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Planet Lightship In Distress In Liverpool

23K views 79 replies 19 participants last post by  znord737 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello To all at S.N.
The Mersey Bar lightship PLANET which is presently located in the Albert Dock in Liverpool is in imminant danger of being
sent to the scrapyard due to a serious shortage of funds.
An urgent appeal by the lightships owner Alan Roberts and from the members of the MRMS (Marine radio museums society volunteers) are presently trying desperately to raise the funding to help save PLANET and were hoping that some members of S.N. may like to help with a donation to this very worthwhile appeal.
If you ever sailed in or out of Liverpool Planet was the last thing you saw when sailing from Liverpool and also the first thing you saw arriving back in the Mersey.
A special donation website appeal has been set up and we certainly hope that you will have a look at it.

https://www.chuffed.org/project/savetheplanetliverpool


Many thanks in anticipation.
Freddythefrog

If any S.N.moderator sees this appeal please could you place it on the S.N. site where it will be seen by ALL viewers not just the radio/electronics viewers. Thank You
L
 

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#5 ·
Hi Guys Stan McNally here 45 years working for Marconi.
Now working hard to save the Planet Lightship. Can't understand why we only have 14 supporters on the donations site. We are desperately trying to turn the tide and keep here safe. If we can get the ten grand to pay off the berthing fees, we will be in with a chance for her to start earning her keep. Come on guys we all must have sailed past her in the past and we want to keep for the future and as a memory to our Merchant Navy, if only Two thousand of us put in a fiver it will be done. Surely we are not the only ones that want to try.
Best regards,

Stan the man one of the Planerteers
 
#8 ·
Bring back Planet Lightship to Liverpool.

The current situation is that over 650 have signed email 38 Degrees petition since 5th Dec launch supporting Planet to be returned to Liverpool. Petition started by Mr J. B. of Liverpool. The idea is to persuade the local M.P and also the Chair of CR&T to get her returned. The mooring fees owed were paid but because of costs of towing her away on 200 mile trip around Wales before that she was not returned. Planet is being sold by auction 16 Dec by sealed bid most likely for the scrap despite being in fairly good condition to recoup towing costs. So it looks as if she may well be crossing the bar.

She was the last manned lightship in Britain as well as part of Liverpool's maritime heritage.

Full story with photos and info regarding funding of CR&T can be seen if you Google

Bring back Planet Lightship to Liverpool followed by 38" degrees
 
#10 ·
Bring back Planet Lightship to Liverpool.



Re you question. I was sent what is on label below on 5th Dec by rtrd Liverpool R/O which tells the Planet Lightship saga and current situation urging people to sign petition. It says looking fees were paid in the end and does not mention the previous appeal for money. 5th Dec was date of launch of 38 Degrees petition.

Planet was also used by a group of rtrd Liverpool R/Os who previously used Fort Perch as their radio station putting on special events.

Probably best to ask Stan (re thread) your question as he was tied up with appeal for funds when the mooring fees were outstanding which according to info on label were paid. Hence why some people think CR&T action unfair.

Label tells full story and photos

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/bring-back-liverpool-s-planet-lightship
 
#11 ·
Planet Lightship - new update

This came through from petition organiser seconds after I posted last one to all who had signed petition. Tsrc It appears the local labour MP now wants to help.


lMany thankys for your fantastic response - almost 700 supporters already!

Liverpool's Lightship is up for sale by C&RT next Friday - so we have exactly Seven days to Save the Planet!

Some good news - Riverside MP Louise Ellman has contacted Merseyside Civic Society to ask how she can help.

That's a tribute to all your superb support this week. Lorna Hughes at the Liverpool Echo have also been great and ran an article on the petition on Wednesday:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/petition-launched-bid-bring-liverpool-12285922

So please keep sharing and signing!

Remember, one week today it's Black Friday for the Red Planet unless we succeed in getting Allan Leighton, Chair of the Canal & River Trust, to halt the sale and bring her home. Thank you!

(NonConform Design have gifted us this fabulous campaign logo - feel free to share!)
 
#13 ·
There is an organisation called the National Historic Ships Uk. The official voice for historic vessels of the Untied Kingdom.

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.php

There is a National Register of Historic Vessels (NRHV) on this web site showing 1147 listed vessels covering a complete range of craft. The Planet does not appear on this register and it would appear considering the significance to the Maritime History of this nation that its a significant omission especially as it is the last remaining Light Ship.

