super memories back from my time on her, the band were a great bunch of guys , I did notice that there were a lot of neglected area's and I have always felt the old girl should be moored in Pompy, her home town.
I there is anyone out there who remembers me please contact for a chat.
Brian Thorogood RMB 3456

stick insect

How old was the yacht before it retired?

Co-admin

Just over 40 years

bootybandy

With a Go Faster Stripe...

lesbryan

The royal yacht was launched on clydebank in 1953 so that makes her almost 53years old now

RAB

lesbryan

Yes i think its where she belongs she is one of the prides of clydebank she only lived in pompey

bootybandy

Co-admin

Ye gads, you can't be serious

GeoffComber

I dunno........I met some fairly crusty Yotties !

lesbryan

I used to see the yotties coming offshore over the footbridge at whaley and my lord the states no better than the ordinary jack or bandie states indeed

ps that includes jack aswell

bootybandy

Yes Les, drink has no discrimination. It doesn't matter who or what ou are, if you drink enough you still look like a prat!!!

Aaron Aardvark

lesbryan

Well i know ive been a prat at times through my life its called growing up :smt026

bootybandy

Hornblower

lesbryan

N o im not but wish i had.My civvy job was near the same thing we had to watch out for one another and literaly watch each others backs whic i did for 30 years

bootybandy

Well you obviously carried on the best traditions of the RN Les.. Bravo Zulu.

bootybandy

stick insect

I would of thought that it doesnt matter where the roayal yacht ended up. All that counts would be the memories that people had when they were all part of the crew. I'm sure that your memories will be happy and noone can take that away, or remove them.

Aaron Aardvark

well said Stick..........

however BRING HER TO POMPEY!!!!!!!

lesbryan

Where would they put her.they cant put her where she was (security)imagine all the visitors in a defence establishment.I know the victory is in the dockyard but it catagorised historic therefore highly securitycised (thats my word) mary rose and what have you.Whaley is some type of HQ now isnf it.

bootybandy

I think it would be possible to place her at South Railway Jetty Les. Close to Mary Rose, Warrior and HMS Victory. Security wouldn't be much different from what it is at present. Just a thought.

lesbryan

Well you know booty with living down there.I havnt been down there for lets see twelve years or so

RAB

bootybandy

lesbryan

No rab

dont do that.That would spoil such a beutiful country.It would also mean there would nothing for me and the wife to see (i still havnt the top of the cobbler yet either while i was serving or when i was last at Arrochar (hope ive spelled it right

.as i said i think the yacht is better off where it was built its something for the older shipbuilders to look on with pride

Hornblower

Co-admin

lesbryan

I think your right 5 new destroyers to protect 2 new carriers (without any fighters).If you read the news euro fighter crashes and it looks as it will not be good enough.Lets build our own we are good enough.Two fine examples harrier & buccaneer you can go on but i wont

even the carriers bits are all over the place

FFoglamp

Deli, you can't get sprouts from Scotland. Only haggis suppers.

Sprouts come from Brussels !

bootybandy

I thought Walloons came from Brussels...Or is that not the case.

sticky blue

We all know what happens when we eat Brussels sprouts - get kicked out of bed by the misses - It's a love puff I say - you stink she says -

bootybandy

Dutch Ovens......

lesbryan

Yes we do know what happens

.i would be like that bloke in the caption

.If someone came with a naked flame

sticky blue

bootybandy

If it's Dutch Ovens Tommo, then the aroma should be Tulips!!!

sticky blue

ahhhh! thats the problem - I thought the aroma was roses and it's tulips all the time - It's the smell of tulips she doen't like - silly me!

bootybandy

Crinkley Village Band 1993

GeoffComber

Looks like you posted the negative by mistake !

boltonboyz

you look like a bunch of mincers in white not like the ARMY!!!!!!

Aaron Aardvark

...and here was me thinking you has festered away in some drug infested slum. I thought you would have liked the 'whites' as they have nice bits of bling on them.

bootybandy

Actually, they're all Matelots. They just borrowed the Bands gear for the Village Fete.

