[Duncan112]

Just seen this..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-sh...#ht_500wt_1413

[sparkie2182]

£7.50 p + p is a bargain in itself.

[Ian Harrod]

This is the "Bridgewing" or wheelhouse bell, used for ringing 8 bells etc; the big one was the forecastle bell.

[mil511mariner]

Current bid is £159 - ouch

[John Dryden]

Originally Posted by mil511mariner

Current bid is £159 - ouch

Here is a louder ouch for you...winning bid was £476.

[JoeQ]

Originally Posted by Ian Harrod

This is the "Bridgewing" or wheelhouse bell, used for ringing 8 bells etc; the big one was the forecastle bell.

You are probably correct in that it is a bridgewing bell, the collison regs require that a ships bell be at least 12" in diamenter at its mouth. £476 seems a bit steep.

[tom roberts]

Bidding for the old Indefatigable sea school bell when the school closed down there were two bidders ,it went for a lot of money in the end, the sad part of it was the two who were bidding against each other wanted to donate it to the old boys of the Indie memorial.

[Alistair Macnab]

The Bank Line section has been a bit lacklustre of late but I am reminded of another "Joining Ship" thread in today's Home Page that there are often interesting stories told about joining your first Bank Boat.

I joined my first Bank Boat in Belfast, traveling overnight from Stranraer on the ferry then jumping into a taxi in full Apprentice uniform at the Belfast railway station and telling the cabbie in a very confident and authoritative voice to take me to the "Fleetbank" at Harland and Wolff's'.

He replied: "Oh that's a Weir boat!"

Which to the ear of an Ayrshire country boy sounded like "Oh that's a wee-er ship" which deflated my expectations as I suddenly thought "what sort of company and ship have I got myself into? I was being sent to a 'wee boat'! Calamity! My visions of a life at sea on a big merchantman were dashed as I thought: "Jings! Its a Clyde ferry without the passengers!"

Imagine my overwhelming thrill on first seeing "Fleetbank" at the fitting out pier, her black hull soaring over the dock that it seemed to blot out the very sunlight! A big steep gangway up to the upper deck and I was again in heaven!