Recent Royal Fleet Auxilliary movements on the River Mersey (the Birkenhead navy)

 A little catch up with the "Birkenhead Navy" (Royal fleet auxilliary) over the last few months

RFA Fort Rosalie Was moved from Cammel Lairds wet basin and back into West float dock, Birkenhead while undergoing her service/refit, Turned out it was to make room for RFA Tidespring which arrived a few days later to undergo work/service under the newly signed FISS contract (fleet in service support)

RFA Wave Knight also left Cammel Lairds after her refit/service and went back into service after some "minor" propulsion issues

here are some of the vessels social media pages.....

RFA Fort Victoria twitter

RFA Tidespring twitter

RFA Wave Knight twitter

RFA Fort Rosalie

RFA Fort Rosalie

RFA Fort Rosalie

RFA Tidespring

RFA Tidespring

RFA Tidespring

RFA Tidespring

RFA Wave Knight

RFA Wave Knight

RFA Wave Knight

Birkenhead docks visit 12th March 2016

A little quiet in the docks at the moment!, Arklow Raven came in today and the Chem tanker Stolt Kite arrived earlier in the week.

Also here are the RFA`s Black Rover, Diligence and Fort Austin...

RFA Black Rover

Stolt Kite

Arklow Raven

RFA Diligence

Arklow Raven

RFA Fort Austin

RFA Diligence

Stolt Kite

RFA Fort Austin

Stolt Kite and RFA Fort Austin

RFA Orangeleaf A110 on way for scrapping 24th Feb 2016

The last of the "leaf" class fleet tankers left Birkenhead today on her way to aliaga in turkey for scrapping!! Despite her age, 40yrs, she still looks to be in great condition but as she is single hulled she is no longer viable for commercial or military use despite the millions spent on a recent refit/service

RFA Orangeleaf being readied for towing from Birkenhead

nipped to docks while weather held for some upto date images, tug is on Orangeleaf`s bow now and her numbers have been removed. This weeks sailing will obviously be dependant on the Weather

Royal Fleet Auxilliary vessels in Birkenhead today 3rd May 2015

West float dock, Birkenhead is the "popular" place right now for the RFA!! for the wrong reasons!!

RFA Orangeleaf is rumoured to be up for sale!
RFA Diligence rumoured to be stripped and going to be scrapped!
RFA Fort Rosalie "maybe" back in service soon??

Managed to get all 3 in one image.

RFA`s fort Rosalie and Orangleaf

RFA Orangleaf

RFA Orangeleaf

RFA`s Diligence, Fort Rosalie, Orangleaf

RFA Diligence A132 arrives in Birkenhead docks 30TH April (layup or scrap??))

Less than a month after completing a refit/service at Cammel Lairds the Forward repair ship RFA Diligence came into Birkenhead this morning after spending the night on the CLT, Pierhead. Now depending on what rumours you hear!! its either in for extended "Layup" or in for stripping and scrapping???

She is now berthed in the old NSL drydock in west float and her crew are to go onto the Fort Rosalie????

Also heard recently that the RFA Orangeleaf is now up for sale??? at the bargain price of around £1MILL, cheap considering her refit cost some £15MILL PLUS!!! and was done less than 12 months ago??

RFA Diligence

RFA Diligence

RFA Diligence

RFA Diligence

RFA Diligence