This country is too fond of loosing its heritage to the whims of accountants and people whose only desire is too make a profit. The C&RT brief is the canals and rivers not the vessels that use them and they likely have no interest whatsoever in a sea going vessel such as the Planet which means it's all down to money in their eyes.

There are a significant number of people in this country with an awful lot of money, I agree there are many causes for too little resources however perhaps an individual could step up now and prevent the potential lose of the last light vessel to the scrap yard.
 
#14 · (Edited)
There is an organisation called the National Historic Ships Uk. The official voice for historic vessels of the Untied Kingdom.

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.php

There is a National Register of Historic Vessels (NRHV) on this web site showing 1147 listed vessels covering a complete range of craft. The Planet does not appear on this register and it would appear considering the significance to the Maritime History of this nation that its a significant omission especially as it is the last remaining Light Ship.

This country is too fond of loosing its heritage to the whims of accountants and people whose only desire is too make a profit. The C&RT brief is the canals and rivers not the vessels that use them and they likely have no interest whatsoever in a sea going vessel such as the Planet which means it's all down to money in their eyes.

There are a significant number of people in this country with an awful lot of money, I agree there are many causes for too little resources however perhaps an individual could step up now and prevent the potential lose of the last light vessel to the scrap yard.
Planet isn't the last light ship. Apart from a number preserved either as light ship museums or for other purposes, Trinity House still use nine light ships around the UK coast, although they are no longer manned and are fully automated.

This perhaps explains why Planet is not on the register? It should be noted that there are 20 light ships on the register, of which four are in the historic fleet, all of which are older than the Planet and two that are over 100 years older.

Planet is/was privately owned, so at the end of the day, the present fate is down to no one else but the last owner.
 
#17 ·
Planet lightship update on court case outcome Monday 19th Chester Monday 19th Dec is discussed page 33/34 on Thunderboat site,, llabel below. P39 has the posted article from yesterday's private Eye magazine page 40 titled "what planet are they on". P40 on Thunderboat site has You tube of informative interview with owner after court case.

http://thunderboat.boards.net/thread/642/bar-lightship-impounded-crt-yesterday?page=1

There are now around 1350 people that have signed the 38 degrees petition. There are more updates on petition site, and MP etc and more labels to newspaper articles. That label is on previous post.
 
#19 ·
I am not surprised by Liverpool council or whoever runs the city have not supported the gallant efforts to keep the lightship ,they have never helped to preserve our maritime history,they would rather we were swept under the carpet ,as I have posted before the only W.w2 vessel on Merseyside is a cut up German u.boat an insult to our lost men and women of the M.N.
 
#21 ·
There is a photo of Planet at Sharpness docks dated 15th Dec 2016. If you Google
Facebook Association of lighthouse keepers and scroll to
15th Dec, there is a post saying 1000 signed petition and photo of Planet being towed. Same photo as in Liverpool Echo photo. If you click on 1 comment beneath by a Steve Morgan, and it says Planet lightship is at Sharpness docks plus a good photo he took of Planet there at the weekend.

The MNA Dec email newsletter has also included a short piece on Planets plight.
 
#22 ·
#26 ·
Hyer Lucy
Thanks for keeping up the information regarding PLANET lightship.
If you or anyone else with a wish to try and help out ref the ligthtship
Vs C and RT Please have a look at COMPANIES HOUSE on the net
and look at their latest filed yearly accounts.
C and RT are a so called "charity" with the chairman andrew leighton
being on 186,000 pounds a year. Some charity this is!!
They had to spend 25,000,000 pounds BEFORE they made a profit
(remember they are a charity)!! they also publish that no one at there trust is on less than 60 to 70 grand. (nice little number).
They also payed out 200,000, pounds to have the books audited
by Grant Thornton company.
Considering all this and they are fighting for 10k and another 4K from another suprised EX MN sailor with a boat and with 71 boats in the portfolio and many investments and seem to be having a "clear out" of the docks of anything related to the MN.
Also please look on Cand RT website and read their "Articles of Association". When you read these articles and relate it to what they have done to the Planet lightship I am sure you would agree
that they are NOT doing what they have written and are going completely opposite to what they are preaching!! Think this should be brought to the attention of the Charity commissioners and
public. you must remember the owners do not have money to pay for Solicitors (as opposed to C aqnd RT trust) who have lots of money and like to spend it on solicitors letters.
question. are they allowed to spend donated money for looking after the waterways of the land. ??????? if so how can this be a CHARITY ????????
If anyone knows or has a Solicitor son or daughter or knows a friend who is a Solicitor please ask them to have a look at the
mentioned do***ents and see if C and RT can be brought before the courts .
If you know the fellow who is helping Alan Roberts please pass this info to him (the guy on website) that Lucy put the link to.
best regards freddythefrog
 
#27 · (Edited)
Planet Lightship

The radio station that was set up on Planet Lightship has apparently relocated now to an old tug in the same neck of the woods.

