Re the Medway Queen paddle steamer.
If they thought the hard times was behind them, how wrong they were, they had a site that had to be made usable, a ship to maintain, and last but not least, really start to raise fund so desperately needed.
They also had a vessel once again sunk, albeit the truth was not told about this at the time. On arriving at Damhead, after a successful trip from Chatham Dockyard wall, it was to find a barge moored at the wharf that was designated for the boat. This was eventually move, before they could berth the vessel, sadly the tide had turned, and she hit bottom on the mudflat around the berth, resulting damaging the underside of the hull. With all pumps going, they managed to force the vessel to the berth, where she duly sunk.
The official story was that they arrived safety, but let her go down because had no confidence that she could stay afloat with no supervision.
What a sad end to a very successful start, always the unexpected. A very sad and demoralised lot went home that night, only to come back to get things moving at the weekend again.
It was to be a long time again before they were to attempt to raise her again, difference's of opinion was to cause some very good members to leave, some being committee members.
The skills to raise her were no longer with us, so we concentrated on preserving what now was above the water line, being more than at Chatham. Also the site was made workable, acquired second-hand porter buildings and a caravan as a mess room. The existing brick building were converted to workshop, toilets and later cover for our Main Generator.
It was not to be until 1991 that the boat was to float again. This was partly due to John Allan a member of the PSPS, also of our society, with our members spent many month in the mud, some outside the boat and some inside, to fix marine plywood patches to the hull, bolted with mastic either side of patches, very much like a sandwich. This meant slowly working around the hull until all suspect areas had been dealt with. This still works very effectively to this day.
Once again The Medway Queen was afloat, work began with more zest, to make her look at least her best, albeit cosmetic. This was achieve in a few years, holding functions aboard from time to time, even starting to convert below decks, one being a carpenters shop. They had started the first attempt to obtain funds from the Lottery. Spirits were high, the feeling of being on our way now. Money was spent on consultants, re the stability of the boat this seem to be promising, the Business Plan was drawn up and eventually submitted, systems all go now.
Sadly the application was turned down, on the grounds that the Business Plan did not allow for other options, other than complete restoration to return to service. Which had been advised from most quarters. This rejection was later to be criticised at a Government Select Committee, saying this should have been dealt with better. In the mean time they had to deal with a few minor leaks in the hull, which was fully expected to happen from time to time.
Over the Christmas Holiday 1997, much to their dismay, the Medway Queen was to sink, owing to being to complacent, no cover was made available over the Holiday. Just this one time letting their guard down was to prove a disaster. The pumps onboard had failed, even the emergency pump was to be used to late to stop a complete sinking. They suffered a large loss of plant , and more damage was suffered by water trying to find its way out of the hull than going in. As most of the plating had been in place since 1924, it now began to show its weak points, more holes were now visible around the boat. Between tides, they slowly remove all the equipment on board, most now beyond redemption. It was to be many months before she was to be raised again, never to look so good again, or used again with safety for functions.
However, after the shock of this set back, they now had the know how to repair the hull, once more some less resilient working members seemed to drift away, remainder set too on this task. Many months were to go by before she was raised again, this was achieved by 1998. There are two ways to learn in life, the hard way or the easy way, they always seen to chose the former.
Once again a clean up and painting was undertaken, now less people to do all this, and all getting older, and tired. One ray of hope was open, a possible move to Historic Dockyard, Chatham. If this was to be, all asbestos on board had to be removed before hand, this was undertaken at quite a cost, about £12.000. In the meantime the funnel was now considered unsafe, and removed. This would have possible been removed anyway to get into the covered slip that was in mind. Negotiations were in progress with the Dockyard, sadly the terms were out of our reach at that time, if not ever. To complete the move, including gaining access into the slip, was a possible £300.000, and the about £75.000 rent per year. I begin to think the maritime powers have little interest if any to save this historic ship at all.
