• Home
  • MQPS
    • Work program
    • About MQPS
    • Contact Us
    • Our Sponsors & Links
    • Membership & Donations
    • Volunteers
    • Talks and Presentations
    • Medway Queen - West & Wagons
    • NHS-UK
    • General Steam Navigation
    • Pier Activity Arcade
    • HMS Medway
  • Events & Visits
  • History
  • News
  • SHOPPING
Medway Queen Preservation Society
  • Home
  • MQPS
    • Work program
    • About MQPS
    • Contact Us
    • Our Sponsors & Links
    • Membership & Donations
    • Volunteers
    • Talks and Presentations
    • Medway Queen - West & Wagons
    • NHS-UK
    • General Steam Navigation
    • Pier Activity Arcade
    • HMS Medway
  • Events & Visits
  • History
  • News
  • SHOPPING

Santa's view of Medway Queen

23/12/2021

 
Picture
Picture
"Santa" spotted this the other day - must have been a training flight I guess!

Yes, she's still there - thanks to the broken winch! The yard have achieved a lot over the past months but it has been expensive and has taken more time than we were led to expect. That has meant no paying visitors this Summer and Autumn (Covid prevented them earlier in the year) with a consequent loss of revenue. Our hoped for Members' Day in January is also at risk. Online and mail order has partly filled that gap (thank you all!!) but we're not where we wanted to be in that respect.

Any contributions to replenish the piggy bank would be very welcome. Give Medway Queen a Christmas Present now or treat yourself to one of our books or souvenirs.

Thanks to Andy Gutsell for the photos.
Christmas Donation
Books & Souvenirs
A very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year to you all!
Picture

Medway Queen looks magnificent

12/12/2021

 
Picture
Medway Queen looks magnificent on the Ramsgate slipway (photo: David Stearne).

Unfortunately she is set to continue to look magnificent there for a little while yet. The plan was for her to come off the slip yesterday afternoon and for the tugs to bring her back to Gillingham at the earliest opportunity. The operation had  hardly started and MQ was about a quarter of the way down when the winch jammed. Now we have to wait for that to be fixed.

We have been assured that she is high enough to be in no danger, but it is still a cause of considerable frustration! It is just "one of those things" and we have to make the best of it.

Return of the Queen

9/12/2021

 
Life can be complicated; especially when dealing with ships and towing it seems! 

Bob Wilde took on the project management of this operation at very short notice, for which we owe him many thanks. He has summarised the tow requirements for us as follows below.

​As you can imagine all this is expensive in both time and cash. Your support through donations and sales is as important as ever.
Picture
It is not a simple case of completing work on the MQ and then towing back. The following documents had to be prepared by external agencies and then exchanged between them via me; UK Load Line exemption, Passage Plan, Tow Plan, Insurance Certificates, Tow Contract. All of this is in place.

The MCA and Insurers dictate the weather restrictions for the tow that Pratts (towing company) are obliged to keep within (south to southwesterly wind under 20 knots and swell not exceeding 1m); this has to coincide with the right tide conditions for Ramsgate and Gillingham. There is a sand bar on the approach to Gillingham Pier and we need sufficient depth of water to get both Medway Queen and her tug over that.

Winds and tides etc are in the hands of the gods, not us. Everything is in place. The Tow Master has to approve the return date and time that meets the MCA and Insurance requirements, otherwise full liability may be on him/her.

Photo: Bob Wilde

    Archives

    May 2025
    January 2025
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • MQPS
    • Work program
    • About MQPS
    • Contact Us
    • Our Sponsors & Links
    • Membership & Donations
    • Volunteers
    • Talks and Presentations
    • Medway Queen - West & Wagons
    • NHS-UK
    • General Steam Navigation
    • Pier Activity Arcade
    • HMS Medway
  • Events & Visits
  • History
  • News
  • SHOPPING