# Sea Alarm



## Fairfield (Apr 26, 2004)

Bristol tug photographed in drydock in Cardiff in 1979 undergoing preservation.Unfortunately over the years,lack of funds and vandalism took its toll and sadly a few years ago she was broken up.


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## emphatic (May 4, 2007)

Hello just a note to let you know the SEA ALARM was the last VESSEL ever to take coal from BARRY DOCKS sorry I don't know the date 
Best Regards Fred Denman (born in barry dock tugman)


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## Lady Tredegar (Sep 29, 2006)

Sea Alarm was broken up because the Welsh Office wanted to put a road through the bit of ground she stood on. The National Museum of Wales Industrial & Maritime Museum stood in the way of progress, and the whole lot was demolished, with the exhibits put into storage or just scrapped. In fairness, it would have been extremely difficult to move 200 Tons or so of tug, but it was still an act bordering on the downright criminal. There was very little in the way of outcry.............


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## Mr-Tomcat (Jun 19, 2007)

The tug Canning has been at Swansea since 1973, the Maritime Museum have not done much if anything to her, not only that I understand that there are many interesting things just lying around neglected.

Andrew.


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## vchiu (Mar 28, 2006)

The Sea Alarm was demolished in 1998. 
Living in UK at that time, I was extremely upset by the news which only justified a small thread in Ships Monthly. Incidentally, had the breaking up been postponed, she would have been seriously considered by my friend, Christer Strandell. He told me he got in touch with the "owner" or the person acting for and was quickly put off by their unfriendly manners. Looks like they were in a hurry to reduce this fine piece of engineering into bits. 
I think the Sea Alarm was WW2 built

Christer bought another steam tug instead, the floating exhibit of the then recently closed Exeter Maritime Museum, the St Canute. It (I think tugs can be named this way) was in a sorry state and obviously maintenance had been absent many years before the museum's demise. 

Hopefully after a lot of hardships he could steam in a 2-year voyage back to Sweden. It is now in a slow restoration process and luckily in caring (albeit not wealthy) hands.


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## vasco (Dec 27, 2007)

Lady Tredegar said:


> Sea Alarm was broken up because the Welsh Office wanted to put a road through the bit of ground she stood on. The National Museum of Wales Industrial & Maritime Museum stood in the way of progress, and the whole lot was demolished, with the exhibits put into storage or just scrapped. In fairness, it would have been extremely difficult to move 200 Tons or so of tug, but it was still an act bordering on the downright criminal. There was very little in the way of outcry.............


and what an added attraction the tug and Museum would be down the Bay now.

I have not seen it but I believe Swanseas Maritime Museum may have a lot of our old exhibits.

Sometimes Cardiff amazes me, they will build a chip shop and at the same time tear down a piece of heritage. Other times they get it perfect.

The Bay is a great place to relax, so good I am moving down there.


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

Its not just Wales thats its happening its all over the UK. This Government seems to have a down on anything that is, or is connected to maritime history. Liverpool is now a building site and property developers rule OK. the docks are disappearing and soon there will be nothing left to indicate it was ever a seaport. This is mirrored all over the country, its about time something is done to rescue what is left of UK maritime memorabilia including small boats and ships before it becomes a distant memory and in time something lost to the world for ever.

Chris.


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## vchiu (Mar 28, 2006)

Hi Chris,
I could not agree more. However when ideas to preserve significant ships are being voiced, there are always the many ones who believe this is against progress and that our ports will be clogged by those preserved ships, depriving this country from valuable real estate.

Many people still see ships as mere commodity and that a good old ship is a broken-up one.

I for one consider Ship as a piece of engineering which ac***ulates historical value with time. They should be regarded as buildings. We can't preserve all of them, which would make little sense, but we should not break them all.

Real estate development is a necessity, but as a potential customer, I for one, would appreciate an integration of the new buildings in an existing environment rather than wiping everything out. I like the idea of rehabilitated buildings in old docks. I need water, not just plain land.


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## Runrig (Apr 13, 2008)

vchiu said:


> I think the Sea Alarm was WW2 built


The SEA ALARM was built as EMPIRE ASH in 1941. If anyone wants to see her in her days of glory, just have a look at the front cover of the book "Looking back at British tugs".


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## bashfordg (Mar 13, 2008)

May be a little "off topic" however am curious.. what is going on with "Canning?"

Cheers

Gordon


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## ddraigmor (Sep 13, 2006)

I'll PM M. Tomcat as he was interested in loking at her from a preservation point of view and took some good photos.

Jonty


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## vchiu (Mar 28, 2006)

Hi Jonty

I am interested in good pictures of the ST Canning too.


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## Mr-Tomcat (Jun 19, 2007)

Look at the specific Canning thread and there is a link to the photos I took of the Canning last year.

Andy.


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