Portsmouth Historic Dockyard & Harbour Tour

Take a tour of yesterday’s Royal Navy followed by look at today’s Fleet of modern warships. See HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860, and The Mary Rose Museum along with a number of interesting and informative displays. This was a family visit with my wife and two daughters who found the day to day life on the lower decks fascinating, all those household chores such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, all had to be taken care of. Look for the rats and the ships cats sleeping, see how important the ships surgeon was, see were Nelson fell, imagine the noise and commotion as the cannons were loaded then fired. The friendly staff and volunteers are on hand, giving demonstrations and answering visitor’s questions. Finish the day with a harbour tour to see the modern warships and the busy port, with all manner of craft going about their business, ferries, hovercraft, tugs, border patrol ships, pleasure craft, then finish the day by visiting the Spinnaker Tower for an aerial view of Portsmouth.

[@canman5060]

I have been on the HMS Victory in my teenage year when I was a boarding school boy in England from Hong kong.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I don't think much has changed since you visited.

[@nigelmoignard5348]

Omg Tim you’ve brought so many fabulous memories back for me. I was born in the dockyard so were my sister and brother, me 1962, brother 1960 and sister 1958. I have two other sisters and an elder brother all older then myself. My father moved into the yard in 1956 he worked for the MOD as the dockyards resident plumber. Absolutely loved it in the yard, biggest playground in the U.K. for us kids and boy did we always get into trouble with the MOD Police. My sister was the only person to be born, christened and married in the yard at St Anns church. Our home was by No 15 dock and had an old air raid shelter outside our garden, right by the old air raid siren which went off 4-5 times per day. We had the railway in the main road outside my bedroom window and in those days the railway had no safety built around it. We as kids used to watch the thousands of dockers on bikes come into work and leave at teatime. We all went to St George’s, the girls ended up in John Pounds and the boys St Luke’s. We played all around the yard and outside down by the Hard and where the Warrior is we used to mud lark between harbour station and the Main Gate. My brother and I always worked during the Navy Days on a stand near HMS Victory and my father’s plumbing stores were near there just by the Fire station and by Marlborough Gate. Christmas and New Year was so magical especially NYE with all the ships hooters and search lights blearing away. There were tragic memories as well, many a docker got caught in the open rail and killed by the trains, also men fell to their death in many of the docks mainly because of alcohol, you see there were no rail guard by the docks. Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories for me.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I really enjoyed reading your account of life and growing up in the dockyard. It is fitting that the area is a museum dedicated to the history of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth. It wouldn't have been right to cover the area with luxury apartment buildings. I don't know the dockyards well, although some of the toolmakers and machinists I've worked with over the years learnt their trade as dockyard apprentices. I can't be sure, but I think I remember a branch line leading off from the end of Portsmouth and Southsea High level station, I was told it connected with the dockyard railway system. My father took me to Portsmouth to watch football at Fratton Park, sometimes he'd take the family to the funfair at Southsea were we'd watch the hovercraft set off to the Isle of Wight. I grew up in and around Chichester, so I didn't go to Portsmouth unless there was a reason to visit. Thank you for sharing your memories. All the best. Tim.

[@nigelmoignard5348]

@@Timsvideochannel1 yes Tim you are correct about the railway line, it came off the high level via Victoria Park, crossed Alfred Rd through a large gate and continued into the dockyard via the route of Unicorn Rd. Then Unicorn Rd had a flee market against the railway walls Thurs, Fri and Saturdays sellers selling mostly toot but some vegetables and meat on wooden barrels. There were fair few people living in the dockyard mainly police personnel and their families and of course Naval families high ranking Navy in very large houses on The Parade and College Rd leading to Main Gate by the hard. Thanks again Tim brilliant memories

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@nigelmoignard5348 It has been a pleasure to read your recollections, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers. Tim.

