SS Thistlegorm Reprocessed + NAS Conference

[Decosnapper]

I'm reprising the Thistlegorm presentation at this year's NAS conference...not so much as reprising but sharing a lot of what we have learned about the wreck in the intervening years since we first surveyed it.

The main site ortho photo was at the time processed at 10mm per pixel - which was OK at the time but with new hardware I re-ran it at 2mm per pixel - the level of detail just gets better.

Full story and update as to what is going on here:

https://deep3d.co.uk/2020/11/14/a-second-look/

Do take a look at the ortho photo (link in the above page) and remember its best a) zoomed in and b) full screen - enjoy!

Plus the book is now set for publication on the 25th of this month.

[1st Ade]

Simon - love the images - and the story goes full circle with the 8F Locomotives.

Many (many!) years ago my father and some friends were upset by the end of steam. They clubbed together and bought a steam engine before it was scrapped. That engine is still running (or at least still on) the Severn Valley Railway and was 8F number 48773. My father is still President of the Stainer 8F Society although ill health means he no longer takes an active role.

He was thrilled many years ago when my Wife and I dived the two 8F's in Egypt although camera technology (a trusty Nikonos V!) wasn't up to today's technology in terms of a decent picture to show him. I did slightly better on our last visit with a digital compact, but jpeg only and no manual white balance crimped my style a bit (I know, a bad workman blames his tools)

There is a rumour that the 8F Preservation Society made an offer on the axle bearings from the Red Sea; those on 48773 wore out and (obviously) they are not made any more. I believe they settled for modern castings in a superior metal rather than "original" retrieved from the Thistlegorm.

Keep up the good work

[Decosnapper]

Many (many!) years ago my father and some friends were upset by the end of steam. They clubbed together and bought a steam engine before it was scrapped. That engine is still running (or at least still on) the Severn Valley Railway and was 8F number 48773. My father is still President of the Stainer 8F Society although ill health means he no longer takes an active role.

The Stanier 8F Society are an absolute treasure trove of information and have been really helpful in the quest to prove what is really there - can't thank them enough so do please pass on my best regards to your father.

The latest find (to be revealed at the NAS Conference) was backed up by marked up engineering drawings courtesy of the Society. The measurements matched the orthphoto - to within 1/4" at least.

Check out the ortho photo and look in the coal tenders alongside Hold No. 2 - there are sets of driving rods from each locomotive. We wondered why they were there and the Stanier folk filled that gap; standard procedure to remove these when shunting or transporting a loco as it reduces wear on the components.

Its all fascinating stuff.

[1st Ade]

Check out the ortho photo and look in the coal tenders alongside Hold No. 2 - there are sets of driving rods from each locomotive. We wondered why they were there and the Stanier folk filled that gap; standard procedure to remove these when shunting or transporting a loco as it reduces wear on the components.

Never knew that - thanks.

And will pass on your good wishes.

[1st Ade]

Reviving an old thread...

My father passed away in October 2022 - at his funeral I was offered (and accepted) honorary membership of "Black Eight" - the Stanier 8F Locomotive Society (and its magazine)

First Issue I received has a fantastic exchange of views between yourself and members regarding locomotives on the Thistlegorm


I'm no technical expert on steam nor am I likely to dive the Red Sea again. But keep up the good work!

[Decosnapper]

Reviving an old thread...

My father passed away in October 2022 - at his funeral I was offered (and accepted) honorary membership of "Black Eight" - the Stanier 8F Locomotive Society (and its magazine)

First Issue I received has a fantastic exchange of views between yourself and members regarding locomotives on the Thistlegorm

I'm no technical expert on steam nor am I likely to dive the Red Sea again. But keep up the good work!

Sorry to hear of your dad's passing. Black Eight have maintained their high standards of being an absolute goldmine of information regarding the Thistlegorm's cargo.

From last year's work there is much to tell with more finds located. I have sent them some screenshots of what we found and they have never failed to come back with a) a description of the component and b) an in-situ/as-is preserved example.

Both boilers are now located and geo referenced into the main model and each tells more of the story of the sinking in their own way. One locomotive wheel has been found 185m from its deck cargo location.

Full publication in due course.

[Bantam]

Having dived the wreck maybe 4 times in 2014 and then not again till 4 dives done in February 2022, I was flabbergasted as to how many bits of the smaller cargo inside had been 'removed' - lots of 'souvenirs' have clearly been taken such as handlebars, wheels, steering wheels etc.

When discussing this with the crew back on the boat, they recounted maybe apocryphal stories that after the issue at Sharm with the plane being attacked, not many divers were there, but Russian divers would still come, dive the Thistlegorm at night, remove material from the wreck, pay off the unscrupulous captains, put the 'souvenirs' into shipping containers in Sharm el Sheikh and then get them shipped back home.

However it was being done - I'm stunned at how much stuff has disappeared in 8 years.

[Decosnapper]

Which reminds me...Hardware upgrade meant the 2017 work could be reprocessed at higher detail.

Main site at 1mm per pixel

Be sure to zoom in.

Having dived the wreck maybe 4 times in 2014 and then not again till 4 dives done in February 2022, I was flabbergasted as to how many bits of the smaller cargo inside had been 'removed' - lots of 'souvenirs' have clearly been taken such as handlebars, wheels, steering wheels etc.

We spent some time last year going over parts of the wreck. The level of detail provided by the 2017 and 2022 photogrammetry has meant we can quantify, map and record some very discreet changes. And some truly massive ones that have hidden in plain sight.

Once published will share a link.

[Sparky]

That's such a good picture of her, it is surprising how much has changed on her over the years, the one thing I did notice when I dived it back in October last year is the port anchor chain has snapped at the winch resulting in the port anchor lying directly in front of the bow in a pile of anchor chain. I'm not sure when it happened but it was still there in Oct 2018. The deck under the water carrier is defiantly getting lower as well.

[Decosnapper]

The deck under the water carrier is defiantly getting lower as well.

This is a curious observation...comparing the 2017 survey and 2022 measurements we can find no measurable or significant changes in height between the main and upper deck.

Is there something that indicates otherwise?

[Ginner]

I’m excited about diving this at the end of March after looking at this amazing photo

[Sparky]

Maybe it's just me, I dived it in 2018 and then Oct last year and the area to get through did seem tighter than I remembered, I may just of picked a slightly different entry point this time round. The major change I saw was the port anchor now on the sea bed.

[Decosnapper]

I’m excited about diving this at the end of March after looking at this amazing photo

Naturally I'm biased...but I think anyone and everyone will get more out of a dive having read this:

https://www.divedup.com/shop/diving-thistlegorm-ultimate-guide-world-war-shipwreck/

If nothing else, Alex Mustard's photos are worth it.

[steelemonkey]

Maybe it's just me, I dived it in 2018 and then Oct last year and the area to get through did seem tighter than I remembered, I may just of picked a slightly different entry point this time round. The major change I saw was the port anchor now on the sea bed.

Strange phenomenon that, spaces get smaller, clothes get tighter..............

[1st Ade]

Naturally I'm biased...but I think anyone and everyone will get more out of a dive having read this:

https://www.divedup.com/shop/diving-thistlegorm-ultimate-guide-world-war-shipwreck/

If nothing else, Alex Mustard's photos are worth it.

Ordered - even though we'll (probably) never dive it again...