John Liddiard's T R Thompson Wreck Photos

Professional underwater photographer & diving journalist John Liddiard , dived the wreck of the T R Thompson on 26th July 2009. His photos can be viewed on his webiste :- http://www.jlunderwater.co.uk/ .

To look specifically at his shots of of the T R Thompson wreck , click www.jlunderwater.co.uk/piclib/goto.htm?pic=09_07_26_2338 . The TRT photos are numbered 2338 (and onwards). All of John's photos have captions that identify the wreck feature being photographed.

We hope that in due course , possibly after more dives on this wreck, John will be able to write-up a "Wreck Tour" in the DIVER Magazine.

Many thanks John , and well done on the identification work.

TR Thompson ~ Ships Plans

TR Thompson ~ Ships Plans

Click to Enlarge

[Info from Alf Rodenby]

The Ship's Master ~ William Shewan

A hand written record states the Master was William Shewan late of the "Gladas Royal" which was also sunk. The "Gladas Royal" was a similar / identical ship to the TR Thompson.

Photograph of a painting of the "Gladas Royal"
[Info from Alf Rodenby]

Ship Specifications ~ All that for £32,000!

T R Thompson: Port No 10, Date 3/5/1897, Built Sunderland. Builder Short Brothers of Pallion, Yard No 258, Launched 5/3/1897.

A steel screw steamer , one deck, two mast , schooner rigged, Elliptical sterned Clincher built. Fitted with a Billet head, L360', B47.2' D 24.6' Tonnage underdeck 3306.22, Poop 88.42, Forcastle 47.45, Bridge space Port 19.67, Starborad side House 22.49, lockers two on bridge space 2.62, chart house 10.31, Excess to Hatchway 41.00, Gross Tonnage 3538.18, deductions per contra 1277.12, Registered tonnage 2261.06, Engine builder John Dickinson of Sunderland. Tri Compound Dia of Cylinders 24.5,40, 66, 45 HP 300 WHP 1HP 1500 Two Boiles 1601PS. Length of engine room 47.7' Purchase Price £32,000, named after the companys agent and large shareholder in Westolls Ships. Owner James Westoll of 13 john Street, Sunderland. Designated Managing Owner . Advice under his own hand, received 3/6/97

Deteriorating Wreck

Propellor / Rudder Area 2006

Propellor / Rudder Area 2008

Upright ribs on stern 2007

Ribs hanging off stern 2008

Looking back over some of the video images taken this year it is easy to see how much the stern of the wreck is deteriorating. There are now no upright ribs on the stern with large areas now collapsed. You also used to be able swim through the rudder and propeller gap but now the hull has collapsed over the port side which prevents a clear swim through. The images above show these changes

T R Thompson ~ Descriptive Data

Built in 1897 by Short Brothers Sunderland
Registered - Sunderland , Official Number 106417
Makers No. 258
Gross Tonnage 3538
Net Tonnage 2261
Length 360ft
Width 47.2ft
Draught 24.6ft
No of Decks 1
No of Masts 2
Schooner Rigged
Stern elliptical

Steel Single Screw
Length of engine room 47.7ft
Triple expansion engine, 3 boilers with diamteres of 24in,40in,66in.
301 NHP
Length of stroke 45ft
Engines built by John Dickinson & Sons , Sunderland
Built to carry a crew of 43
1st Captain - R Eggleton
Owned by J Westoll , 13 John Street, Sunderland
Signal Letters PQRN

Info via Andy N , some is shown elsewhere on this blog.

TRT Bell

Photo of TRT Bell kindly donated by Paul and the Negligent Snail from The YD forum. Not sure if this is the same Bell that is pictured earlier on in the Blog as rumour has it there were 3 bells on the wreck. Perhaps someone could clarify this.

The TRT is the big one at the back in case you cant read it.

But what a nice collection

Part 2 Meridian Divers Dive T.R.Thompson 16th June

Part 2 of Mondays dive on the T.R.Thompson.
Heading fowards past the engines to the Bows which we didnt get to because we ran out of time. Not so much of the wreck intact here but still very scenic.

Meridian Divers on a Great Dive to the SS T.R.Thompson

Part 1 of video Highlights showing Meridian Divers diving the wreck of the T.R.Thompson 16th June 2008 in superb conditions although the video doesnt do the dive justice Video This clip shows the Engine Prop, Rudder, Gun, spare prop blade Bulkheads

T.R.Thompson on BBC Local History Web Site

BBC Wear have been kind enough to put the Meridian Divers and T.R.Thompson Project blogs on their local history website along with a brief account of the ship. Their web pages features a selection of images taken of the wreck by Meridian Divers Clicking on the link below will take you there:-

Read the BBC Web pages on the T R Thompson Project Here!

T.R.T Anchor

T.R.T Anchor still in hawser

Bollards

T.R.T Mooring Bollards

TRT prop

TRT Propeller

View of T.R.T stern looking up from sea bed

TRT images August 2005 Bank Holiday

Hull Plating

Images captured on last years memorable August Bank holiday Dive on the TRT taken by Matt Waterson.

Simplified Impression of TRT wreck layout

Clicking on this impression will enlarge it . It is a very basic what's where diagram that I hope we can add to / improve / replace as we 'map' more of the wreck.

Impression of Deck Gun

An impression of the deck gun on the TRT drawn by Chris-P following the dives of 25th August. The gun and mounting is heavily fixed to a substantial plate / decking secton . The Plate is lying at a angle of perhaps 45 degrees . Apart from a double bollard the plate and area of the gun is unobstructed. The Barrel of the gun was measured to be 3.2 metres long.

Some TRT Images (taken 25/8/06)

Hatch (foreward of Midships)

'Pump' & Railing (near midships)

Muzzle of Gun (near stern)

The Ship's Bell

Andy, Tracey & Chris were kindly invited to the home of the Bromley BSAC diver who recovered the T R Thompson bell in 1989. An accomplished diver and wreck researcher he had recovered ten ships bells but the TRT bell was the largest (and heaviest) of them all. It took Andy & Chris to lift the bell out into the daylight for a photo. Finding the bell invloved a degree of good luck , the plan had been to dive another wreck but a fishing boat moored over that wreck saw Bromley BSAC relocating to the TRT. The bell was lying upside down in the sand with only the circular rim showing. The dive team had to use a lorry jack to push winches out of the way to free the huge bell - what a find! And more luck was needed to recover it, just as the bell was lifted one of lines to one of the lifting bags failed and the bell was only prevented from sinking out of sight by a diver holding the divers ladder in one hand and the bell in the other - Phew , a close one! Chris-P

The TRT Makers Plate

Arch researcher Andy N strikes again by tracking down the person who has custody of the TRT's makers plate. That individual has forwarded us a photo of the handsome plate.