It was at this time that the local General Municipal Boilermakers union (GMB) became interested in the project, this was to prove to be a shot in the arm, and raised hopes for most, albeit one or two were not sure about getting a union on board. Most of these doubts were soon to be dispelled. Having a new funnel built was to be their first move, built by Apprentices at Appledore Shipyard, in Devon, at no cost to the society. They decided to also have the 'Fiddly' re built (upstand which funnel stands on) which with the delivery of funnel and installation within the 'Historical Dockyard' society paid for these.
In the meantime the local GMB was exploring the possibility to get the Medway MPs on board, this resulted in Jonathan Shaw MP put up a "One Day Motion" in the House of Commons, to get MPs to back the motion to get the Medway Queen on to the "Core Collection" of the Historic Ships for restoration. The ship was only on the "Designated List" standing little chance of help here. This is still up and running to this day, albeit 64 MPs have signed, it was hoped that at least 100 would have been the target.
The second attempt to get Lottery funding is now under way, this time they are wiser, and a bit more financial variable to try this. More influence is now available, if they cannot make it this time, all is lost. In the meantime, it is necessary to look at the possibility to get the ship out of the water, her survival is a matter of concern. The sad condition is so obvious now, it is a matter of when rather than will she sink again. A pontoon, of floating dock, even out an on to the land, is the only possible way to keep her in one piece.
Waverley Excursions have been contracted at the cost of £40.000 to draw up a feasibility plan for the restoration of the Medway Queen, that the Heritage Lottery Fund will require for the society to have any hope of funding. The total sum required could be £6.000.000 at the present date.
10% to 25% of this sum must be providing by the society, being quite a lot to have to raise, being £600.000 for 10% or £1.500.000 for 25%, the latter may prove to be out of their reach.
Waverley Excursions have taken over a year to produce this document, albeit still needing refinement before presenting to the Heritage Lottery; bearing in mind this is only the first of the few in this attempt.
It could be years before they get funding at this rate if any, I hope the Medway Queen can last that long, it will not because of the 'few' trying, but because of the 'powers to be' indifference.
As they look at entering the 20th year in try to restore this ship, the Medway Queen will be in its 80th year also, lets hope for better in 2004.
As we now enter the new year 2004, all they now hope for is the lottery funding, that is now so crucial to this project, without it what next?
I can see little chance of a way forward without this support.
They have at least the GMB Union on board, being quite a boost to their project, in turn the South East Co-op have given a grant of over £4.000 towards the rebuilding of the paddle box's, which are now underway. These are being built on site at present.
The society are in a better position than they have been at anytime, wiser, financial, and more with it, than when they started this project. If a group is more deserving than any other project, this must be the just response from the powers to be. But without political backing all could be lost, if left to 'Quangos' to decide.
The Society has now received from the Waverley Excursions the 'Business Plan' and Conservation Plan' for our application for Lottery Funding. This has now be sent to the Heritage Lottery Fund. This could take all of three months to received an answer before going on to stage two (May).
Albeit that the Heritage Lottery Fund have stated, and quote:
'The Heritage Lottery Fund has been in discussion with the Medway Queen Preservation Society about a possible application for the conservation of the Medway Queen. We have drawn to the Society's attention that it would not be a high priority for HLF to consider such a costly project in the budget circumstances which are likely to prevail for the foreseeable future. It is of course open to the Society to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund', unquote.
I leave this to your imagination whatever that implies?
The Society have now submitted its Bid for Lottery Funding.
Members of the committee met with the lottery representatives on site on Tuesday 8th of June 2004, they now wait to hear what they have to offer the society, which should be by the 20th July 2004.
The Society has been inform that the bid for funding has failed, surprise, surprise. I will not comment to much at this stage, only give the official response to this disgraceful, and totally unacceptable decision:
The Heritage Lottery Fund has REJECTED our bid for funding.
Our initial official response to the media and to any enquirers will be:
1. Our Society is disappointed that the HLF has rejected our bid for funding to save this famous ship.
2. The main reason for rejection appears to be " the ship does not have enough heritage value to justify the expense of restoration"
3. The Heritage Lottery Fund claims to be short of funds
4. The officials of the HLF feel that the ship would not make enough profit in service despite evidence by our expert and professional advisors.
