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June 9, 2018 by Alexander Meldrum
Willam Denny ShipBuilders.
William Denny
The Shipbuilding interests of the Denny family date back to William Denny (born 1779), William Denny is probley the best Know of all ShipBuilders in Dumb...Willam Denny ShipBuilders.
William Denny
The Shipbuilding interests of the Denny family date back to William Denny (born 1779), William Denny is probley the best Know of all ShipBuilders in Dumbarton.
His ships are recorded being built in Dumbarton as far back as 1811 e.g.the sailing vessel Alpha for one.
By 1823 the company name had changed to William Denny & Son (first ship Built by them was the Paddle-Steamer Superb.
From 1845 the company became Denny Brothers (this being William jnr, Alexander and Peter), and in 1849 the firm was reconstituted as William Denny & Brothers, this being William, James and Peter Denny.
The Company built all types of ships but were particularly well known as producers of fine cross-channel steamships and ferries.
They where a pioneer in the development of the ship's stabiliser in conjunction with Edinburgh-based Brown Brothers & Company.
In 1913 the Channel steamer Paris was one of the first ships to use geared turbine engines utilising new Michell tilting-pad fluid bearing.
A marine engineering company, also based in Dumbarton, was formed by Peter Denny, John Tulloch and John McAusland in 1850 as Tulloch & Denny.
In 1862 the company That Company was renamed Denny & Co. The company manufactured a wide range of types of marine engines and was absorbed into William Denny & Brothers in 1918.
Dennys were always innovators and were one of the first commercial shipyards in the world to have their own experimental testing tank: this is now open to the public as a museum.
Dennys also undertook experimental work in hovercraft and helicopter-type aircraft.
William Denny & Company went into voluntary liquidation in 1963.
The most famous Ship to be Built in Dumbarton was the Cutty Sark which was built by Scott & Linton & Finished by William Denny Brothers.
She was one of the final Tea Clippers to be built, and one of the fastest.
The ship is the last survivor of its type and can be seen today at dry dock in Greenwich, London.
Do you know that some Ships were made in Kit form.
These Ships wear made in Kit Form Built then Disasembled and Shipped Overseas to be Reasembled?
Two such Ships wear the Delta King & Queen, both Paddle Steamers they were Shipped to America & Reasembled, & can still be Seen Today.
Delta King (1924–26), Had restoration Work costing $9 million & Returned to Sacramento, she was re-opened on 20 May 1989.
Delta Queen (1924–26), was also Restored and is currently a hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
William Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank.
Inspired by the work of eminent naval architect William Froude, Denny's completed the world's first commercial example of a ship testing tank in 1883.
The facility was used to test models of a variety of vessels and explored various propulsion methods, including propellers, paddles and vane wheels.
After the Denny yard closed, the test tank facility was taken over by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited and used for the testing of submarines until the early 1980s.
It was Re-opened as part of the Scottish Maritime Museum in 1982, it retains many of its original features, including the 100m long ship testing tank.
The towing carriage is still in working order and is demonstrated from time to time, but all instrumentation has been removed and so the tank cannot currently be used for hydrodynamic research and testing.
Well Worth a Visit.
Hovercraft.
William Denny also built the D2 Hoverbus; an early attempt to build a hovercraft for use as a passenger vehicle.
The GMV Aramoana (1961) was the Last vessel to be built by William Denny and Brothers. She was a Roll-on/roll-off Road/Rail ferry built for New Zealand Railways Department.
you can Google images of William Denny built ships.
In this photo:
