Newer Information on Wrecks of Liverpool Bay

Jump to
P S Superb 1835,
P S Leeds 1852,
Collision Arthur Gordon and Independence 1860,
Colonel Lamb/Bouboulina 1867,
Barque Oceanica 1868,
Nazarene 1872,
Pilot schooner Guide 1882,
Sailing Flat Hannah & Joseph 1892,
Sailing Flat Thomas 1910,
HM Steam drifter Thistle 1915,
SS Rob the Ranter 1920,
Schooner Four Brothers 1923,
Aircraft Avro Anson 1942,
Blair Nevis/Lubeca 1945/1977,
Tug Nelson 1994,
MFV Horizon 1996,
Slate Wreck,
Wrecks on Liverpool Revetments,
Hoylake Beach wreck,
Wreck found near Ocean Monarch, more,
Stella Marie on King Scar 1941.

Recent wrecks: MV Riverdance wrecked ashore at Cleveley's Beach 2008;
MV Carrier wrecked ashore at Raynes Jetty 2012,
FV Susie Mo II 2015.
FV Nicola Faith BS58 2021.
Reports of losses: Riverdance; Carrier
Report of grounding of Mersey Ferry Royal Iris, 10 July 2016 off Eastham.

Wrecks whose position is known and which are not included in books Wrecks of Liverpool Bay or Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol II (or extra information updates).
Much of this information has also been submitted to wrecksite.eu

• BLAIR NEVIS: 4155 ton steel SS built Ardrossan 1930
  on 13 Feb 1945 stranded 53°32.19 N, 3°11.62 W and broke up. Damage caused by collision with HMCS Orkney in convoy North of Anglesey. More detail of wreck.

  LUBECA: 499 ton German motor coaster built Wewelsfleth 1964
  10-12-1977 sank in 45 minutes after collison with Q12 buoy (crew saved).
  Wreckage removed in sections and placed in close proximity to wreck of BLAIR NEVIS. More detail of wreck and salvage.

  An area of wreckage visible at low water charted as drying wreck (no height given) N of Taylors Bank. This charted symbol is about 0.65nm at 014° from the Q8 (red) buoy.
  From my observations, the wreckage dries about 6 ft at most - the photos show it at a spring low tide of about 1.2 metres above chart datum when it dried by 3ft. photo 1, photo 2.

• P. S. BOUBOULINA (ex-COLONEL LAMB) SS coal 689gt. sank 29 Nov 1867; MDHB position 53 21.88N 2 58.35W (OSGB36).
  MDHB wreck cards give: Boiler exploded breaking the vessel in two at her anchorage above New Ferry, the stern end of this vessel was removed by the Underwriters, the bow end was partially destroyed by blasting during 1869 by the Underwriters and its destruction was completed by the MDHB during summer of 1870. See picture.
  Charted depth 27 ft below LBD -> 7.7m below Chart Datum 1975; shown on chart as Wreck 7.7m.

  This vessel was the COLONEL LAMB, built at Liverpool as a blockade runner (see more info including pictures, etc in book Lelia). She returned to Liverpool after the American Civil War ended and was sold to Greek interests as a fast naval vessel.

  Magnetometer surveying gives a strongest return at a position (WGS84) 53 21.953N 2 58.454W. There is also a sonar return near this position: which is very close to the charted position described as Wreck 6.5m and listed as unknown 47 by MDHB.

  See a fuller discussion of the loss of the Bouboulina

• Tug NELSON 173t built 1966-7 R Dunston(Hessle) Ltd Hessle
  loa 31.4 beam(ex) 8.23 draught(max) 3.35
  lbp 28.35 beam(moulded) 7.78 draught(moulded) 3.81
  engine: oil 2SA Crossley; owned: Alexandra Towing Co

  The Nelson was registered in 1966 and operated on the Mersey until the 5th of December 1994 when she sank while under tow to breakers at Garston. Wreck moved out of Garston channel. Charted as least depth 1m with W cardinal buoy "Nelson" nearby at 100m 302° from wreck. Wreck lies in scour with significant sonar signal. See image of Nelson.
  Position given by MDHB (OGB36 datum) as 53°22.307N, 2°58.337W.
  My position of wreckage (WGS84): 53°22.322N, 2°58.417W see sonar (scales in metres) Plot.
    Full details of wreck.

