PS Ryde : last ditch "save it from scrap" appeal

[Peter Mugridge]

I have received this in an e-mail forwarded to me today by someone who gets the Marinestore mailings.

Why are so many important "last of" vessels all falling under thread in such a short space of time recently?
 

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An Appeal:

This is not one of our usual emails; we are supporting the Paddle Steamer Ryde Trust in their efforts to prevent the dismantling of PS Ryde, a vessel that some of our older subscribers may have had to avoid in the Solent many years ago!
 

( Picture of the hulk not posted due to the copyright reasons below, however images can be found here: http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=paddle+steamer+ryde+hulk&gbv=2&aq=f&oq= and the first two look like the same picture used in the e-mailing. )


The hulk of the paddle steamer Ryde at the Island Harbour Marina on the River Medina between Newport and East Cowes. Launched in 1937 and now abandoned, she operated ferry services between Portsmouth and Ryde until the 1960s.

  © Copyright Kevin Flynn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
 

You may wish to add your name to a petition as part of a last ditch attempt to halt the scrapping of this iconic vessel. The P.S. Ryde was laid down for the Southern Railway in 1936 and for many years operated the Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pierhead route. We are sure that many of us will have sampled her delights!

For some time the PS Ryde Trust has been endeavouring to purchase the vessel for preservation and restoration but after promising progress negotiations have broken down and dismantling has started. A long shot, but a web-petition is active aiming to halt the scrapping, and if you feel that this is a worthy objective, you may wish to "sign" the petition which can be found at

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/PSRyde/

The petition closes on 2 March.
 

PS Rob - she was built at Dumbarton, not a million miles from, err... what's that other shipyard...?!
 

[Clyde Paddler]

Oh dear, I hadn't realised she was looking quite as bad as this link shows :

http://hhvferry.com/blog/category/blog-posts/

I think I would have to agree with their sentiments, that there can be no come-back from here.  A sad demise for another Denny vessel on which my grandpa Strachan had input in the construction 

[Peter Mugridge]

HMG rejected the petition - the official response gushed on about those other historical vessels which are preserved, like the Cutty Sark, Great Britain and so on.

Which completely missed the point of the petition in the first place!

[Twynkle]

Here she is as she was...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/hampshire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8523000/8523917.stm

[Jem]

Sad end for this Paddler PS Ryde.......http://www.solentwaters.co.uk/JAlbumnews/Recentnews/slides/psryde.html#picttop

Thanks to Tony's site.

[Bob C.]

There is a paddle steamer in this photo I took during the International Fleet Review in June of 1977.  Its a bit small (and a stern view) but can anyone identify it?  Given PS Ryde is from the Isle of Wight and the review took place in the Solent, I'm wondering if this could be her.

Click here to see a larger version - https://www.flickr.com/photos/33120597@N03/4623402658/

[Twynkle]

Hi Bob,

Looks as if PS Ryde wasn't there, however - PS Balmoral was there and so was  Favourite - Naval paddle steamer tug!
http://www.pictureships.com/Img/Photogalery/14/ipage00016.htm

[Clydebuilt1971]

There is a paddle steamer in this photo I took during the International Fleet Review in June of 1977.  Its a bit small (and a stern view) but can anyone identify it?  Given PS Ryde is from the Isle of Wight and the review took place in the Solent, I'm wondering if this could be her.

Click here to see a larger version - https://www.flickr.com/photos/33120597@N03/4623402658/

Hi Bob,

The tug in question is a Director class paddle tug - one of a class of seven built on the Clyde 1957-58 to service the then new fleet of aircraft carriers. They were diesel electric propulsion and were very manouverable. Their lack of air draft allowed them to get in underneath the overhanging bows of the carriers.

The class were named as follows:

Director, Dexterous, Faithful, Forceful, Griper, Grinder & Favourite.

For more pics and information goto http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/search.asp - if you type paddle tug in the "Ship Type" box and then scroll down to the bottom of the resultant list you will see all seven director class tugs.

I've also attached a photo from my collection of the first of class -  RMAS Director. I think this may have been a Yarrows trials photo.

Hope this is of help!!  

[Bob C.]

The info on this website never ceases to amaze me.  Thanks Clydebuilt for closing the circle on this!

[Peter Mugridge]

I've been advised the PS Ryde has been given a ( two month??? ) stay of execution for a last ditch attempt to save her.

[Peter Mugridge]

By a miracle, the Ryde is saved... and article in the current issue of Steam Railway magazine ( issue 486, page 25 ) states that work on salvaging her has just begun, that she has been found to be stronger than thought and that it is hoped to move her from her present location in July 2019.

She will need to be dismantled and moved in sections.

The current situation is that specialist ship restoration company Siward and Co are in the final stages of negotiation to acquire her and that discussions are taking place with regard to obtaining all the necessary licences for the actual physical work.

[Clydebuilt1971]

By a miracle, the Ryde is saved... and article in the current issue of Steam Railway magazine ( issue 486, page 25 ) states that work on salvaging her has just begun, that she has been found to be stronger than thought and that it is hoped to move her from her present location in July 2019.

She will need to be dismantled and moved in sections.

The current situation is that specialist ship restoration company Siward and Co are in the final stages of negotiation to acquire her and that discussions are taking place with regard to obtaining all the necessary licences for the actual physical work.

Hi Peter,

Siward were effectively crowd funding for the £5k needed to apply for the necessary permits and take ownership of the vessel. They reached their target earlier this week.

This is the first stage in a very long process to get what is effectively a hulk moved. The Medway Queen Preservation Society succeeded in getting Heritage Lottery money to build a new riveted hull for the ship around 10 years ago and as a far as I am aware Siward intend to explore that route also but despite there being "previous" I think that another avenue of funding will be required as HLF are unlikely to provide funds to rebuild another paddle steamer as their criteria for funding has changed massively since Waverley and Medway Queen were granted money - PLUS they have recently declined ps Maid of The Loch - a much much more viable project than Ryde.

When I was on PSPS National Council ten years ago we did look at Ryde with a view to preserving her main engines but her hull(which was in better condition than it is now) was already in poor condition at that point. PSPS decided not to move forward with anything as there was nowhere at the time in a position to store / display the engines had they been removed plus an example of Denny Bros triple expansion diagonal engine exists (removed from ps Caledonia after her devastating fire on the Thames in 1980) - Ryde's are of the same design (Brock Valve gear etc etc)

ps Caledonia Engines
ps Caledonia

Whilst I wish Siward the very best of luck (I know Lisa Turner - the MD) they will need to put forward a really good case for the ship to get people / organisations to fund her restoration.

Gav

[Peter Mugridge]

That's interesting that you know the right person, Gavin.  Is it possible that you could ask just how accurate the article in Steam Railway is?  It's usually a very reliable and spot on source, so it would be interesting to compare what they said with what the situation actually is right now.

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hi Peter,

I met Lisa on a CRSC (Clyde River Steamer Club) outing round Arran on Calmac ferry mv Isle of Arran in January and we have been in touch a couple of times since.

I know that she is on IoW just now but I'll drop her a line and ask if she could give me some words to post here about future plans etc.

A lot of my contacts came from being involved with Waverley and Balmoral Peter and I feel lucky and privileged to know so many!

Watch this space....

Gav

[Peter Mugridge]

If she's on the Isle of Wight right now, I would hazard a guess that she is there as part of the negotiations mentioned in Steam Railway...?


Lest anyone should wonder why a railway magazine is reporting on this, the connection is of course the former ownership of the P.S. Ryde.