Back in Belfast after 85 Years.
BELFAST’S OLDEST WORKING BOAT COMES HOME FOR RELAUNCH AFTER 85 YEARS.
A motor launch built in Belfast just 12 years after RMS Titanic comes back home this Thursday 19th February to be launched again on the Lagan after a round trip of 85 years.Built by Harland and Wolff in 1923, when she returns the Ranger will be the oldest Belfast built vessel working on the Lagan. She was probably constructed by the same craftsmen who built Titanic.
The 8 ½ ton teak “tender” (large water taxi) served with the Lagan built P&O passenger ship SS Mooltan which Ranger accompanied on her maiden voyage via Suez to Colombo, Melbourne and Sydney on Dec.1923. Ranger’s main duty was transporting passengers to and from the anchored 21,000 ton Mooltan.
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Ranger Arriving on the Lagan.
In 1939 Mooltan was converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, and then became a troopship in 1941. Mooltan and Ranger survived WWII and in Nov.1942 were present at the North African landings at Arzeu. In Jan.1954 Mooltan was sold and scrapped. Ranger continued to work and has been a harbour launch at the Greenock based Clyde Marine Services, who kindly donated the vessel to Lagan Legacy. She’ll be used as a maritime heritage tour boat on the River Lagan.
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Ranger meets Samson and Goliath.
- Ranger will be employed as a tour boat on the Lagan, offering up to a dozen passengers at a time the opportunity of sailing around the birth place of Titanic in the oldest Belfast built working vessel on the Lagan, and probably in the world.
- Ranger’s specifications:
Length 8.5m
Beam 2.7m
Weight 8 tons
Construction Double diagonal teak.
- Ranger comes home to Belfast only with the enormous help of P&O Irish Sea; Harland and Wolff; Clyde Marine Services Ltd., Greenock; Lagan Boat Company (N.I.) Ltd. and Murphy’s Transport, Bathgate, Scotland.