[Stevo]

I heard a rumour that the preserved Southampton based Shieldhall has come up against some problems lately. Someone mentioned on a previous thread that it was funding related, I also heard that there was a new EU regulation that would limit the ship's ability to carry passengers out of Southampton water owing to her not being designed for passenger carrying. Can any one shed some light on this rumour and new regulation from our Brussels masters!?

[James_C]

It shouldn't be up to the EU in any shape or form as the MCA has the power to grant exemptions to any vessel in respect of SOLAS/MARPOL etc as long as they're in some way justifiable - i.e. watertight subdivision on 'Waverley' (they wanted to put a bulkhead right in the middle of the engine room, ergo no engine!).

[chadburn]

Stevo, I only heard about her funding problem's, strange about "Passenger Carrying" as she did carry them when she was a working Bovril Boat although these day's it may be that an unaffordable Insurance Premium could be the "Nail in the Coffin" which would be a great pity as she is one of the best example's of a working pair of VTE's around.

[R58484956]

Shieldhall can only carry paxs as far as the Nab Tower, something to do with EU maritime regulations.

[B Wales]

Looks that "Sheildhall" is facing some Funding shortfull of Funds as reported in Southampton's Daily Echo Today.

"SS Shieldhall could be scrapped if vital funds cannot be found"

Sunday 2nd January 2011

TIME is running out in the campaign to save a historic steamship,
writes Emma Streatfield.

It is feared that Hampshire-based SS Shieldhall – described as an important part of Britain’s maritime heritage – could be scrapped if vital funds cannot be found.

As reported by the Daily Echo in November, an emergency appeal has been launched to save the vessel.

The largest remaining sea-going steamship, based at the Port of Southampton, needs its MoT next spring at a cost of £80,000, without which it will be refused a licence to sail and will be broken up.

The deadline inspection date is May.

Built in 1955, SS Shieldhall gives cruises in the Solent and along the south coast of England and is operated by a fully qualified crew together with a shore-based support staff, all of whom are unpaid volunteers.

It is a working example of ship machinery above and below deck that is representative of cargo and passenger ships at sea from the 1870s until the 1960s.

Since 2009, it has been the flagship of the National Historic Ships, a collection of vessels which also includes HMS Victory, Cutty Sark, the former Royal Yacht Britannia, and the paddle steamer Waverley.

The repairs include fuel to take the vessel to a Falmouth shipyard, the docking itself and the maintenance work.

Despite applying for more than 30 grants, so far this has proved unsuccessful.

The charity which runs the ship, The Solent Steam Packet Ltd, is behind the ongoing appeal.

Managing director Graham Mackenzie said it relied solely on revenue from fares and donations to survive.

He said: “Without emergency funding, the historic SS Shieldhall will lose her passenger certificate and therefore her main source of income.

“There may be little choice but to send her to the breaker’s yard.

“This is devastating news for a sea-faring nation and a tragic legacy to leave our children.” • For more information visit ss-shieldhall.co.uk

[brimar]

Check out AIS-LIVE.co.uk sub menu's NEWS, SOLENT NEWS....More info there about money required to Dry Dock her in Possibly Falmouth.

[chadburn]

It would be an absolute disgrace if this vessel ended up scrapped after all the time and effort that has been put into her by the Volunteer's who man her and have raised the Funding in the past.

[B Wales]

Originally Posted by brimar

Check out AIS-LIVE.co.uk sub menu's NEWS, SOLENT NEWS....More info there about money required to Dry Dock her in Possibly Falmouth.

If it costs too much to have her going to Falmouth, why not Portsmouth Dockyard, even if it works out more for Docking, it would be cheaper to get there, even being Towed if need be.

Another idea to save Running Costs, is prehaps some Bio Fuel Product as I assume they use some sort of Heating Oil Grade for the Boilers?.

[stores]

HI, If it was not for the gallant band of unpaid volunteers this country would not have a marine heritage, everything would be scrapped, the Medway Queen was maintained by dedicated such people, for years refused financial help, untill now , when too late to save original hull, now just a replica, goverment does not want to know, , unless it applies to making false expense claims, then they are on the ball, its ok to send billions in aid to so called 3rd world countries, the biggest bandits going, and the amount has been increased, does not matter about UK Heritage, the thousands of hours given by dedicated people counts for nothing, i think all the Ostriches in Africa are extinct, they are all here with there heads in the sand, too many so called do gooders, ! too many stupid Health and Safety rules, makes me wonder how we survived or progressed befor . but we did. but it wont change. you have to be some strange alien organisation to receive help from anyone now. STORES.

[Satanic Mechanic]

Originally Posted by stores

HI, If it was not for the gallant band of unpaid volunteers this country would not have a marine heritage, everything would be scrapped, the Medway Queen was maintained by dedicated such people, for years refused financial help, untill now , when too late to save original hull, now just a replica, goverment does not want to know, , unless it applies to making false expense claims, then they are on the ball, its ok to send billions in aid to so called 3rd world countries, the biggest bandits going, and the amount has been increased, does not matter about UK Heritage, the thousands of hours given by dedicated people counts for nothing, i think all the Ostriches in Africa are extinct, they are all here with there heads in the sand, too many so called do gooders, ! too many stupid Health and Safety rules, makes me wonder how we survived or progressed befor . but we did. but it wont change. you have to be some strange alien organisation to receive help from anyone now. STORES.

