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I'm Peter Mitchell and this is my guide to shipwrecks around Devon, England and the world. More about me
Deliberately sunk to become an underwater classroom, the Glen Strathallan soon became a bit of an embarrassment, as it was a danger to local fishing boats and soon had to be disbursed. Over the years however thousands of divers have had their first wreck experience here, so in some ways it did fulfill its intended purpose.
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A very interestng tale,thank you.I was fortunate enough to sleep one night on her in 1957 when I went back to see the Are. I often wonder what happened to the steam dingy as I am sure that would not have gone down with her.all the best,ian.
My dad was in the last crew to have been trained on her, he knew what had happened to her and was sad to see her go. sadly he died in april of 2007. Its nice to see he had a claim to fame, 1 of the last to operate the engine that now sits in the science museum :)
I did two short trips on the Glen when I was at Norwood Tech in 1965 while studying to be a Radio Officer. I remember it being very cramped both in the accomodation and the eating areas. Also, recall doing anchor watch during the night while anchored out in the Estuary and peeling spuds to pass the time. But it is a good memory to have steamed back up the River into Milwall Docks. I was at the Science Museum on a trip back to England this year and did not know the old triple expansion steamengine was there. It would have been very nostalgic to see again.
I looked up about the Glen Strathallen on Wikipedia and was surprised to find the video of the sinking. I was the Mate of the Sun 27 that towed the ship from Gravesend to the sinking position which as you can imagine was quite an event. It took us some 8 days due to stress of weather. I still have colour slides of the sinking and are part of my collection followings some 42 years in the Ship Towing industry
I did several trips down to Southend and back, while at King Teds during 1966/1967.
The name is GLEN STRATHALLAN by the way.
Hi Peter,
I see you have posted “John Crossland’s memories”, but still have the spelling as either Glen Strath Allen or Glen Strathallen.
Please change the spelling throughout your website to GLEN STRATHALLAN.
I dived on her the day after she was sunk, it was quite an experience. I can remember swimming along the alleyways. The funnel was only just beneath the surface I remember.
I was the Poplar Tech. Lecturer, 1965-70, in charge of the engineer cadets on board the Glen. Prior to that the cadets were in the care of Roy Hotten. I had about six at a time. Radio cadets were in the care of Bruce Purslow who had been a personal friend of Colby Cubbin.
The person who accompanied the Glen to Plymouth for the sinking was Edward Clifford Hayden who took cine film of the event.
Later on, when he was at Wandsworth Technical College I, along with the students, helped in the production of a video based on the Glen as a project. It worked out well but I do not know what happened to the video.
Wow, following a chance meeting with a Superintendent buddy from way back I Googled the Glen. She was in no small measure responsible for my lifelong love of steam propulsion. I seem to recall a boiler efficiency of about 11%. We were threatened with the engineers bilge dive whilst moored in the Estuary. Started my career at Poplar Tech. Seem to remember a tutor called Gordon Bennett and one named Rabone from the Annexe in Limehouse. Gonna have to break out the wetsiut and pay my respects.
I went to the Science Museum yesterday. There was no trace of the Glen Strathallan engine and the people on the information desk had never heard of it! It was definitely still there when I went a couple of years ago.
The shipping and diving section has also been cleared out to make way for a new “exciting” and “innovative” interactive communications gallery…
Steve,
you are right about the engines disappearing, but they are at their storage facility up contry.
peter
The Glen Strathallen was owned in the 30s etc by an Isle of Man millionare called Coby (or could be Cody) Cubbins and my grandfather was a sailor on this ship. Apparently Mr Cubbins was rather eccentric has he only sailed this ship from the IoM to the locks of Scotland. His other trait was that he lived mainly off cake. He died at the age of 45 ish
Dived on her last weekend, amazing to see it in winter and the different sea life.
STILL TRYING TO LOCATE THE VIDEO THAT WE DID AT wANDSWORTH COLLEGE.SOMEONE MUST HAVE IT.