NOSTALGIA: The mighty Royal Navy dwarfing Old Portsmouth

These two photographs are real locations of course but the view of HMS Queen Elizabeth passing the Square Tower and Hot Walls is a superimposed shot put together by Paul Costen of Waterlooville.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Jul 2018, 22:47 BST
Updated 17th Jul 2018, 22:58 BST
HMS Nelson entering Portsmouth Harbour before 1936. The tram gives us the date clue.HMS Nelson entering Portsmouth Harbour before 1936. The tram gives us the date clue.
HMS Nelson entering Portsmouth Harbour before 1936. The tram gives us the date clue.

HMS Nelson was a battleship and there were two in the class '“ the other was Rodney. They were designed after the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 which limited the firepower of the world's naval ships.

All 16-inch guns were placed forward of the bridge in three barbettes. There was a plan for them to have 18-inch guns but the treaty banned it. Nelson was commissioned in 1927. Although a big ship '“  710ft long with a beam of 106ft '“ aircraft carriers were larger although weighed less.

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Here she's entering Portsmouth Harbour. There's a tram in Broad Street so this dates it to before November 1936.  Both Nelson and Rodney were sent for scrap in 1948 and 1949.

HMS Queen Elizabeth superimposed entering Portsmouth Harbour 2017.HMS Queen Elizabeth superimposed entering Portsmouth Harbour 2017.
HMS Queen Elizabeth superimposed entering Portsmouth Harbour 2017.

The '˜today' picture shows a superimposed Queen Elizabeth in the same position in 2017. She is 222ft longer then Nelson with a 134ft beam. The battleships were only in service for about 20 years. QE is expected to last at least 30.

'¢An evocative scene at the Camber, Old Portsmouth, from before the Second World War.

The photographer is standing outside a warehouse on Town Quay. In the background is a collier which has brought coal for the power station which is out of shot on the right.

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Behind the ship are the buildings of HMS Vernon. All the cranes behind the ship were set in rails to travel alongside the colliers that unloaded at this point.

With a collier tied up alongside the Camber dock we see a steam vessel making her way out to the harbour. Picture: Barry Cox CollectionWith a collier tied up alongside the Camber dock we see a steam vessel making her way out to the harbour. Picture: Barry Cox Collection
With a collier tied up alongside the Camber dock we see a steam vessel making her way out to the harbour. Picture: Barry Cox Collection

A steam vessel, possibly  a fishing boat, is making her way out of the inner Camber to the outer Camber and then into the harbour and out to sea. The boat is Nyassa and registered at Cowes, Isle of Wight. Any information at all, please?

 

 

 

Related topics:NostalgiaHMS Queen ElizabethWaterlooville