[@Bobcatonline]

Nearly missed this one! Glad I found it. I have a cousin who lives in Gosport just across the water. The view from there of Portsmouth is quite good and the ferry across and back costs very little. With my cousin and our families we celebrated VJ day at the end of WW2. Street parties and fireworks - you've never heard such a racket! Thanks for posting.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Rob Catt Hi Rob, just watched your story "The Lairds Bequest" ... her method for delivering whiskey to his grave made me smile. The Gosport - Portsmouth ferry is always an interesting ride, plenty going on. Street parties and fireworks sounds like fun, I haven't done that since I was a Kid. It's a pity they turned the old Gosport railway into a bus only route, the original idea of a tram continuing on to Portsmouth through a tunnel was such a good idea. I used to take metal to Gosport to be hardened, but the roads are so busy nowadays, I use a place in Sussex now. I enjoy watching the maritime activity from both Portsmouth and Gosport, there is always something moving.

[@tommunism8778]

On the day I went they did this thing on the warrior where they showed you how to load a musket. It was awesome.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I'd love to have seen that, they were doing mock sword fights when I visited.

[@tommunism8778]

@@Timsvideochannel1 that’s cool

[@STEVEHARLEY1956]

Hi Tim, looks like you and the Family had a great Day here. Had to smile when you put the Harley Davidson in...was that for me ? lol. Great video well filmed...Best wishes...Steve.~

[@Timsvideochannel1]

***** Hi Steve, it was a very good day out. The Harley Davidson was completely random, someone had parked it in front HMS Warrior, it looked lovely in the sunshine and I couldn't resist taking a photo ... Tim.

[@bigsai4472]

YES THEY REPAINTED IT! YIS!!!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Have the masts also been replaced along with the rigging?

[@lewisjevons9441]

isnt it amazing how the angled shape of the type 45 destroyer makes it look no bigger than the average fishing boat on radar?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I didn't know this was the reason for the shape of a type 45 destroyer. I looked back through the video and found this shot at 17:47 of HMS Diamond clearly showing the angled outline. Thanks for taking time to comment, I've learnt something new today.

[@Shave-ice]

Why did the hms warrior have masts even tho it was a steam powered ship?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It could use its sails for most of the voyage and steam in port or when there was little or no wind.

[@thosanthanhpho1729]

Có ai người Việt Nam ở đây không ạ. cho e hỏi sao đây là thuyền buồm mà sao đoạn 4:09 lại có động cơ ạ?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Xin chào, tôi là người Anh. Đây là bảo tàng thể hiện sự phát triển của tàu Hải quân Hoàng gia kể từ những năm 1600. Một số con tàu như chiếc bạn đề cập có thể sử dụng động cơ hoặc cánh buồm và đôi khi cả hai tùy thuộc vào điều kiện thời tiết, đó là lý do tại sao bạn nhìn thấy cả cánh buồm và động cơ hơi nước.

[@ZeonTec]

Great video though it's now sad in this day and age that they no longer build military ships there in Portsmouth there are more docks than there are ships to fill them. Also HMS Illustrious awaiting disposal 2014 HMS Ark royal sold for Scrap 2012 thats all we ever seem to do now is scrap Sell or cancel so sad this county has become :(

[@Timsvideochannel1]

+ZeonTec Thanks for taking time to comment, I find it interesting as I travel to learn about the huge part Britain played in shaping the world and realizing that the Britain we live in today has far less influence on world affairs. I think the size of our Navy reflects our status in the world.

[@martinmilton-white5172]

Very nice video but the choice of music particularly The Camptown Ladies for HMS Victory is highly innapropriate and offensive to any Brit with a sense of historical perspective. Otherwise nice video.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi Martin, the choice of music is often difficult as most copyright free music comes from American sources. It was never my intention to offend anyone, but I should have looked into the background behind the music more carefully. Your comment is appreciated. Tim.

[@UrielX1212]

Land of Hope and Glory or Heart of Oak would be nice.

[@user-rp7el4su9k]

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[@Beemer917]

Good video but maybe talk to someone about your music choices before you down load. Like, get a second opinion or even ,best two out of three.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Cheers, I'm glad you enjoyed the video, sorry about the music, getting it right is an almost impossible task, everyone has different tastes. I use far less music in my later videos to try and get round the problem.