sunquest
Well-Known Member
Finally she is lifted onto a barge for the short journey to Gillingham where she will undergo long awaited restoration.
Quote -
For the last decade the UK's only remaining steam paddle tug, the John H Amos, has rested on a disused slipway at Chatham Dockyard in Kent.
Now a giant floating crane is going to lift the 300 ton tug and take her away to be restored.
The crane barge will lift the 300 ton paddle tug and "fly" her down river suspended from strops.
To the casual observer it would appear that nothing has been happening to the tug in recent years.
The reality is very different.
The vessel has been owned since 1976 by Faversham based preservationist Martin Stevens. He has managed to prevent the tug being scrapped on several occasions.
When Dr. Robert Prescott of the National Historic Ships Committee listed the tug as one of the 60 most important historic vessels in the UK, Martin transferred ownership to a Charitable Trust, the Medway Maritime Trust, and Dr Prescott became a Trustee.
A Project Planning Grant was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund to plan for a full restoration to working condition.
Detailed surveys found that the entire skin of the hull had to be replated which in the short term left the Trust with the problem of how to move a vessel that can't be trusted to float.
A giant pontoon was the answer so the Trust managed to procure the services of such a vessel, the Portal Narvik.
The original plan to sink the pontoon and float the John H Amos onto it was thwarted by insurance problems.
This is where John Spencer of GPS Marine Contractors Ltd felt he could help.
Over the years he had given the services of his tugs to move the John H Amos to different berths, but this time he is the key to her future.
GPS Marine Contractors Ltd operate a floating crane, the Atlas (ex Taklift 3) formerly owned by Smit Tak the firm who salvaged the Herald of Free Enterprise, and John has offered to lift the John H Amos onto the pontoon.
The Atlas, which is based in Holland, is due to come to the UK but has been unable to move because of recent high winds. She will do two other jobs in the UK before the lift of the John H Amos.
The specialist Dutch crew have designed modifications that will reinforce the hull of the John H Amos to spread the load where the weight will be taken. Steel beams have been fixed across the deck to prevent any distortion.
Then the crane barge Atlas will lift the tug and set off down river - like a bird of prey.
The pontoon will be waiting on a mooring near Bull Nose, the main entrance to Chatham Docks.
Talking in his Chatham Docks office, John Spencer said,
"The John H Amos deserves a bit of help. The Trust has worked miracles to get this far and it's a pity others don't think the way we do." "We happen to have the right piece of equipment in the right place at the right time." "Someone's got to save our heritage."
Rochester Bridge Trust and the Prism Fund at the Science Museum are among other benefactors who have contributed towards the operation.
The owners of the slipway, SEEDA, (South East England Development Agency) will also be delighted to see the tug moved as they are waiting to build houses on the site.
Once the John H Amos is on the pontoon an application will be made for funding the first part of the restoration work. This will include removing the giant steam engines and boilers and replating the hull.
Martin Stevens, Chairman of the Medway Maritime Trust, who runs G.C.Stevens and Son, a business in Sittingbourne selling Woodstoves and Garden Machinery, told us,
"Although there is no longer a suitable dry dock in the Medway area, by using the pontoon as a portable restoration platform we can still do the work locally."
"Over the years I have discussed the project with a lot people who can now come together as a specialist team."
"We will also be sub contracting work which will benefit local companies."
Quote -
For the last decade the UK's only remaining steam paddle tug, the John H Amos, has rested on a disused slipway at Chatham Dockyard in Kent.
Now a giant floating crane is going to lift the 300 ton tug and take her away to be restored.
The crane barge will lift the 300 ton paddle tug and "fly" her down river suspended from strops.
To the casual observer it would appear that nothing has been happening to the tug in recent years.
The reality is very different.
The vessel has been owned since 1976 by Faversham based preservationist Martin Stevens. He has managed to prevent the tug being scrapped on several occasions.
When Dr. Robert Prescott of the National Historic Ships Committee listed the tug as one of the 60 most important historic vessels in the UK, Martin transferred ownership to a Charitable Trust, the Medway Maritime Trust, and Dr Prescott became a Trustee.
A Project Planning Grant was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund to plan for a full restoration to working condition.
Detailed surveys found that the entire skin of the hull had to be replated which in the short term left the Trust with the problem of how to move a vessel that can't be trusted to float.
A giant pontoon was the answer so the Trust managed to procure the services of such a vessel, the Portal Narvik.
The original plan to sink the pontoon and float the John H Amos onto it was thwarted by insurance problems.
This is where John Spencer of GPS Marine Contractors Ltd felt he could help.
Over the years he had given the services of his tugs to move the John H Amos to different berths, but this time he is the key to her future.
GPS Marine Contractors Ltd operate a floating crane, the Atlas (ex Taklift 3) formerly owned by Smit Tak the firm who salvaged the Herald of Free Enterprise, and John has offered to lift the John H Amos onto the pontoon.
The Atlas, which is based in Holland, is due to come to the UK but has been unable to move because of recent high winds. She will do two other jobs in the UK before the lift of the John H Amos.
The specialist Dutch crew have designed modifications that will reinforce the hull of the John H Amos to spread the load where the weight will be taken. Steel beams have been fixed across the deck to prevent any distortion.
Then the crane barge Atlas will lift the tug and set off down river - like a bird of prey.
The pontoon will be waiting on a mooring near Bull Nose, the main entrance to Chatham Docks.
Talking in his Chatham Docks office, John Spencer said,
"The John H Amos deserves a bit of help. The Trust has worked miracles to get this far and it's a pity others don't think the way we do." "We happen to have the right piece of equipment in the right place at the right time." "Someone's got to save our heritage."
Rochester Bridge Trust and the Prism Fund at the Science Museum are among other benefactors who have contributed towards the operation.
The owners of the slipway, SEEDA, (South East England Development Agency) will also be delighted to see the tug moved as they are waiting to build houses on the site.
Once the John H Amos is on the pontoon an application will be made for funding the first part of the restoration work. This will include removing the giant steam engines and boilers and replating the hull.
Martin Stevens, Chairman of the Medway Maritime Trust, who runs G.C.Stevens and Son, a business in Sittingbourne selling Woodstoves and Garden Machinery, told us,
"Although there is no longer a suitable dry dock in the Medway area, by using the pontoon as a portable restoration platform we can still do the work locally."
"Over the years I have discussed the project with a lot people who can now come together as a specialist team."
"We will also be sub contracting work which will benefit local companies."