Co-admin

I would say

But you have got a job here for life mate... every community need its idiot and you are ours!

lesbryan

Oh my god has that tosser crawled from under his stone

Aaron Aardvark

lesbryan

I think i will have a couple its earley

bootybandy

Have you got shares in Pussers Les?

lesbryan

I may as well have.I always have some in

RAB

General Melchett

It's important not to let the tradition of the tot slip Les.........

lesbryan

The tradition will never slip with me melch.If i cant get pussers which is very rare i go to WOODS not the same but nice

GeoffComber

It strikes me that Mr 'Boltonboyz' could very well qualify as a genuine 'Band Looney' Theres always one , and I guess it might as well be him. He does seem a bit nasty tho....not sure if he is actually worth the effort!
And on a point of order the 'Harmy ' wear whites as well , as do the RAF. Its a uniform thing you know?.....all looking the same?.......ah, skip it.

RAB

lesbryan

A loonies one thing geoff

.But a horrible little scrote is another

Aaron Aardvark

I'm not a loony......Where is it??

lesbryan

I dont know Aaron i cant find it either

bootybandy

RAB

bootybandy

just tell me the year.

Aaron Aardvark

RAB

bootybandy

lesbryan

Arrggggggg i havnt found mine yet keep looking.Now where have Iiiii?

Hornblower

Hornblower

I had meant to put some photos on here by now - but my scanner had a refusal.

Working on it though.

Got a series of photos taken from my befroom window (seriously

) showing the yacht executing a perfect 3 point turn up by the floating bridge (Mmmm Floating Bridge, one of my favourite watering holes of all time).

Also shows the band playing as said manoeuvre is completed.

Hornblower

Here she is after completing her turn.

Hornblower

And now she's about to start the turn...

You can clearly see the band on board, well - that's what they're there for!!!

Hornblower

Halfway there now...

Hornblower

A blurry close up of the band...

Hornblower

And another...

Hornblower

So - how many of you can say that they've had the Royal Yacht turn around oustside their bedroom window and been woken up to the sound of their colleagues working hard?

Those of you that have either served or are still serving at BRNC will probably know the house these photos were taken from - on your left as you come up the steps from Sandquay.

lesbryan

There very good photos stu very good indeed.I would like to have seen that myself

Hornblower

Thanks mucker.

Considering the fog that was around that day, I was pleased with the results.

Nowadays of course, with the really good digital cameras you can get, the photos would have been even better and (crucially) not have to be scanned.

The thing for me is this - the piccies convey the concept of the RY outside my home. At the time, I had no idea that she was going to turn there so when I heard the band, I leapt out of bed, found my camera and long lens and clicked away madly.

Later in the week, I went all round Dartmouth with my camera and took many shots of her which are far better. (IMHO)

Hornblower

Later on in life (much later!) I was a copper wandering around the dockyard at Devonport when she was in for a major (and last) refit.

Whilst on night shift I took great delight in going into the Frigate Sheds and having a mooch around her. Everything of any value whatsoever had been stripped out of her and stored away from theiving dockyardies hands (did I say that

- how politically incorrect!)

It was amazing how much was being spent, every piece of teak decking was removed and replaced by hand - at enormous cost I'm sure.

She didn't have long left after that - the old addage still holds true in the MOD - if they're repairing, replacing or generally spending loadsadosh on something that means it's doomed.

General Melchett

She is a very sad sight in Leith, a museum piece robbed of anything of value. However, it brings out the musical prostitute in me as we CMD our way to an awful lot of corporate cash!

Pompey Rich

Do any of you realise how much the Royal Yacht and band are still missed at Cowes Week? It's all too commercial now and not anywhere as much fun as it used to be.

Cowes Week is still very profitable though if you are in with the right faces

Mr Bass Trombone

She was in a very bad state when I last saw her in 2000, she must be truly knackered by now.

Yacht in Leith Opinions?

Royal Yacht Britannia

Hiya Dan !

Yot

Piano cupboard

R Yot