The Bluebird Project

Or they might paint it blue and call it Titaniccc

Sorry... a moment of weakness. Consider me self-moderated.

I am surprised that no mention of the fastest transatlantic liner SS "UNITED STATES" has been made under the heading of "Dead Metal", especially bearing in mind the K7 connection. As you will know, K7 was transported to the USA ( in the late 1950's I think) on the "UNITED STATES" and there are photos in various books showing Donald, Gina, and K7 on the foredeck of the mighty liner. Unfortunately, the last forty years have not been kind to the "UNITED STATES", as can be seen at http://www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/
The ship has a very interesting history.
If ever there was a worthy cause for another Bill Smith type restoration project, this is surely it, being - as she is - the last of her type.

Dropped this posting into this thread instead as the ss United States is mentioned a bit further up -Mike

Might be a tad tight on space in the workshop me thinks
Novie
I've gone

The H & S wombles would never allow that much common sense in one place in case it caught on and put them out of a job...

Every time I think that the custodians of our national heritage could not get any worse, something else pops up ready to raise your waste water to boiling point.

SS Great Britain. Afloat on a sea of lime green jelly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18116830

A spokesman for the tourist attraction said the jellymongers' work would make a "stunning" piece of modern art.

Why not cover it with candy floss too?

Spoons at the ready....

Just because something CAN be done doesn't mean that it SHOULD!

What next? Covering the Royal Albert Hall in Victoria sponge perhaps? Or how about filling the Thames Tunnel with coronation chicken??

Maybe we should follow her ethos and embrace the perfect 19th century treatment for imbeciles by finding a perfect 19th century asylum and locking Rhian Tritton in it for the good of national heritage!

I cannot believe that anyone calling themselves a "Director of Conservation" would authorise something so daft. They're basically exposing part of the hull (which is by all accounts very fragile in places) to an mildly acidic substance for no reason whatsoever. These are usually the same people who insist on poking things with soft brushes rather than cleaning and restoring...

It's also likely to smell rank after a while, and I wouldn't fancy cleaning it out of all the nooks and crannies it will find its way into!

All this talk of old ships got me thinking.
When we came home from Australia in 1969, we sailed on the SS Australis,

SS America & SS United Staes – Chandris Lines SS Austrfalis.

As a troop-carrier during WW II – SS West Point.
which was originally the SS America; sister ship to the SS United States.

SS Italis – SS American Star.
Renamed several times, sadly now . . .


. . . she is a wreck, slowly being eaten away by the elements.

Hopefully I'll some pics later.