Racecourse-class minesweeper

Class overview
HMS Plumpton
Name:	Racecourse class
Operators:	Royal Navy
Succeeded by:	Halcyon class
Built:	1916 & 1918
Completed:	24 Racecourse class 8 Improved Racecourse class
General characteristics
Displacement:	Racecourse-class: 810 long tons (823 t) Improved-class: 820 long tons (833 t)
Length:	235 ft (72 m)
Beam:	Racecourse-class: 29 ft (8.8 m) Improved-class: 29 ft 3 in (8.92 m) 58 ft (18 m) at the paddles (both types)
Draught:	6.75–7 ft (2.06–2.13 m)
Propulsion:	Inclined compound. Cylindrical return tube. 1,400 hp (1,000 kW).
Speed:	15 knots (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Range:	156 tons coal
Complement:	50-52 men
Armament:	Racecourse-class: 2 × 12-pounder guns Improved-class: 1 × 12-pounder gun 1 × 3-inch AA gun

For the class of ships sometimes known as the "Racehorse" class see 24 class sloop

The Racecourse-class minesweepers were 32 ships delivered to the Royal Navy during the First World War. They were built to two related designs as paddlewheel coastal minesweeping sloops under the Emergency War Programme. The vessels were reasonable sea-boats, but lost speed badly in a seaway when the paddle boxes tended to become choked with water. The class is also widely referred to as the Ascot class and Improved Ascot class.

Initial design

The original design was by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company. The ships were completed between April and October 1916. Launch dates are shown below.

HMS Ascot: January 1916, Ailsa S.B. Co—first of class, also last ship to be lost in World War I.
HMS Atherstone: January 1916, Ailsa S.B. Co
HMS Chelmsford: April 1916, Ailsa S.B. Co
HMS Cheltenham: June 1916, Ardrossan Co
HMS Chepstow: April 1916, Ayrshire D.Y. Co
HMS Croxton: April 1916, Ayrshire D.Y. Co
HMS Doncaster: June 1916 Ayrshire D.Y. Co
HMS Eglinton: September 1916, Ayrshire D.Y. Co
HMS Epsom: May 1916, G. Brown
HMS Eridge: February 1916, Clyde S.B. Co. Originally fitted to carry seaplanes.
HMS Gatwick: April 1916, Dundee S.B. Co.
HMS Goodwood: June 1916, Dundee S.B. Co.
HMS Haldon: March 1916, Dunlop, Bremner
HMS Hurst: May 1916, Dunlop, Bremner
HMS Kempton: Ferguson Bros. Lost in World War I.
HMS Lingfield: April 1916, Fleming & Ferguson
HMS Ludlow: Goole Co.—lost in World War I.
HMS Melton: March 1916, Hamilton. Originally fitted to carry seaplanes.
HMS Newbury: July 1916, A. & J. Inglis
HMS Plumpton: McMillan—lost in World War I.
HMS Pontefract: June 1916, Murdoch & Murray
HMS Redcar: Ayrshire D.Y. Co.—lost in World War I.
HMS Sandown: July 1916, Dunlop, Bremner
HMS Totnes: May 1916, McMillan

On this type the foremast is stepped before the fore bridges and have derricks abeam of the second funnel.

Improved Racecourse type

These paddle minesweepers were designed by the Admiralty, adapted from the Ailsa Company design for the first type. They were completed between January and June 1918. All were built under the Emergency War Programme.

HMS Banbury: December 1917, Ailsa S.B. Co.
HMS Harpenden: February 1918, Ailsa S.B. Co.
HMS Hexham: December 1917, Clyde S.B. Co.
HMS Lanark: December 1917, Fleming & Ferguson
HMS Lewes: March 1918, Fleming & Ferguson
HMS Shincliffe: January 1918, Dunlop, Bremner
HMS Shirley: Dunlop, Bremner. Sold as a ferry boat, 1919.
HMS Wetherby: March 1918, Murdoch & Murray.

The foremast on this type is stepped through the chart house, there are two high ventilators abaft fore funnel and no derricks abeam of the second funnel.

Notes and references

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Racecourse class minesweeper.

British naval ship classes of the First World War

Aircraft/Seaplane carriers	Empress^S^V Riviera^S^V Engadine^S^V Ark Royal^S Ben-my-Chree^S^V Campania^S^V Raven II^S^V Anne^S^V Vindex^S^V Manxman^S^V Furious^M Pegasus^S^V Nairana^S^V Argus^S^V Vindictive^S^V

Dreadnought battleships	Dreadnought^S Bellerophon St Vincent Neptune^S Colossus Orion King George V Erin^S Agincourt^S Iron Duke Canada^S Queen Elizabeth Revenge

Pre-dreadnought battleships	Royal Sovereign Majestic Canopus Formidable Duncan King Edward VII Swiftsure Lord Nelson

Battlecruisers	Invincible Indefatigable Lion Queen Mary^S Tiger^S Renown Courageous Admiral^S^C Incomparable^X

Armoured cruisers	Cressy Drake Monmouth Devonshire Duke of Edinburgh Warrior Minotaur

Heavy cruisers	Hawkins

Light cruisers	Town^G Arethusa C^{G, C} Danae^C Emerald^A

Protected cruisers	Apollo Astraea Eclipse Blake Pearl Edgar Powerful Diadem Arrogant Pelorus Highflyer Challenger Topaze

Scout cruisers	Adventure Forward Pathfinder Sentinel Boadicea Blonde Active

Destroyer flotilla leaders	Swift^S Faulknor Marksman Parker Admiralty (or Scott)^C Thornycroft (or Shakespeare)^C

Destroyers	A^G B^G C^G D^G E^G F Cricket^G G H I K L Admiralty M Hawthorn M Thornycroft M Yarrow M Yarrow Later M Arno^S R^G S^{G, C} Talisman V and W^{G, C}

Monitors	Marshal Ney Abercrombie Lord Clive Humber Gorgon M15 M29 Erebus

Minesweepers	Flower Racecourse Hunt 24^C

Gunboats	Fly Insect

Submarines	A B C D E F G H^C J K L^C M^C R^C Swordfish^S V

A All completed after the war C One or more completed after the war G Grouping of several classes M converted from Courageous class S Single ship of class V Conversions X Cancelled

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