OUR SUPPORT FROM THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND

UPDATE: 1st SEPTEMBER 2008 - Contract for a new hull at last.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has given permission to John Kempton, Chairman of the Medway Queen Preservation Society, to offer Mr David Abels the contract to build the hull of the Medway Queen.

Mr Abels own the Albion Dry Dock at Bristol and trades as David Abels (Boatbuilders). He put in a quote to build the hull using traditional skills and following plans that date back to 1924 when the ship was originally built.

Special interest is expected as this will be the first fully-riveted ship to be built in an English shipyard for fifty years. Modern health and safety standards, of course, will be adhered to throughout. The little paddler has a famous neighbor in the shape of the SS Great Britain which is in the next dry-dock, within walking distance.

Brian Goodhew, spokesman for the Medway Queen Preservation Society, welcomed the excellent news. He said, “I believe that now things are happening after many years people will take a renewed interest. This is the first chapter in a new beginning.”

UPDATE: JANUARY 7th 2008

As reported at our AGM, (2007) Heritage Lottery Fund's technical advisers had asked the Society to go back to the drawing board and seek quotations for a fully riveted hull to the original specifications.

Eleven shipyards were approached and four-three in the UK, one in Norway, were prepared to tender for the work. We also approached the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and two classification Societies (Det Norske Veritas and Lloyds) to find out whether it would be possible for a ship built to 1924 standards of construction to eventually obtain a passenger certificate. We were able to report that, rather against initial expectations, it might well be possible to obtain a passenger
certificate for a ship build to the 1924 standards.

But further investigation revealed that even in 1924 Medway Queen did not match the standards. A ship built to the dimensions of Medway Queen and to the 1924 Lloyds standards would be around 20% heavier than Medway Queen was and, given the very limited dead-weight capacity of Medway Queen as built, such a ship would be unable to carry passengers.

So the only practicable solution to building a hull to match the Lloyds requirements will be to use modern welded construction. HLF felt that to use modern construction for the hull with limited use of rivets where they would have been visible on the old hull (generally, in machinery spaces not usually visible to the public) was a sufficiently large departure from our stated intention to re-build the ship using traditional methods wherever practicable, to require their Trustees approval before proceeding further.

The relevant Trustees' meeting was on 5th December 2007, and our next task is to prepare the case for the Trustees approval and to have contracts ready for starting work early in the New Year.

 

20TH SEPTEMBER 2007 - HLF CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR 'MEDWAY QUEEN' REBUILDING

On Monday 17th September Chairman, Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the Society, together with our Technical adviser Wyn Davies and Jonathan Shaw MP met with senior officers of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). At the meeting HLF re-confirmed that they were committed to providing £1.861 million towards re-building 'Medway Queen's hull' and that the reason for the delay in starting was to ensure the conservation issues had been addressed properly before contracts were signed.

As reported at the AGM, HLF's technical advisers had asked MQPS to go back to the drawing board and seek quotations for a fully riveted hull to the original specifications. 11 shipyards were approached and four - three in the UK, one in Norway, were prepared to tender for the work. We also approached the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and two classification Societies (Det Norske Veritas and Lloyds) to find out whether it would be possible for a ship built to 1924 standards of construction to eventually obtain a passenger certificate. We were able to report that, rather against initial expectations, it might well be possible to obtain a passenger certificate for a ship build to the 1924 standards, but further investigation revealed that even in 1924 'Medway Queen' did not match the standards. A ship built to the dimensions of 'Medway Queen' and to the 1924 Lloyds standards would be around 20% heavier than 'Medway Queen' was and, given the very limited deadweight capacity of 'Medway Queen' as built, such a ship would be unable to carry passengers. So the only practicable solution to building a hull to match the Lloyds requirements will be to use modern welded construction.

HLF felt that to use modern construction for the hull, with limited use of rivets where they would have been visible on the old hull (generally, in machinery spaces not usually visible to the public) was a sufficiently large departure from our stated intention to re-build the ship using traditional methods wherever practicable, to require their Trustees approval before proceeding further. The relevant Trustees' meeting is on 5th December, and our next task is to prepare the case for the Trustees approval and to have contracts ready for starting work early in the New Year.

