Commonsense rules (just about!): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36225652

Ron

JAMES CLARK ROSS outfitting alongside at Swans. Sorry no dates on photos.

JCR Launch on 1 December 1990.

Great photo sequence Dennis. Strange that she was launched with her lifeboats on and then they were taken off again. It also took me ages to decide which order I should post my previous two photos of her alongside fitting out. Normally I would have posted the one showing her white accomodation as the later shot, but in this case her accommodation was white when she was launched, so the shot of her in undercoat must have been a later shot. Was this all a launch publicity issue to make her look more complete than she really was?

Hi Dave.
A significant point to remember is that this was a Royal Launch, so there would be quite some pressure to make the vessel look as impressive as possible! On the topic of sequencing the pictures of JCR (or any ship) afloat the best guide, when they can be seen, is the draught marks. This approach was regularly used by VT to assess post-launch outfit progress on naval vessels. On that basis the upper of your photographs appears to be the earlier one.

Thanks Dennis, I had forgotten about the Royal element and the VT method makes absolute sense. I remember a Ruyal visit to Swans in the 70s and I distictly remember walking around the offices, not daring to touch anything in case it had just been painted. Not wholesale redecoration, but "there's a mark, cover it up".

Almost complete - 18 August 1981.

Return visit – 13 June 1992 – probably for guarantee docking.

JAMES CLARK ROSS at Grimsby 29.08.92

Launch Day for JAMES CLARK ROSS with FORT GEORGE Still awaiting her turn to hit the water on a cold Day 1 December 1990