Satellite and aerial maps of Swan Hunter (Wallsend) with nearby locations
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Nearby locations | Km | Bearing | |
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![]() | 0.6 | 201 | |
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![]() | 2.0 | 191 | |
RMR Tyne , England | 3.8 | 235 | EGG11 |
![]() | 3.9 | 237 |
Swan Hunter (Wallsend) |
1874 to 2006 | ||
54° 59' 7.76'' N 1° 31' 50.02'' W | ||
Wallsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England |
Following the Geddes report in 1966, it was clear that, rather like the UK aviation industry, rationalisation in shipbuilding was also required. Between 1966 and 1969, Swan Hunter acquired the yards of Vickers (at Walker), Hawthorn Leslie (at Hebburn) and Furness (on the River Tees).

British shipbuilding in general and Swan Hunter Shipbuilders (renamed in 1969) in particular were rocked by the 1973 war in the Middle East which forced oil prices upward (reducing demand for tankers and other shipping), and were shaken by the entrance of new players into the market from the Far East. It began a steady decline for Swan Hunter which hit a cliff edge when the Receivers were called in just before HMS Richmond departed the yard on 3 Nov 1994 and the company was sold to the Dutch.
Renamed Swan Hunter (Tyneside) Ltd in 1995, it refocussed on commerical and offshore vessels but it had lost its expertise in naval shipbuilding and in dealing with the UK MoD. Its bids for RFA Largs Bay and RFA Lyme Bay proved disastrous for the company, the MoD and the RFA, due to cost overruns and schedule delays. In 2006 it sold its assets and closed its doors.
Renamed Swan Hunter (Tyneside) Ltd in 1995, it refocussed on commerical and offshore vessels but it had lost its expertise in naval shipbuilding and in dealing with the UK MoD. Its bids for RFA Largs Bay and RFA Lyme Bay proved disastrous for the company, the MoD and the RFA, due to cost overruns and schedule delays. In 2006 it sold its assets and closed its doors.

List of ships built at Swan Hunter (Wallsend) |
From | |||
---|---|---|---|
1943 | Frigate | Type 15 class | |
1944 | Aircraft Carrier | Colossus class | |
1954 | Aircraft Carrier | Modified Centaur class | |
1961 | Frigate | ![]() | Type 12 Rothesay class |
1963 | Guided-Missile Destroyer | ![]() | County class |
1964 | Frigate | ![]() | Ikara Leander class |
1967 | Support Ship | ![]() | Ness class |
1982 | Aircraft Carrier V STOL | ![]() | Invincible class |
1988 | Landing Ship/Platform Dock | ![]() | Round Table class |
1988 | Frigate | ![]() | Type 22 (Batch 2) Boxer class |
1991 | Frigate | ![]() | Type 23 Duke class |
1993 | Support Ship | ![]() | Fort II class (1992) |
2006 | Landing Ship/Platform Dock | ![]() | Bay class |
Launch | ||
---|---|---|
1942-oct-12 | ![]() | Type 15 class |
1944-feb-23 | ![]() | Colossus class |
1947-may-6 | ![]() | Modified Centaur class |
1959-dec-15 | ![]() | Type 12 Rothesay class |
1961-dec-7 | ![]() | County class |
1963-may-23 | ![]() | Ikara Leander class |
1966-sep-16 | ![]() | Ness class |
1967-nov-16 | ![]() | County class |
1978-dec-14 | ![]() | Invincible class |
1981-jun-2 | ![]() | Invincible class |
1986-apr-8 | ![]() | Type 22 (Batch 2) Boxer class |
1986-dec-13 | ![]() | Round Table class |
1989-jan-21 | ![]() | Type 23 Duke class |
1991-mar-1 | ![]() | Fort II class (1992) |
1992-feb-4 | ![]() | Type 23 Duke class |
1992-apr-4 | ![]() | Type 23 Duke class |
1993-apr-6 | ![]() | Type 23 Duke class |
2003-jul-18 | ![]() | Bay class |
2005-aug-26 | ![]() | Bay class |
List of aircraft and events at Swan Hunter (Wallsend) |
By Date | By Serial | By Model
Dates | Org/Type | Unit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1941-nov-01 | RN | Type 15 class | F197 HMS Grenville | ||||
1942-nov-16 | RN | Colossus class | R71 HMS Vengeance | ||||
1944-mar-23 | RN | Modified Centaur class | R07 HMS Albion | ||||
1957-nov-23 | RN | Type 12 Rothesay class | F113 HMS Falmouth | ||||
1960-feb-26 | RN | County class | D16 HMS London | ||||
1961-dec-29 | RN | Ikara Leander class | F18 HMS Galatea | ||||
1965-oct-05 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary | Ness class | A344 RFA Stromness | ||||
1966-mar-15 | RN | County class | D21 HMS Norfolk | ||||
1976-jul-22 | RN | Type 42 (Batch 1 and 2) class | D89 HMS Exeter | ||||
1976-oct-07 | RN | Invincible class | R06 HMS Illustrious | ||||
1978-dec-14 | RN | Invincible class | R07 HMS Ark Royal | ||||
1984-mar-29 | RN | Type 22 (Batch 2) Boxer class | F98 HMS Coventry | ||||
1985-jul-12 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary | Round Table class | L3005 RFA Sir Galahad (1988) | ||||
1987-oct-22 | RN | Type 23 Duke class | F233 HMS Marlborough | ||||
1989-mar-09 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary | Fort II class (1992) | A388 RFA Fort George | ||||
1991-jan-18 | RN | Type 23 Duke class | F237 HMS Westminster | ||||
1991-apr-04 | RN | Type 23 Duke class | F238 HMS Northumberland | ||||
1992-feb-06 | RN | Type 23 Duke class | F239 HMS Richmond | ||||
1994-nov-03 | RN | Type 23 Duke class | F239 HMS Richmond |