The steel motor vessel Lairdsbank was launched from the Belfast yard of Harland and Wolff (Yard No 970) on 3rd September 1936. She measured 229.0′ x 37.2′ x 11.5′ and her tonnage was 789 gross tons, 316 net tons. She was powered by a 2SCSA 5 cylinder diesel engine by Harland and Wolff delivering 332 nominal horse power. Built for the Burns and Laird Line, Glasgow she operated on the west coast and Irish sea routes.
Lloyds register 1937
On 6th April 1937 she was enroute from Londonderry to Heysham with a cargo of cattle and pigs when she encountered thick fog in the North Channel. Her speed was immediately reduced as she inched through the inky darkness of early morning but eventually ran ashore in Barncorkie Bay (aka Portencorkie).
Lairdsbank ashore Barncorkie Bay
Help was immediately requested and a tug, the Flying Falcon was sent from Greenock and succeeded in pulling her off on high water, some 16 hours after her accident. The Lairdbank was not badly damaged and managed to head for Ayr Harbour under her own power to discharge her cargo and be checked over.
Fortunately the sea conditions were calm at the time or she may well have joined other members of the Burns & Laird fleet lost along this coastline. Most notable of these was the Lairdsmoor, which sank after a collision with the Shaw Saville liner Taranaki off Black Head, north of Portpatrick two days later.
