Built as a mine-hunter under yard No 4267 by Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston near Southampton for the Royal Navy.
25 November 1991 launched as HMS WALNEY (M104) one of the Sandow class.
Displacements 600 tons, dim. 52.5 x 10.9 x 2.3m. (draught).
Powered diesel electric by 2 Paxman Valenta diesels, 1,500hp, twin shafts Voith-Schneider propulsors, speed 13 knots on diesel engines, 6.5 knots electric.
Armament: 1 Oerlikon 30mm KCB gun on DS-30B mount. 2 – 7.62mm L7 GPMG machine gun.
Wallop defence Systems Barricade Mk. III countermeasure launchers.
Irvin Aerospace Replica Decoy launchers.
Crew 34.
19 August 1992 commissioned.
March 1993 completed.
On 15 May 2006, HMS WALNEY and HMS ATHERSTONE discovered a 1000 lb World War II bomb whilst conducting a survey of the River Mersey.
In 209 HMS WALNEY took part in Exercise Joint Warrior 092. This exercise takes place twice a year off the north-west cost of Scotland. She was seen on the River Clyde and photographed by myself on 5 October 2009.
It was announced on December 16, 2009, that WALNEY would be decommissioned sometime in 2010. She was decommissioned in a ceremony on 15 October 2010 at her homeport, HMNB Clyde. WALNEY called in at her affiliated town of Barrow-in-Furness on her way to her final port of call, Portsmouth naval base
Jersey 2008 Prestige booklet sg?, scott?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Walney_(M104)
Peter Crichton