Yeesh - they're only ships - bits of steel joined together in the right order. I mean for heavens sake how many old ships do we need and exactly why should the government be paying for them.
That not withstanding, I salute those volunteers who have kept many of these relics going for the enjoyment of others including myself, but lets not get too carried away with their importance in the big scheme of things
H&S - not everyone survived or progressed - people on ships and in the yards died, stupidly, preventably and with monotonous regularity.

[Ron Stringer]

Originally Posted by Satanic Mechanic

H&S - not everyone survived or progressed - people on ships and in the yards died, stupidly, preventably and with monotonous regularity.

Now come on SM, that is stretching it a bit! Very few people die with monotonous regularity - the vast majority die only once.

[NoMoss]

Just been on the Shieldhall website and it is very easy to make a donation online plus with gift aid it is increased by 25%.
It occurs to me that it wouldn't take many members of SN giving £10 to reach the required figure quite quickly and without much strain to anyone.

[Tony D]

Of course if it was a couple of square feet of canvas painted badly by some continental drink addled feckwit the Lotto fund committee would be wetting their collective frilly knickers to hand over millions for it.

[NoMoss]

The appeal calculates that it will cost £11 per minute for about five days and invites people to sponsor a minute.

[Satanic Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Ron Stringer

Now come on SM, that is stretching it a bit! Very few people die with monotonous regularity - the vast majority die only once.

True

What can I say - it was late and I wasn't concentrating

[Satanic Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Tony D

Of course if it was a couple of square feet of canvas painted badly by some continental drink addled feckwit the Lotto fund committee would be wetting their collective frilly knickers to hand over millions for it.

example?

[chadburn]

Originally Posted by Satanic Mechanic

example?

Picasso, do you make any sense of them?

[Satanic Mechanic]

Originally Posted by chadburn

Picasso, do you make any sense of them?

I'm fairly ambivelent towards Picasso, some of his work is wonderful but Cubism tends to give me a headache, my Mothers neighbour is absolutely mad about him (and Renoir). As a general rule though I prefer Modern Art to many of the more classical forms.

[Tony D]

Example?
RAPHAEL'S Madonna of the Pinks The Madonna of the Pinks (circa 1506-1507, Italian: La Madonna dei garofani) is an early devotional painting by the Italian Renaissance master Raphael. It is painted in oils on fruitwood and now hangs in the National Gallery, London.
..... Click the link for more information. has been saved for the nation with an [pounds sterling]11.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

[Satanic Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Tony D

Example?
RAPHAEL'S Madonna of the Pinks The Madonna of the Pinks (circa 1506-1507, Italian: La Madonna dei garofani) is an early devotional painting by the Italian Renaissance master Raphael. It is painted in oils on fruitwood and now hangs in the National Gallery, London.
..... Click the link for more information. has been saved for the nation with an [pounds sterling]11.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

One of the most ground breaking and famous renaissance paintings from a true master. Internationally extremely significant and remarkably maintenance free. .

Of course it may not be to everyones taste but a I would wager that it will give pleasure and inspiration to a lot more people for an awful lot longer than any preserved steamship

On balance I would say a better investment than an old steamship.

Its not really comparing like with like though, there is a place for art in this world as there is a place for industrial heritage or that matter agricultural heritage. Big problem with heritage pieces are they cost an absolute fortune to maintain - so it goes without saying there will be a limit to their number.

[Tony D]

I dont think the average granny or pensioner or single mum buying his or her lotto tickets in the the corner shop care doodely squat about the renaissance or its painting, saved for the nation my arrse,saved for the arty farty elites more likely,elites that have far to much influence on how lottery monies are distributed, mostly to their friends in the arts from what I can see,with the occasional crumb thrown to the real world.
The Vulcan Flying and the Tornado built without a crumb from those bastards

[Satanic Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Tony D

I dont think the average granny or pensioner or single mum buying his or her lotto tickets in the the corner shop care doodely squat about the renaissance or its painting, saved for the nation my arrse,saved for the arty farty elites more likely,elites that have far to much influence on how lottery monies are distributed, mostly to their friends in the arts from what I can see,with the occasional crumb thrown to the real world.
The Vulcan Flying and the Tornado built without a crumb from those bastards

Ach well - I rather like it

[Tony D]

Sorry Mr S,one was a tad harsh but I have a particular Bee in my bonnet about the arts or what passes for same these days,one is not a complete philistine.
Still,I prefer the way we filled our museums in the past, we didnt need no lottery fund grant, our chaps just went ashore kicked the natives arrses and took what we wanted,now the cheeky buggas are all howling for it back.

[Stevo]

A lot of lotto money is wasted and it can be argued that some is wasted on heritage even the Medway Queen which has had a fair share pumped into it and for what? The Shieldhall is hardly a great example of our maritime heritage and asvfor her engines the average person in the street does not care, in their minds it too will be a waste of lotto money.

[NoMoss]

I agree, everyone has a different view on what should be protected/preserved and how money is spent.
I believe that an old operating steamship, of admittedly uninspiring background, is worth spending a relativly small amount of money to keep it operational. I have sent my donation which will pay for one minute of the proposed dry-docking time and it is up to individuals to make their own choices and decisions.