Thames: Kirk Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Craft (20th Century), Obstruction (Period Unassigned), Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Thames: Kirk Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Classification Craft (20th Century), Obstruction (Period Unassigned), Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Skaildaquay Point; Churchill Causeway; Churchill Barrier No. 1; North Sea; Thames
Canmore ID 102369
Site Number HY40SE 8013
NGR HY 48046 00828
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102369
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Maritime - Orkney
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
HY40SE 8013 4813 0078
N58 53.5 W2 54
NLO: St Mary's Bay [name: HY 477 005]
Stromness [name: HY 253 090]
Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].
For plan indicating the relative locations and orientations of blockships in this group, see Macdonald 1990, 125.
Formerly entered as HY40SW 8001 and Site no. 8914 at location [incorrectly] converted to HY 4253 0086.
For adjacent (and successor) Churchill Barrier No. 1, see HY40SE 25.
Quality of fix = CR
Horizontal Datum = OGB
Buoyage =
General water depth = 8
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The steel single-screw steamship was built in 1887 and sunk as a blockship. The stern was removed later and the hull cut down.
Source: Wrecks of Scapa Flow.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
1919. This wreck is mentioned in salvage operations on the AORANGI.
11 August 1924. The site is classified as a dangerous wreck, lying on bearing of 076 degrees, 926 metres from Skaildaquay Point, or 58 53 30N, 002 54 00W. A sanction from the Treasury has been received to pay ?6,800 for the removal of the THAMES and LORNE. The Royal Air Force Coast of Scotland are to watch proceedings.
10 July 1931. Attempts to salvage the vessel have been abandoned.
14 March 1972. The wreck's position is stated to be bearing 318.5 degrees, 701 metres from Lamb Holm trig stn (61). The vessel is standing upright about 3.35 metres high, with about 8.5 metres of water over it. The wreck has been blasted but leaving the hull intact almost to the gunwhale. However the stern is missing. The top of of the wreck consists of superstructure.
Report by Undermarine Operations, 5 March 1972.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as steel steamship: no cargo specified, but date of loss cited as 7 January 1915). Thames: this vessel was scuttled as a blockship in Kirk Sound.
Registration: London. Built 1890. 5621grt. Length: 133m. Beam: 15m.
(location of loss cited as N58 53.50 W2 54.0).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Kirk Sound is not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map. It is the most northerly of the eastern sounds of Scap Flow, and lies between St Mary's, Holm (on the Mainland of Orkney) and Lamb Holm [name: HY 485 005].
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 8 October 2002.
Length: 436 ft (132.9m): date of sinking 7 January 1915.
'Ballasted. Very good condition and likely to last. Upper deck awash at H.W.' (Report dated 28 June 1915 and accompanying panoramic sketch dated 8 December 1915).
The accompanying panoramic drawing (of Kirk Sound, looking E from St Mary's Pier) depicts a near flushed-decked ship of apparent passenger liner design, with clipper bow and stern. The central superstructure is relatively long; the fo'c'sle and poop are slightly raised. The vessel is depicted from the starboard beam and as settling in a level attitude with the waterline at about its normal level on the ship's side; the three masts (two of them aft) and two funnels remain erect.
The accompanying map depicts the vessel as lying with bows towards the S, to the S of the centre of the sound. It lies between those of the Aorangi (HY50SW 8001) and the Minieh (HY40SE 8004).
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 30 January 2004.
PRO [Kew] ADM116/2073A: dated 17 December 1919.
Kirk Sound is not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map. The name applies to the most northerly of the sounds on the E side of Scapa Flow, beteween Lamb Holm (to the S) and St Mary's village, Holm, Mainland (to the N). It is centred at HY 484 010, and is spanned by Churchill Barrier No. 1 (HY40SE 25).
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 21 March 2007.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2564
Name : THAMES
Latitude : 585330
Longitude : 25400
Date Built : 1890
Registration : LONDON
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 5621
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 133
Beam : 15
Draught : 8m
Position : Exact Position
Loss Day : 7
Loss Month : 1
Loss Year : 1915
Comment : Scuttled as a blockship in Kirk Sound.
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 001273
Feature Class : Obstn
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 58.89163,-2.90319
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 58.89163,-2.90319
WGS84 Origin : Original
Previous Position : 58.89167,-2.90283
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 8
Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs
Name : THAMES
Type : BLOCKSHIP
Flag : BRITISH
Sonar Length : 35.0
Sonar Width : 10.0
Orientation : 100.0
Tonnage : 1327
Tonnage Type : Gross
Date Sunk : ??/??/1914
Sonar Signal Strength : Strong
Scour Depth : 0.0
Debris Field : NIL
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Acoustic Sensor
Original Detection Year : 1914
Last Detection Year : 2010
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Survey Vessel
Circumstances of Loss : **BUILT IN 1887. STEEL HULL. SINGEL SHAFT. SUNK AS A BLOCKSHIP. STERN REMOVED LATER & HULL CUT DOWN. (WKS OF SCAPA FLOW).
Surveying Details : **H8698/19 MENTIONED IN SALVAGE OPERATIONS ON 'AORANGI'.
