From Russia With Love boat in my backyard...

Moonraker 5Moonraker 5 Ayrshire, ScotlandPosts: 1,821MI6 Agent
...well, not quite, but...

Happened to be sitting outside ASDA waiting on a friend this afternoon in the town I grew up in on the Ayrshire coast. As it was such a lovely day, I perched myself on the grass next to my car, and ended up chatting to the guy from the Sea Cadets who had arrived to open up their little cabin. After about 5 minutes of idle chit chat, generally about boats and the navy, he pointed out that the little boat in front of us (in the yard) was a Falklands veteran, and had served as a fast boat with the Royal Marines. Then, much to my astonishment, said "...and that old timer next to it, looking a bit worse for wear these days, was the boat used in the old Bond film From Russia With Love. They threw oil barrels off the back of it and blew them up in a chase."

For the best part of 30 years I've played around it, cycled past it, parked next to it and not even paid it a second glance, not knowing that it was a Fairy Huntress boat used in the chase that was filmed just a few miles away, in the Kyles of Bute, back in '63. Amazing.

Managed to get a photo from my phone, but will return to get a better one. Will find some way to link it here.
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Comments

  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,467MI6 Agent
    Imagine the good nick it would have been in 30 years ago... mind you, you can say the same of all of us. :))

    That's a great story. Shouldn't that boat be in one of the Bond museums? Is it going to ruin or still in use then?
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • Mark HazardMark Hazard West Midlands, UKPosts: 495MI6 Agent
    Imagine the good nick it would have been in 30 years ago... mind you, you can say the same of all of us. :))

    That's a great story. Shouldn't that boat be in one of the Bond museums? Is it going to ruin or still in use then?

    The Huntress that appeared in FRWL IS in a Bond museum: http://www.thebondmuseum.com/pages/02fromrussiawithlove.htm
    so not sure where this other one comes from.
  • thesecretagentthesecretagent CornwallPosts: 2,151MI6 Agent
    Maybe they used more than one boat. It's a nice anecdote though.
    Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. If you enjoy crime, espionage, action and fast-moving thrillers follow this link:

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  • Moonraker 5Moonraker 5 Ayrshire, ScotlandPosts: 1,821MI6 Agent
    Maybe they used more than one boat. It's a nice anecdote though.
    It's a lovely anecdote.

    If you look closely at the film, SPECTRE used three Fairy Huntress boats to chase Bond, and they have blue hulls. This one has a blue hull.

    NP, looks like it's going to ruin unfortunately. I said to him that they should punt it, that there'd be considerable interest, but he just looked at me and said "You think?" in a rather unconvinced way. Sad :(
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  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,754Chief of Staff
    Imagine the good nick it would have been in 30 years ago... mind you, you can say the same of all of us. :))

    That's a great story. Shouldn't that boat be in one of the Bond museums? Is it going to ruin or still in use then?

    The Huntress that appeared in FRWL IS in a Bond museum: http://www.thebondmuseum.com/pages/02fromrussiawithlove.htm
    so not sure where this other one comes from.

    I wonder where it was two weeks ago ? I visited The Bond Muesum then and it wasn't there ?:)
    YNWA 97
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,467MI6 Agent
    That old boy's missed a trick, M5. I bet he could have flogged it to you for a tidy sum! I was gonna write that he'd seen you coming and had heard you were a Bond fan. Had a synopsis and plot line all worked out. :D
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • Mark HazardMark Hazard West Midlands, UKPosts: 495MI6 Agent
    Sir Miles wrote:
    Imagine the good nick it would have been in 30 years ago... mind you, you can say the same of all of us. :))

    That's a great story. Shouldn't that boat be in one of the Bond museums? Is it going to ruin or still in use then?

    The Huntress that appeared in FRWL IS in a Bond museum: http://www.thebondmuseum.com/pages/02fromrussiawithlove.htm
    so not sure where this other one comes from.

    I wonder where it was two weeks ago ? I visited The Bond Muesum then and it wasn't there ?:)

    To quote The Bond Museum website: The boat is currently on loan the National Motorboat Museum in Essex and is their 'star' attraction.
  • Moonraker 5Moonraker 5 Ayrshire, ScotlandPosts: 1,821MI6 Agent
    Bearing the name TS Huntress, here she is as of 4.30pm this afternoon:

    14909002.jpg
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