In the process of reviewing the case for riveted construction we have learned much about the pros and cons of traditional steel shipbuilding methods - as indeed have the HLF. 'Medway Queen' continues to pioneer new territory in maritime preservation!

The Society are very grateful to Jonathan Shaw MP for taking time out from his ministerial duties to participate in this riveting discussions with the HLF.

Bob Barnes Treasurer MQPS, on behalf of the Committee.

 

6TH AUGUST 2007

On the 22nd of June 2006 the Heritage Lottery Fund agreed in principal to award the maximum of £1.861 million towards the rebuild of the hull of the Medway Queen.

The consultants Frazer-Nash Ltd, working on behalf of the Medway Queen then prepared a detailed budget and time scale for the project to meet the HLF requirements for stage 2, this was met with approval on 1st December 2006.

The contract was put out to tender, and three Shipyards responded, further refinements and discussions took place, and it was agreed in principal to negotiate a detailed contract with A&P Hebburn Yard, on Tyneside, for rebuilding the hull.

In order to ensure on lottery advice, that as much as possible of the existing structure could be saved, a contract was entered with G.P.S. Marine based on the Medway for sympathetic dismantling of the ship. This was done for the fixed price of £280.000. The contract was successfully complete by October 2006. Metalwork from the ship is currently stored at GPS, and volunteers at Damhead Creek are refurbishing timber decking as saved.

With the contract drawn up, work was to have started on the hull the first week in May and the complete hull would be ready early 2008. Towing back to the Medway was included in the cost and once delivered fitting out could start.

The HLF on checking the contract took advice, and pointed out that the ship should have a fully riveted hull. The Medway Queen Preservation Society had put forward a plan for a fully welded ship, with rivets for show purpose.

The HLF have instructed their consultants to work with the MQ

PS in finding a shipyard to do this work, and to get a quote back to HLF.

 

PREVIOUS HISTORY OF LOTTERY APPLICATIONS

After the rejection of our application for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, it has have suggested by them, to try to help the Medway Queen by looking at an application for a smaller grant.
This would be less than five million pounds, possibly being decided by the South Eastern Committee, which deals with more local projects, as opposed to the Trusties which deals with UK wise projects.
The figure of two million pounds plus has been banded around, for possible restoration of the hull. The committee have been advised to look at the possibilities to securer funding, by costing this for its feasibility, and the future of the ship, bearing in mind to make access and learning a strong part of this application.
We hope that we will not have to go through all the application as before, but only time will tell.

Albeit the society have looked at these options and tried to contact the HLF, they seem conspicuous by their absence when efforts are made to contact the relevant people or bodies.
Being on holiday, working from home , or need for others to decide, what a coincidence. All this possible help being hearsay, nothing in writing.

 

Three Committee members, John Kempton (Chairman), Noreen Chambers (Secretary), and Brian Burton (Vice Chairman), met Mr Johnson and also Dr Michael Houghton of the HLF on Monday 23rd August 2004 in London.
The society expressed their concerns regarding the frail condition of the Medway Queen, and the necessity of action sooner than later, possibly a pontoon and or replating.
They advise us to go back and work on details of our requirements relating to this possibility, and summit them. They seem to be supportive of our project, but will mean more meetings to come before we know any outcome; the door seems to be still open at present.
We will then look forward to a response from the HLF, albeit this time it be a claim for less than five million, which could be dealt with by the South East committee, and not the trustees.

The problem being that we could well have to go through the whole process again to even lodge another bid, the Medway Queen cannot continually wait in the "wings" she may not have the time to do this.

 

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
Meanwhile e-mail's of support have arrived from world-wide 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

The Queen needs help more now than ever before.
Can someone out there please help?

The Heritage Lottery Fund has REJECTED our second bid for funding.
Our initial official response to the media and to any inquirers 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.

 

How the grants System works
Applications for less than £5 million are dealt with month by month and decisions are relatively swift. Most grants of this type are for very much less than £5 million.

Applications for over £5 million are dealt with in batches once every six months and the applications are competing with one another.

The whole sum for a grant is put aside when granted even if the project might take several years. It is not possible to make a series of small applications for one project over a period of time.