**H5371/24 11.8.24 DWP LIES 076DEGS, 5C FROM SKAILDAQUAY PT, OR 585330N, 025400W. SANCTION OF TREASURY TO PAY �6,800 FOR REMOVAL OF 'THAMES' AND 'LORNE'. RA COAST OF SCOTLAND TO WATCH PROCEEDINGS. (NL1349/30). INS AS DWP 076DEGS, 5C FROM SKAILDAQUAY PT. BR STD.
**10.7.31 ATTEMPTS TO SALVAGE VESSEL ABANDONED. (NL2149/31).
**H7308/56 13.5.59 INS CAUTION NOTE ON 35. - NM 1924/58.
**H2496/72 14.3.72 STATED TO BE 318.5DEG, 2300FT FROM LAMB HOLM TRIG STN (61). STANDING UPRIGHT ABOUT 11FT HIGH, WITH ABOUT 28FT OVER IT. WK HAS BEEN BLASTED BUT LEAVING HULL INTACT ALMOST TO GUNWHALE, BUT WITH STERN MISSING. TOP OF WK CONSISTS OF SUPERSTRUCTURE. (UNDERMARINE OPERATIONS, 5.3.72). INS AS DWP. BR STD.
**3.7.80 COVERED BY LEGEND: 'OBSTRUCTIONS - SEE NOTE' CENTRED ON 5853.500N, 0254.170W [WGD] ON NC 35.
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**5.10.10 EXAM'D IN 5853.498N, 0254.191W [WGD]. LEAST M/B DEPTH 6.37MTRS. (FATHOMS LTD, POST SDC BATHY REPROCESSING). LENGTH APPROX 35MTRS, WIDTH 10MTRS. LIES 100/280 DEGS. APPEARS AS A SEABED MOUND. COVERED BY LEGEND. NCA.
General Comments : APPEARS AS A SEABED MOUND
Chart Symbol : OB
Charting Comments : LEGEND: 'OBSTNS - SEE NOTE', OBSTN NOT CHARTED
Reference (March 2012)
Sitename : Thames: Kirk Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Source :
Scapa Flow East in WGS1984 at 2m resolution Bathymetry Id 2010-27833_ScapaFlowArea2a_2m_SB_WGS84.bag,Fathoms Ltd,2010
Project (2013 - 2014)
The Scapa Flow 2013 Marine Archaeology Survey Project, commissioned by Historic Scotland, undertook remote sensing surveys and archaeological diving evaluations at some of the sites within Scapa Flow, Orkney and at the Churchill Barriers.
The project aimed to establish or confirm the identification, extent of survival, character and condition of around 28 known but mostly poorly recorded First and Second World War wreck sites, 8 salvage sites, several sites thought to be associated with Second World War Boom Defences, and a limited sample of geophysical features identified in previous studies (Project Adair).
The work built on that of previous surveys including those completed as part of the ScapaMap Project (2001 and 2006) and by Wessex Archaeology Scapa Flow Wrecks Survey (2012), amongst others.
The project was completed by ORCA Marine and SULA Diving
Diver Inspection (2013)
58 53.498 N 2 54.191 W The remains of a well broken down vessel lie on a sandy bottom in 7m – 12m of water. The main area of wreckage has numerous well corroded, sections of steel hull plating (some of which have porthole apertures), deck plating and ribs with moderate coverage of short animal turf. The remains can be affected by swell but are generally sheltered from tide.
Some wooden decking was visible to the stern section. The engine and boilers were not observed during the dives, but these remains could be buried under the wreckage.
There were numerous sections of coiled and linear piping within the debris. The coiled piping is reminiscent of the piping found at the back of refrigeration units and could be evidence of the vessel’s cargo. Two air vent apertures and some broken up sections of mast were also observed.
An abandoned creel was noted in the remains.
Analysis
The location of the remains evaluated in light of historical documents and
photographs confirm this is the wreck of the RMS Thames (ADM Report X96-2). A British steel steamship built in 1890 by Robert Napier and Sons Glasgow for Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, the RMS Thames was originally a passenger and mail ship. Sold for scrapping in 1914 and resold to the Admiralty in 1915 for use as a blockship in Holm Sound, the vessel was sunk 7th January 1915).
Measuring 133.3m long by 15.3m beam when built, the vessel appears to have broken down within the confines of its original dimensions and recent surveys can counter accounts from the UO survey in 1972 which indicated that the ‘stern is missing’. The stern was clearly visible on side scan and diving surveys.
The UKHO report which outlines the results of multibeam surveys completed by Fathoms in 2010 notes that the wreck “appears as a seabed mound” and measures 35m long by 10m beam. This is considerably less wreckage than was observed by either the side scan or the diver surveys completed as part of this project.
Information from Annalisa Christie, Kevin Heath and Mark Littlewood (ORCA) March 2014
Side Scan Sonar Survey (2013)
58 53.498 N 2 54.191 W This site was assessed by side scan sonar surveys using a winch-towed towfish and diver ground-truthed.
The side scan images show the remains of a vessel measuring 133m long by 17m beam. The wreck is oriented north to south with the bow section to the south. The remains stand approximately 5m proud at the bow with the midships and stern sections more broken down. A strong contact was noted to the east of the bow. This was interpreted and later verified as a mast. This contact was part of a small debris field which could not be examined in detail during the dives due to the scale of the main wreck.
Information from Annalisa Christie, Kevin Heath and Mark Littlewood (ORCA) March 2014