Their site has been updated showing photo of old Planet and one of the old tug plus the radio team.

Worth reading the stories on this site. Three are about British Monarch in 50s at the same time as 2/e was Victoria Drummond.

Also modern SOS ship story and WW2 convoy ship SOS story.

Link for Site below

http://www.mrmsw.co.uk/
 
#28 · (Edited)
Planet Lightship

Update on Plane, the old Liverpool Bar Lightship and her fate.

Article Liverpool Echo 10th April

Mersey Bar lightship Planet is being sold - and won't be returning to Liverpool

Mersey Bar lightship Planet is being sold - and won't be returning to Liverpool
Canal & River Trust says ship will be restored - but campaigners call sale an "absolute disaster"

15:40, 10 APR 2017Updated15:57, 10 APR 2017 News
Video thumbnail, Iconic Liverpool ship set to move out of Merseyside
The video will start in1Cancel
Play now

Liverpool's historic Mersey Bar lightship looks set to be sold to a new owner who plans to restore her – but she won’t be returned to Liverpool.

The Canal and River Trust, which seized the Planet from Canning Dock last September after a dispute over unpaid fees, confirmed it has accepted an offer for the ship.

It said it had not received any credible offers from potential buyers in Liverpool and it was important to ensure the vessel had a viable future.

Campaigners had urged the Trust to ensure the ship’s return to Merseyside and called the potential sale a “sorry saga” and a disaster.

Peter Elson, spokesman for Merseyside Civic Society (MCS), said: “The loss of the world famous Mersey Bar lightship Planet is an absolute disaster for Liverpool and its World Heritage Site, which was awarded by UNESCO for its mercantile seaport status.

“The lightship Planet is the most important historic Liverpool and Merseyside ship afloat.

“Liverpool has few historic ships given its incredible status as the former second city and first seaport of the British Empire. The late Captain Robin Woodall, former commander of Cunard Line flagship QE2, called Planet ‘The lantern on Liverpool’s front door, recognised by seafarers the world over’.

“Now it seems the Mersey has lost this light forever.”

The society claimed the Trust had indicated the lightship would be returned to Liverpool and said it was a “lamentable situation”.

The ship was towed away from its berth in Canning Dock, next to the Strand, after a row over unpaid mooring fees and was later advertised for sale for £100,000.

But the sale of Planet, which is currently in Gloucester docks, was put on hold in December after a huge campaign , led by Merseyside Civic Society, to bring her back to Liverpool.

It is not known how much the ship has been sold for, but the Trust said the new owner planned to restore her before making her available for sale.


It said it had accepted an offer for the ship and the sale was now progressing, but said potential buyers in Liverpool could still come forward.

Jonathan Brown, of Liverpool website Share the City, who worked on the Save the Planet campaign, accused the Trust of letting Liverpool down and said Planet should never have been taken away.

He added: “Liverpool’s defining artwork of European Capital of Culture 2008 by Ben Johnson included the Planet lightship in his panoramic cityscape and now thanks to the Canal & River Trust the vessel is gone.

“The Canal & River Trust has taken the ship, but not taken responsibility for their actions. They say this is a gain, but it’s a huge loss for Liverpool.”

The lightship’s last owner Alan Roberts maintains he has paid the disputed £10,000 bill for mooring fees.

He was later told he owned a further amount for storage and removal costs, with the total figure understood to be around £56,000.

Chantelle Seaborn, waterway manager at the Canal & River Trust, said: “We’re pleased that we’ve received interest in Planet and that she will be renovated.

“Whilst we’ve not had any interest from someone in Liverpool wanting to buy and return Planet to the city, hopefully there may be interest when the boat has been restored.

“The most important outcome is that she has a viable future.”

Also

The Thunderboats site Planet thread (label is given on page one of this thread) has new postings today on p50 giving more info/comments.on what has happened.
 
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