Left ... A cut away diagram of the flatiron SS Chessington as featured in a 1946 newspaper. Note of interest ... Sloping wing ballast tanks designed to force the cargo of coal to slide towards the centre of the hold allowing for easier discharge of the cargo of coal via the docks grabs.
Homefire SS
Type ... Cargo (Flat Iron) Engines aft, bridge midships, plumb bow, counter stern
Launched on 3rd September 1925 / completed October 1945
Built at Wear Dock / yard no 310 / official no 148688
Position ... 53 05 449 N / 01 28 220 E
Tonnage ... 1262 grt
Dimensions ... 68.6 x 11 x 4.6mtrs
Construction ... Steel
Engine ... x1 three cylinder triple expansion engine, x1 screw / 18, 30, 49 x 33 inches
Boiler ... x1 Scotch type, x4 corrugated furnaces
Power ... 156 nhp
Speed ... 9 knots
Lost ... 1st July 1941
Cause ... German aircraft (bombed)
Lives lost ... 15
Builder ... S. P. Austin & Sons Ltd, Sunderland
Engine builder ... George Clark Ltd, Sunderland
Owner at time of loss ... Gaslight & Coke Company (GLCC)
Managed at time of loss by .... Stephenson Clarke & Associated Companies LTD (Normandy Shipping Company Ltd) London. Inturn managing all of the GLCC's vessels.
Cause of loss ... Bombed by a German aircraft whilst in ballast from London to Sunderland with the loss of 15 lives.
Flatiron
A flatiron is a type of coastal trading vessel designed to pass under bridges that have limited clearance. Her mast(s) are hinged or telescopic, her funnel may be hinged, and her wheelhouse may also fold flat.
Flatirons were developed in the UK in the latter part of the 19th century. Most were colliers built to bring coal from North East England and South Wales to gasworks and power stations on the River Thames where standard designed vessels would be unable to pass beneath the low bridges of the Thames.
Left ... A Flatiron makes its way under a low level bridge. Note that the funnel and mast have heen lowered. The mast would have been purely for mounting navigational lights.
Left .... The view from the bridge of a Flatiron as it approaches a low clearance bridge.
S. P. Austin & Son Ltd, builders of the SS Homefire. Founded in 1826 by Peter Austin as the Nova Scotia Shipyard, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. In 1869, with Iron ship building now leading the way, Austin's built their last wooden vessel. For the next couple of years the company focused on repairs to Iron built vessels and aquiring surrounding land to further expand their business. In 1874 the company built their first Iron ship, and by 1881 were employing in excess of 400 men. During WW1 Austin's built 13 colliers and 5 small naval craft. By 1914 Austins were employing some 800 men. In 1954 Austins merged with W. Pickersgill and Son to become Austin and Pickersgill. In 1956 the yard closed.
Left ... A photograph of the Austin Dock Pontoon. In 1904, Austin's installed their pontoon docks. The pontoon was raised and lowered beneath the ship by filling and emptying ballast tanks with water. In effect these were the equivalent of having a dry dock, at what I should have imagined would have been at a fraction of the cost of constructing a dry dock.
Gas Light & Coke Company, owners of the Homefire at the time of her loss. The company was set up in 1812 by Frederick Winsor. It was the first company designed to provide gas and coal to London, in turn running the first gas works in the United Kingdom, this also being the worlds first gas works designed for public usage. Their main offices were in Horseferry Road in London, and their first gas works were located in Great Peter Street in London. To the left is a commemorative plaque in Great Peter Street.
George Clark Ltd of Sunderland, builders of the Homefires Engine.
UKHO
1941 ... Least depth 70ft in general depth of 16 fathoms (29mtrs) / swept clear at 33 ft
1948 ... Swept clear at 48 feet in a general depth of 93 feet
1992 ... Swept clear at 22mtrs / foul at 22.3mtrs / general depth 31mtrs. Length 75mtrs, width 20mtrs.
2018 ... General depth 35mtrs / length 72.2mtrs, width, 17.5mtrs, height 8.7mtrs. Intact and partially buried.
The Homefire today
Awaiting up to date divers report. In 2010 the wreck was stated by way of a divers report as " wreck is breaking up rapidly, bridge section has now been flatened and aft super structure is very unstable. wreck had been idenified as the SS homefire by the bell".