Did you recognise this location in Chandler’s Ford? Tim Deacon from Southampton sent us this unique photo to share with Chandler’s Ford readers.
The photo shows two R.A.F. Launches (built by The British Power Boat Company in Hythe) being transported by lorries through Chandler’s Ford over the road/rail bridge near the station in the 1950/60s.
Tim is a volunteer boat builder at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Tim also showed us a photo he took in August this year, in approximately the same place as the above photo was taken. The date of the old photo is unknown but it was probably taken in the 1950s.
Tim shared that:
The RAF launches were possibly en-route to either Calshot (as it is the nearest RAF Rescue Base here) or maybe were going to Southampton Docks for the boats to go overseas, as the hulls are painted ‘white’ and normally they were painted ‘black’ in this country. They probably would have gone as ‘deck cargo’ on a ship. I believe that the boats were built at the ‘British Powerboat Company’ in Hythe. T.E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) had a hand in the development of these types of boats in the late 1930s, when he was stationed at Calshot, as ‘Aircraftsman Shaw’ and worked on the ‘200’ Class Seaplane Tenders.
The photo caused quite a stir amongst the ‘military boat’ enthusiasts (I’m a volunteer boatbuilder at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard….we have three similar RAF boats there!) and I was amazed when it was stated that the photo was taken in Chandler’s Ford!”
Thank you Tim for sharing this with Chandler’s Ford Today readers.
For more information, visit The British Military Powerboat Trust
Related posts:
Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club and Central Precinct
Sweets Glorious Sweets
Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: The Central Precinct; Bonfire Night (Part 3)
Have Your Say: Your View about Chandler’s Ford Fryern Arcade
Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: Witnessing My First Powerboat Race (Part 11)
A fascinating photograph, thank you! That was before the precinct was built. That was our route to King’s Road Primary School.
Thanks for these pictures brilliant and so interesting
This must have been in about 1955, as you can see work on Springhill Estate in progress, by Tricketts builders. They started work there after finishing work on the bungalows on the fourth service road up Hursley Road. (now 3rd service Road after Drapers bought and demolished the original 3rd service road and its bungalows).
Springhill names after the wet ground it was built on, especially at its northerly edge.
The central precinct was built after Springhill, on the kand where the funfair used yo be doted each year it came. It was rough, Ash covered ground near the central club.