HMS Bronington (M1115)

HMS Bronington laid up at Gilbrook Basin, West Float, Birkenhead
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Bronington
Launched:	19 March 1953
Identification:	Pennant number: M1115
Fate:	sunk at her moorings, scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type:	Ton-class minesweeper
Displacement:	440 tons
Length:	153 ft
Beam:	28.9 ft
Draught:	8.2 ft
Propulsion:	2 x Paxman Deltic 18A-7A diesel engines @ 3,000 bhp (2,200 kW)
Speed:	Cruise 13 knots (24 km/h) on one engine. Max 16 knots (30 km/h) on both
Range:	2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement:	32 men
Armament:	1 x Bofors 40mm gun

HMS Bronington was a Ton-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy, launched on 19 March 1953. This mahogany-hulled minesweeper was one of the last of the "wooden walls" (wooden-hulled naval vessels).

After being decommissioned from service, the ship was purchased in January 1989 by the Bronington Trust, a registered charity, whose patron Charles, Prince of Wales, commanded this vessel in 1976.

For some time, the ship was berthed in the Manchester Ship Canal at Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, England. In 2002, she became part of the collection of the Warship Preservation Trust and moored at Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. Since the closure of the Warship Preservation Trust, she remained in storage, formerly alongside the Rothesay-class frigate HMS Plymouth, at Vittoria Dock, Birkenhead, and latterly in the West Float of Birkenhead Docks.

On 17 March 2016, she sank at her moorings. The decision was taken to scrap HMS Bronington due to her condition.

Coordinates: 53°24′15.42″N 3°1′40.48″W / 53.4042833°N 3.0279111°W / 53.4042833; -3.0279111