Paddleducks
Old Yahoo Group => Yahoo Messages => Topic started by: Paulrjordan on June 18, 2005, 08:53:35 PM
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Here's an interesting site which explains plans to restore the
sidewheel paddle steamer "Tudor Vladimirescu". Mind you I don't like
their restoration concept which appears to remove most of her
historical integrity and turn her into a Modern Danube sightseer.
http://www.danube-research.com/TVlad.html
The same people have a fascinating page entitled "Danube Research -
Historic Vessels and Ship Graveyards on the River Danube" and it
shows a whole slew of languishing paddlers on that mighty river. Well
worth a look !
http://www.danube-research.com/histships.html
PJ
Victoria, BC Canada
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Nice site PJ.
WHAT A REALLY TERRIBLE PROPOSAL FOR "RESTORING" A PADDLER!!!!!!!!!
They do have the good grace to call them .... radical plans..
I hope that everyone will send a message putting forward their comments, as
requested at the bottom of the site!! I have...
Regards and Happy New Year
David
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> Nice site PJ.
> WHAT A REALLY TERRIBLE PROPOSAL FOR "RESTORING" A PADDLER!!!!!!!!!
Not only a paddler, but the oldest paddle stamer in the world! Built in 1854
as a tug for the Austruan compoany DDSG
Alistair
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Thanks, Alistair...exactly! She was built in Budapest in 1854 as the
tug "Croatia" for the DDSG. It therefore makes even more of a case
for voicing concern at the frightful reconstruction concept that the
marine architects are proposing. I'm sure they could incorporate the
same level of luxury, accommodation and performance while still
retaining the authentic look of the ship. Imagine the national
outcry if "Waverley" had been "restored" with a raked cruise ship
superstructure!!
So please, Paddleducks... take a look at the website once more
and "send your opinions, ideas and other comments regarding these
radical plans for this historic vessel" because this, in their own
words, is what the architects have requested.
The website, again is at:
http://www.danube-research.com/TVlad.html
and the email address for comments is
archive@danube-research.com
I have had no reply to any of the emails I sent them, but if anyone
is able to obtain a response and the name of a contact there, please
notify us so we can try to keep informed about the progress of this
historic paddler.
Happy New Year to you all.
PJ
Victoria, BC, Canada
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Hi PDs,
I don't like to throw a spanner in the works re the above but I was
just saying to Dai when were the stacks put on a rake? Was it prior
to or around 1959. She appears to have had a refit at some stage
earlier in her life from what the plans show. I think I would like
to see some earlier plans to see what her fit out was like.
I have not enlarged the website set to see more of the details so I
could be totally off the beam (usually am!)
Leighton
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She originally had no passenger accommodation, that was added after she came
to Romania after WWI as war reparations.
I think the current passenger accommodation was added in the fifties. Her
history from 1921 to about 1959 is rather obscure. Until recently the
Romanians were very secretive about their paddle steamers
Alistair
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The following reply was received from Edgar Martin, Director, Danube
Research, Danube Shipping Consultants, Edinburgh, Scotland.
____________________________________________________________________
Dear David, Paul and Dai,
Thank you for your comments concerning the proposed "restoration" of
Tudor Vladimirescu.
First of all I would like to make it very clear that **I AGREE WITH
YOU**, indeed the policy of Danube Research is always to preserve the
integrity of any historic vessel.
Please take another look at the Tudor Vladimirescu page within
www.danube-research.com where it states that the design is provided
by a company called ECOU Design; **NOT** Danube Research. We have
placed the restoration proposals online to attract the kind of
response which you have provided. These comments will be passed to
the relevant authorities in the hope that they will make some
difference.
I expressed these views some time ago to the naval architect
concerned who responded that the vessel's present lines are not at
all original. She had a major, I would add brutal, refit in the late
1950s in Orsova since when, in the words of many Romanians, "she
looks more like a bus". They have a point.
Danube Research would prefer the vessel to be restored to her inter-
war appearance as Sarmisegetusa / Grigore Manu (see attached plan).
Some people in Romania believe that the ship would only make money
for her owners in a "modernised" form, hence this bizarre design
proposal. Needless to say we disagree.
This all ignores the main issue however. You are probably familiar
with the comparatively large number of historic vessels in Western
Europe, North America and other "rich" regions where sufficient funds
for restoration cannot be found. This vessel is in Romania, a poor
country with even less available for such schemes. The only Western
European interest in the vessel has been to remove her away from the
Danube altogether.
One of our biggest concerns is the removal of historic Danube vessels
to richer countries where the vessels' Danube heritage is ignored. An
example of this is the paddle steamer Giurgiu (see Historic Vessels
page within www.danube-research.com) which is to be moved to
Switzerland after being rebuilt as the paddle steamer Wengi. In
theory this is against our ideals, but on the other hand, as can be
seen in our photo of the vessel in 2000, she was slowly sinking in
Tulcea so any restoration may be preferable to destruction. [In
addition of course there are vessels which also have a heritage
elsewhere, such as the Clyde-built Steam Yacht Libertatea (Nahlin).]
In an ideal world these historic vessels would be accurately restored
to their original form or that of most historical significance. The
River Danube does not flow through an ideal world.
Further to this I am afraid that Tudor Vladimirescu has deteriorated
noticeably since the website was last updated. I visited the vessel
last summer and she has been returned to long-term lay-up at Chiciu.
After being stripped bare at the shipyard, she is now exposed to the
elements far more than before and is suffering from the extremes of
Romanian weather. On the positive side however the Romanian
Maritime/Naval Museum is showing a strong interest in the vessel and
Galati City Council, supported by Danube Research, has made a
proposal for funding to be allocated to restoring TV. This proposal
is not connected with the "restoration" plans of ECOU design,
although there are still powerful figures who remain in favour of
that design.
This vessel is believed to be the oldest paddle steamer in the world
and despite the 1950s rebuild still has her original hull, engine and
paddles. Let's hope she can yet be restored to her former glory.
Thanks for your interest in this historic paddler. We will update the
website whenever we have any news about the vessel.
Best regards,
Edgar Martin
Director, Danube Research
- Danube Shipping Consultants -
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
E-mail: edgar@danube-research.com
Web: http://www.danube-research.com/