• NAZARENE
  Full-rigged ship, built 1854, Quebec, 51 x 10.4 x 6.4m, 815 grt, ON 15499
  Owner W Geves, Liverpool, wrecked 28-9-1872, all 17 (or 16) aboard lost.
  Cargo coal (as ballast) and ship's stores.

  On voyage Liverpool to Havana, 3 masted sailing vessel, master Jacob Brewer, left Birkenhead on 25 Sept 1872 but gales forced her to return - she anchored off Formby in heavy weather and was driven ashore on 28 Sept with the loss of all crew. Her signals of distress were seen about 4pm, but, despite attempts from the Formby lifeboat, the steam-tug Fiery Cross, and the Liverpool and New Brighton lifeboats (towed out by steam tugs), no lives were saved. All crew except officers were coloured.
    Crew lost and identified include master, 2nd mate William Henry Brewer (his brother), carpenter Thomas Power, seamen Henry Hyde, George Davis, cook Anderson, and cabin-boy William Anderson(cook's son).
    Newspaper reports (with list of 16 crew lost).
  Charted position (WGS84) 53°35.11N, 3°9.00W with least depth 1m in general depth 3m.

  I find a sonar signal near the charted position at 53°35.14N, 3°9.03W: see a sonar (scales in metres) Plot

  From a dive on 1-9-2021, at HW (6.9m) plus 4 hours, with good (5m) visibility and little current: wooden planks and spars lying E-W with a 5m gap between two regions. Some evidence of copper sheathing. Tangled rigging and dead-eyes lie to north of the wreck. Depth 9m at neap LW (3.8m above CD). More details of dive.

• Early SS wrecks in Liverpool Bay: P S Leeds; P S Superb.

• Sailing Flat Thomas.

• Slate wreck
  Another slate carrying flat has been located in 2013 as a large pile of cut slates at 53°26.035N, 3°35.817W which lies within the Gwynt y Mor windfarm. Regular packing, compaction and lack of spilling suggests a vessel cargo which was lost with the ship. Remains of vessel may be buried. Possibly cargo from Vine[p 85], sunk 5.6.1877.
• Susie Mo II 2015
  Wreckage in 5.8m depth of extent 3.7m by 7m at 53°19.589N, 3°39.904W was located by sonar in 2019. A possible identification is as the Conwy fishing vessel, Susie Mo II, BS506, missing on 14 July 2015 with the loss of the sole crew member, Brian Hughes (whose body was later washed up at Kinmel Bay). See image
• Nicola Faith BS58 2021
  Wreckage near 53 20.019N, 3 41.876W identified as that of FV Nicola Faith of Conwy lost 27 January 2021 with all 3 crew. This is 1.9 nautical miles from Rhos Point. More details. On Bank Holiday Monday (May 31, 2021), the wreck was raised from the seabed before being transported back to land by barge on Tuesday.
• 2019 Survey wrecks - Hoyle Bank

Some additional material on wrecks in the larger Irish Sea area (many with position not accurately known):
  Early steam ship wrecks: (ROBERT BRUCE, ROTHSAY CASTLE, LORD BLAYNEY, LEEDS, PRINCE ARTHUR, SUPERB, MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, RHYL STEAMERS, KILLARNEY, GRANA UILE),
  Dee Estuary wrecks,
  Emigrant ship losses (LOCKWOODS, OCEAN MONARCH, GOVERNOR FENNER, ST GEORGE, POMONA, TAYLEUR, ROYAL CHARTER).
  Liverpool Sailing Packet losses.
  Miscellaneous wrecks.

Return to index