HMS Edinburgh D97

HMS Edinburgh D97 - Final stop on her decommissioning voyage - Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, 26/5/2013

On May 26th 2013 I visited the Cammell Laird shipyards in Birkenhead to visit D97 HMS Edinburgh. This was her final visit and the last port visit by ANY Royal Navy Type 42 destroyer.
She was the last of her class and this was the end. 1985 - 2013, she had lasted for 28 years. One lieutenant onboard described the new Type 45 as a Ford Focus, whereas this was an old sports car: you would get wet, miserable and she would break down, but you would have the ride of your life.

I visited on the Sunday where she was open from 11:00 - 16:00 hours. She would be open on the Bank Holiday Monday and then Tuesday leave to return to Portsmouth for the last time. The one souvenir I bought was a decommissioning coin, a unique coin cast from any surpus brass the crew could get from old shell casings etc. These coins would generate funds for the crew's last run ashore. I bought the ninth from last coin and hope the crew have a good final run ashore before moving on to new assignments. These photographs catelogue the Fortress of the Sea, D97 HMS Edinburgh the Last of the Type 42s.

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Cammell Laird - 26/5/2013

Onboard D97 HMS Edinburgh

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Hanger

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Sickbay

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Corridor

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Communications

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Galley and Mess Deck

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Operations Room

D97 HMS Edinburgh - Foredeck

Last updated 27.05.2013.