Old motorcycles on board the SS Thistlegorm shipwreck, Egypt

[Phil_B]

As I'm getting ready for this years holiday, I was looking through last years photos and thought some of you may be interested in having a look.

My main hobby is scuba diving, and while on holiday last year, I was lucky enough to be able to dive the shipwreck of the SS Thistlegorm. For those wanting more info on the ship...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Thistlegorm

The ship's cargo included: Bedford trucks, Universal Carrier armoured vehicles, Norton 16H and BSA motorcycles, Bren guns, cases of ammunition, and 0.303 rifles as well as radio equipment, Wellington boots, aircraft parts, and two LMS Stanier Class 8F steam locomotives.

On the second dive we penetrated the 2 holds where the trucks and motorcycles were kept, the second hold was around 26m depth. Here are some of the photos I took in the holds.

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261831-1_zps03b5625c.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261832-1_zpsfe628231.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261849-1_zps54b46453.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261854-1_zps839c0771.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261855-1_zpsec2d0ee7.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261858-1_zpsf76f8b28.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261859-1_zps69ebbeca.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261860-1_zps6d10743b.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261861-1_zpseb566ab0.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261862-1_zps47bc380a.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261865-1_zps63a562fa.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261871-1_zps9c2530bd.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261873-1_zps3582a3f8.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261875-1_zps1fcd4842.jpg

https://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/Aprilia_AF1_Replica_Rebuild/SS%20Thistlegorm%20Motorcycles/P3261878-1_zpsf9717926.jpg

I'm hoping to get back to dive the ship again later in the year on a liveaboard, definitely the best dives I've ever done
____________________
This restoration is ruining my bank balance! Restoration project - 1991 Aprilia AF1 Replica
Yamaha R3

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Tyres are still good
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Hetzer]

Project bikes for Craig.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[SQL]

Still less rust than a chinese bike!

[dodsi]

Less rust than a victor devine CBF 125.

[LongJohn22]

Dived the Thistlegorm in 2005, even then they were talking about the ship collapsing in on itself so if you want to do it again don't delay too long. Awesome sight though and well worth the effort.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Reminds me of the CG I did my cbt on.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[arry]

My local place would probably MOT that up fine.

[Monkeypony]

One of my most memorable dives was a night dive on The Thistlegorm about 10 years ago. Felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.

Unlike diving it in the day time, which was basically diver soup!
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Current bike - 2018 H2-SX, 2004 SV1000s, 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF, 2017 Sherco SERF 300, 2003 Suzuki DRZ400 (stolen - AY53 JUU)

[CBFcarl]

[Phil_B]

Something a little different, it was amazing how many crates of bikes were sat there. It's also a shame many parts have been taken by trophy hunters. The tyres do seem to have lasted well, considering the age of them.

The rest of the ship is pretty awesome as well, nice to hear a couple of others have dived there! Don't think I'll manage to get there this trip, but later in the year I'm hoping to do a 'wrecks & reef' tour, and the Thistlegorm is on the itinerary
____________________
This restoration is ruining my bank balance! Restoration project - 1991 Aprilia AF1 Replica
Yamaha R3

[N cee thirty]

barn find, easy restoration
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[dodsi]

[recman]

[RideLimousin]

I've taxed worse...
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Motorcycle Touring Holidays in France: Ridelimousin
See my ridelimousin renovation blog: https://ridelimousin.blogspot.fr
See my renovation thread: https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=244340

[Pol Anorl]

[Easter Bunny]

a bit o fresh petrol & no problem
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The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train!

[dydey90]

"One careful lady owner"
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[mudcow007]

to be honest the rust on my "garden find" DT175 prob has the same amount of rust...


nice pics though

[Phil_B]

My project wasn't much better at the start
____________________
This restoration is ruining my bank balance! Restoration project - 1991 Aprilia AF1 Replica
Yamaha R3

[RodYork]

Excellent pics- one of the best dives I have ever been on..thank you for posting.
Were there still wellington boots on the ceiling of the cargo hold?....I could never understand why...given this was desert

[Bunny Lingus]

The coolest underwater photos I have seen for a long time.
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Bunny Lingus & The Flipside Faggots