Yearby Gallery

Founded in 1874 by Robert Ropner, the company owned, managed & built ships.

Steamship Yearby.

FOR ROPNER FLEET.

LAUNCH AT THE CENTRAL SHIPYARD

Northern Daily Mail. 19/11/29

On Monday Messrs. William Gray and Co., Ltd., launched from their Central Shipyard, West Hartlepool, the steel screw steamer Yearby, which is being built to the order of Sir R. Ropner and Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool.

The vessel will take the highest class in Lloyd’s Register, and is of the following dimensions: Length overall 448ft. 7in., breadth, 55ft. 6in., depth moulded to upper deck, 31ft. 1in., with long bridge, poop, and forecastle.

Constructed on the cellular double bottom principle, with fore and aft peaks, for water ballast, the framing being of the deep channel type, she has eight watertight bulkheads, together with a steel centre line bulkhead, and wood shifting boards dividing the holds for grain carrying.

                                            EQUIPMENT

Spacious accommodation for the officers is arranged in a steel house amidships. The engineers will be berthed in large steel houses alongside casing, and the crew in cubicles in the forecastle, with separate mess rooms.

For the quick handling of cargo, ten powerful steam winches are provided to work 12 derricks. A direct-acting steam windlass forward and steam steering gear amidships are also to be fitted.

The topmasts will be telescopic, lowering to a height suitable for the Manchester Ship Canal Bridges.

The Yearby will be completed in all respects as a first-class cargo steamer, her equipment including an efficient wireless installation with direction finder, and electric light throughout.

                                              THE ENGINES

Triple-expansion engines having cylinders 26 ½ -43 -71 inches diameter by 48 in. stroke, and three large boilers working at a pressure of 180lbs. per square inch, will be supplied by the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders.

A number of auxiliaries of the “C.M.E.W.” type will be installed, including pair of independent feed pumps, centrifugal pump, winches condenser, duplex circulating pumps, evaporator, general service and two ballast pumps, and combined drain and scumming tank.

                                               NAMING CEREMONY.

The ship and machinery are being built under the supervision of Mr. J. B. Nicol on behalf of the owners, and the ceremony of naming the steamer Yearby was gracefully performed by Mrs. G Talbot Wilcox.

The owners were represented by Mr. William Ropner, Mr. L. Ropner, Mr. W. Guy Ropner, and Mr. J. R. Ropner. The builders were represented by Sir William Gray, Bart., chairman; Messrs. J. H. Farmer, and A. McGlashan, directors, Mr. T. S. Simpson general manager, and Mr. W. Hird, yard manager, and amongst those present were Mrs. William Ropner, Mrs. Guy Ropner, Mrs. J. R. Ropner, Mrs. F. C. Pyman, Mrs. J. H. Farmer, Mrs A. C. Waddy, and Mr. C. A. Miller (Lloyd’s Register of Shipping).


FOR THE ROPNER FLEET.

Trial Trip of the Steamer Yearby

Northern Daily Mail. 20/12/29

The steamer Yearby, Messrs. built by Messrs. William Gray and Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool, to the order of Sir R. Ropner and Co., Ltd., successfully ran her official sea trials yesterday.

The vessel is built to the highest class in Lloyd’s Register, and is of the following dimensions: Length overall 448ft. 7in., breadth, 55ft. 6in., depth moulded to upper deck, 31ft. 1in., with long bridge, poop, and forecastle.

Constructed on the cellular double bottom principle, with fore and aft peaks, for water ballast, the framing being of the deep channel type, she has eight watertight bulkheads, together with a steel centre line bulkhead, and wood shifting boards dividing the holds for grain carrying.

Spacious accommodation for the officers is arranged in a steel house amidships. The engineers will be berthed in large steel houses alongside the casing, and the crew in cubicles in the forecastle, with separate messrooms.

For the quick handling of cargo, ten powerful steam winches are provided to work 12 derricks. A direct-acting steam windlass forward and steam steering gear amidships are also fitted.

The topmasts will be telescopic, lowering to a height suitable for the Manchester Ship Canal Bridges.

                                              FIRST-CLASS CARGO VESSEL.

The Yearby is complete in all respects as a first-class cargo steamer, her equipment including an efficient wireless installation with direction finder, and electric light throughout.

The propelling machinery, supplied by the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, consists of triple-expansion engines having cylinders 26 ½, 44, 73 inches diameter by 48 in. stroke, and three large boilers working at a pressure of 180lbs. per square inch.

A number of auxiliaries of the “C.M.E.W.” are also fitted, centrifugal pump, pair of independent feed pumps, evaporator, auxiliary condenser with duplex circulating pumps, two duplex ballast pumps, and combined drain and scumming tank.

The owners were represented on the trials by Mr. J. B. Nicol and Mr. G. B. Chambers.



The steamship Yearby.