Nomadic, Titanic & other historic vessels

[Pullman99]

Spent a very enjoyable visit to the SS Great Britain on the 19th July - exactly 40 years after she was placed back into the drydock in which she was built - on a very sunny and pleasnt day in Bristol. They had experienced a very good few weeks leading up to this date helped by quite extensive TV coverage leading up to the anniversary day itself although the really big day back in 1970 was the tow up from Avonmouth on the 5th July which just about brought the whole of the West of England to a standstill.



Although the on-board catering could do with some updating!



Bad (but maybe good eventually) and Good (sort of) news of other maritime matters.

Meanwhile, over in Grimsby, the fate of the paddle-steamer Lincoln Castle still hangs in the balance. The Society that has taken on the task of securing the ship is seemingly up against not only owners who are continuimg to pursue their original intent to scrap her but also the various local authorities - especially North-East Lincolnshire Council - who want to impose very high fees to allow the ship to remain in Grimsby. The words short and sighted spring to mind.


(phoot: copyright David Ornsby, Lincoln Castle Preservation Society)


(photo: Lee Wheeler, Lincoln Castle Preservation Society)

Go to http://paddlesteamers.awardspace.com/LincolnCastle.htm for more information

Over on the West Coast, Barrow-in-Furness is about to lose a waterfront feature that has thrilled shoppers at Morrison's for the past 6 years! The Princess Selandia is heading home to Denmark for preservation. Bit worried about the reference to "cut throat" competition. Being Barrow, it might well be literal! (Sorry).

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/floating- ... rPath=home

[malcolm uk]

The mention of the Lincoln Castle got my attention.

When I worked for British Coal Technical Service in Yorkshire (the National Coal Board as was), I was given responsibility for meeting the new owner of the boat, both at his hotel in Hull and on the boat in a disused fishing wet dock. The plan was to make it into a pub/restuarant and moor it at Hessle in the shadow of the Humber Bridge.

My job was to design the heating system incorporating coal firing. The then owner had already decided to remove most of the old boiler (but keeping the front plate and fittings in view) but turn over the drive to the paddles with compressed air. So I used the coal bunkers as the new boiler room (they had to be cut open) and the flue was fed up through the funnel. I was at the opening evening at Hessle which involved civic VIPs etc.

When I first saw the Lincoln Castle boat it had no interior at all - we walked in the bilge area to examine the layout planned - so it still looks better in the photos posted.

Yes it might be a shame to lose the vessel but it has been a business object for more years than I care to remember.

Malcolm

[Jordangbr]

Over on the West Coast, Barrow-in-Furness is about to lose a waterfront feature that has thrilled shoppers at Morrison's for the past 6 years! The Princess Selandia is heading home to Denmark for preservation. Bit worried about the reference to "cut throat" competition. Being Barrow, it might well be literal! (Sorry).

Steady on!

[Renegadenemo]

Last time I was in Barrow was to collect Donald's overalls from HM Coroner's office above the local nick where I queued with an old boy who asked the cop at the desk if they could just beat the crap out of his son to save him having to continuously pay fines for the boy's wrongdoing. Interesting place, is Barrow.

[Jordangbr]

Nothing wrong with a bit of logic....

[klingon]

Last bastion of common sense there!

[Pullman99]

Yes it might be a shame to lose the vessel but it has been a business object for more years than I care to remember.

(Malcolm Pittwood)

The latest news on the P S Lincoln Castle is that as of yesterday the Lincoln Castle Preservation Society had secured the purchase of the ship's engine. They are in the final stages of negotiation to purchase the complete vessel although, bizarrely, the vessel's owners are continuing to use their appointed contractor to remove the fixtures and fittings. For now it's a question of "watch this space" I guess.

[Pullman99]

Thought some of you might appreciate the latest news on the PS Lincoln Castle. Not good, however. This is from the Paddle Steamers website and describes the impasse currently being experienced by the Society. I have been in touch with Stephen Sharpe to offer support but it is clearly a very difficult situation that may yet see this important vessel being broken up. The previously concluded agreement to purchase the engines may not, in fact, be possible to pursue as it would mean lifting them in situ and this is currently impossiblde due to the existing berth where the ship is located.

the following statement appears on the Society's website:

" PS LINCOLN CASTLE - IS THE END NEAR ?

There is an enormous amount of interest in Lincoln Castle, amongst existing paddle steamer enthusiasts, other hertige interests and sympathetic members of the public, especially on Humberside.The problem is that although the recently formed Lincoln Castle Preservation Society (LCPS) are able to meet the owner's original asking price and has money left over to begin "saving" her, the owner is now refusing to sell the ship to the society.

It has been quoted that it is not a matter of the asking price, more that the owner feels that the project is too big for the Society to handle. Therefore it is necessary to be able to show that this is not the case. To do this, all interested groups need to work together and commit the finance to support a rational business plan. With this in place there is a chance that the ship, due for imminent demolition, may be saved - and restoration work on her begin.

The plight of the ship only came to general light in early June 2010 when the expected commercial buyer pulled out, but since then there has been a significant amount of interest, money and other forms of support generated as a result of the LCPS's campaign, including from the enormous railway heritage community as Lincoln Castle was operated by the LNER and later British Rail. It is almost impossible for a small group like LCPS to take on this type of project in isolation and different interest groups need to be coordinated effectively, pooling their resources, a concept not yet fully developed in the business of operating historic ships in the U.K. The LCPS has shown that there is significant interest and if the owner will allow the ship to be preserved, the prospects for further fundraising and a stage-by-stage renovation of the ship look good. It is hoped that the changed circumstances will persuade the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (to whom the owner was happy to donate the ship) to reassess their position. It appears that renewed PSPS involvement, bringing in the railway lobby for additional support is the only way the ship now has any possibility of being saved."

[Pullman99]

The latest from the Lincoln Castle Preservation Society makes for very sad reading, I'm aftaid.

"PS LINCOLN CASTLE - THE END IS NEAR
Farcical situation approaches sad end .....

An unbelievably tragic turn of events which outsiders will find astonishing, has meant that it appears that a perfectly "savable" paddle steamer, one of the very last of her kind in the UK, will be broken up within days. The owner refuses to sell the ship to, or even negotiate with, the recently formed Lincoln Castle Preservation Society, now the only party still bidding to take ownership. The Society's latest bid was five times the original asking price. It seems that once the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society declined the offer of the ship and a potential private buyer withdrew in late May, the decision was taken to scrap her irrespective of the resulting public clamour which resulted in the setting up of the new society.

Her fittings have already been stripped out. It looks like time has now run out as well. It could only happen here - other countries must look on with incredulity and ridicule."

The expression "It could only happen here..." usually relates to British preservation success stories but maybe this was projecvt too far and too late.

[Renegadenemo]

They think they have problems...

http://ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/SS ... king-news/