On Sat, 21 Dec 2019 15:13:41 +0000, Tim Lamb
wrote:

snip

I ended up at Vickers shipbuilding who, very
surprisingly, had a test tank facility in the town.

Didn't they mostly make military / RN stuff?

Who?

"Vickers Shipbuilding"

Allen West made motor control gear and had their own electronic
manufacturing set up.

EAC made a similar range and were in direct competition. All morphed
into GE-Simplex last I knew.

Vickers had two test tanks when I was there, St. Albans and Dumbarton on
the Clyde.

I love seeing them (and the hulls they are testing) running in them.

It's a similar think but with the water moving and the test object
still (an electric outboard in this case) that I intend to make with
that water tank you gave me. ;-)

It seems that solution would be more like a wind tunnel than the
typical 'linear' water test tank that can only be run in short bursts?

Like this one:
https://www.bluebird-electric.net/oceanography/Ocean_Plastic_International_Rescue/Ocean_Rescue_International_Pictures/Recirculating_Mode_Water_Basin_Ship_Testing_Tank.g if
https://www.bluebird-electric.net/oceanography/Ocean_Plastic_International_Rescue/Water_Tank_Testing_Facilities_SeaVax_Bluebird_Mari ne_Systems.htm

This would be nice but won't fit in my back garden: ;-(
http://www4.edesign.co.uk/portfolio/...ask-basin-usa/

My involvement was radio control and telemetry of open water trials.

That sounded like fun.

We used the reservoirs at Chingford although one job was a stern trawler
tested at Dumbarton and taken out to sea at Eyemouth.

I've sailed on the King George reservoir although I prefer cruising to
sailing round in circles (or rectangles even). ;-)

Cheers, T i m