Bedford Branch April 2024

JamesBranch News

April 2024

The April meeting evening was devoted to members DVD’s. We started with the Snowbow  DVD Ships to Manchester. This port  was once  the nation’s fourth biggest port and in its heyday would have been  full of ships. This was made possible by the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal which was completed in 1894 to enable ships from all over the world to sail right into the heart of industrial Briton. The DVD  was  a  collection of films showed ship movements of the period and was  a real maritime treat. The film  enabled  the meeting to  watch  ship after  ship  sailing  to  and  from  Manchester.  But  as  an extra, the film also followed some of the ships on their voyages after leaving the canal. These were ships  that  were  once  operated  by   shipping   companies   such as   Harrison   Line,   Manchester Liners, Clan Line and Furness Withy. The second DVD was the Port of London Waters of Time which was filmed in 1951 and showing  shipping of the period and followed the arrival of  the Highland Princess into the port and her eventual departure after being worked in the dock.