5. Our Society regrets that the views of the Heritage Lottery Fund, are not very defined and also imbalanced.
This is our first response. A more detailed official response from the committee will be prepared and circulated to the local and national media, preservation journals, MPs and supporters. All society members will be contacted by post.
Committee members of the Medway Queen Preservation Society met on board the ship, Tuesday 27th July to discuss the future now that our Lottery bid had been rejected.
While rejecting our bid, Stephen Johnson a Director of the lottery fund, said on Radio Kent, that they were fully aware of the Medway Queen's situation and are looking for a way of helping in a smaller way.
We are now going to seek an appointment with Mr Johnson, with the request of help in a rescue plan; the plan will cover a varied selection:
Possible hull replating, or down to the price of a pontoon, or dry dock. (My opinion is that they will offer, if any, the restoration of the engines, which is totally out of keeping with the project)
Meanwhile e-mails of support have arrived from worldwide and other preservation society also struggling to preserve historic ships, none of which have as much history as the Medway Queen.
The Daily Mail had said in the past "The Medway Queen is live history, she must be saved"
Special thanks at this point, for Radio Kent, BBC TV, Radio Mersey, Medway Messenger, KM Radio and Kent on Sunday for all their help, Also the crew of the "Manxman" (we wish you better luck)
Looking to the future, if this rescue plan should fail, there is no future for the Medway Queen, and the long struggle comes to an end. Much to the shame of the country
I also now feel that the Heritage Lottery Fund had no intention of helping the Medway Queen, in the past, present or future. After all the paddler was the "Working mans pleasure transport" it's historic past means little, if indeed it had been a prestigious craft, such as the Britannia, lottery money would be lavished on it as if money was going out of fashion.
Our knock back from the Heritage Lottery fund was bad enough, but now we have suffered a devastating act of vandalism by arson.
On the 28th August 2004, some mindless people in their wisdom took it upon themselves to set fire to our Visitor Centre on site late in the evening. Not only loss of stock in our shop, and tools belonging to our "Thursday Gang" but much archive materials were destroyed never to be replaced.
It is hard enough to keep the ship afloat and looking reasonably presentable, and battling the power to be for funding for the last 20 years, but this is mind boggling to understand.
If this is the future for our island, god help the future for our heritage, not many are out there for us at this rate.
Since all of this, In 2005, the Heritage Lottery Fund has indicated that they would really like to help this project, but in a some what smaller way. It seems that a more local committee of the fund is able to assist in smaller claims. This is able to look at claims less than five million pounds, with a local project in mind. This is now what the society is going to look at (what else) also it seems we are now eligible to apply for a up front grant to pay for consultation for the ship and business plan relevant to the project up to £50.000. This grant has now been applied for, the society are looking at £30.000+ for this Purpose.
if and when this is granted, the whole process is to start again. Then they have to apply for the £1.000.000+ needed to replate the hull, as a stop gap. (Given the nod and wink from powers to be) Please bear in mind this option was frown on in the past attempts to obtain funding, as considered only part of the project.
In the meantime the Medway Queen is fast approaching the point of no return, it has sunk and been raised more times than I care to remember in the last ten years.
While the few work their guts out to achieve this, for free, the 'Quangos' have their monthly meetings ( only drawing expense's, which at times are more than some working men weekly take home wage is)
I feel that all this is no more than a stalling game, hoping that the project will no longer be variable. Which is quite possible after twenty years of massive input by the few. To sum it up, it is not what you know, but who you know that wins the day. Nothing to do with historic preservation at all.
May I point out that the 'Mary Rose' is no more the drift wood, yet millions have been expended on this project. Have we to wait until this is the position of the 'Medway Queen' We are all getting to old in the tooth to carry on any more, few of the younger generation care anyway, I feel so sad that twenty years of my life as well as others have been spent on this cause, possibly to no avail, but who cares anyway?
Len Knight, member of the MQPS.
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