Luxury yacht launched in Sunderland: Rare cine footage from Austin and Pickersgill's

Have a look at this 1961 clip showing the launch of a luxury yacht from Austin and Pickersgill’s.

A different kettle of fish

The North East Film Archive footage - which is part of a larger film - shows the day the Radiant ll went down the slipway in March 1961 and was something of a different affair for the yard.

The 300 men who helped to build the Wear's first luxury yacht were guests of honour at the launch of the vessel.

There was no reception with champagne and savouries for the principal guests.

Instead the workmen at the Wear Dockyard, in their best suits, went to a marquee by the riverside to toast the yacht with half pint glasses of beer. Sandwiches were served afterwards.

The shipyard’s MD made the film

As well as a Sunderland Echo archive photo to enjoy, we also have this wonderful cine clip which comes to us courtesy of the North East Film Archive.

It was made by Kenneth Douglas, Managing Director of Austin and Pickersgill of Sunderland between 1956 and 1967.

The full film shows the construction and launch of the yacht Radiant II which was built at the yard between 1960 and 1961.

The yacht was built for Basil M. Mavroleon of Fairwinds Navigation Ltd and completed in July 1961.

From Wearside to Monte Carlo

The ship cost £400,000 to build was ready to sail from Sunderland to Monte Carlo.

Our clip shows the day of the launch and the shipyard workers cheering after the successful launch.

The North East Film Archive library has a vast collection.

Its team has painstakingly taken on the task of preserving, cataloguing, and digitising these vital collections of reminders of our past.

NEFA officials have previously shared clips of fun at the Seaburn fairground in 1966 and Brian Clough in one of his last matches for Sunderland before the injury which put paid to his playing career.

70,000 items to savour

NEFA has a huge catalogue of over 70,000 items of original film, video tape, and born-digital material. Its team painstakingly preserves, catalogues, and digitises these vital collections of reminders of our past.

NEFA operates the The Yorkshire Film Archive in York, and the North East Film Archive, in Middlesbrough.

It also has a new rental platform at https://yfanefa.vhx.tv/

NEFA footage has been reduced to £1.99 for 7 days.

If you have cine film memories of Sunderland and County Durham in the past, we would love to hear from you. Email [email protected] and tell us more.