Lydia Eva

[Slowboat35]

Anyone who's passed through Gt Yarmouth in recent years can't have missed the Lydia Eva, the last steam Herring Drifter in going order, a uniqe survivor of the great fishing days when Yarmouth was home to hundreds of such vessels.

I'm hearing worrying reports that Peel Ports who recently took over Yarmouth harbour intend to slap her with a mandatory requirement of a pilot (yes, honestly!) - meaning the fat end of a thousand pounds for every round-trip - which will of course kill her off in her home port. She's just spent the summer idle and earning nothing after a very costly boiler inspection and re-certification.

As one of our National Historic Ships it seems incredible that she could suffer such an ignominious fate as eviction from her home port to the detriment of Gt Yarmouth itself because of the dead hand of an unimaginative bureaucracy.

Facts seem hard to come by on the internet.

Does anyone have ears in the right place to clarify what exactly is going on? And hopefully correct some of the above?

 

[LittleSister]

I am afraid I don't have any information on that particular issue, but I can say that Peel Ports took over Great Yarmouth Harbour several years ago (4?), so not that 'recently', and whatever other faults they may have are not 'an unimaginative bureaucracy'.

I wish the Lydia Eva well, and strongly recommend a visit to her to anyone visiting the area. (She is moored on the East side of the river, adjacent to the Town Hall and near the town bridge (Haven Bridge).

 

[Slowboat35]

I'm afraid you're incorrect on at least some of that, if not all. Peel Ports had Yarmouth since 2015 I agree. Apparently this issue is a recent one.
I am assured Lydia Eva remains in Lowestoft where she has been for months for her boiler inspection with, as I was told, little prospect of her return to her home due to Peel Ports' insistence that a pilot is required should she carry passengers with the economic result as stated.

That does not indicate, in my view, anything less than an "unimaginative bureaucracy". Indeed, quite the opposite if true when applied to a National Historic Ship in her own home port... Would you really disagree with that?

But what I was asking for were the facts of the matter - which as ever are scarcer than opinions...

 

[Tomahawk]

In the dim and distant past when Sally Line sailed out of Ramsgate, they always used to quote a pilot exemption number before entering the channel. There were a number of different exemption numbers. I am presuming that was a license held by the Master to excempt them a Pilot having passed some sort of local qualification.

There must be some process for similar to allow ferries to come and go in places like Dover.

 

[LittleSister]

That does not indicate, in my view, anything less than an "unimaginative bureaucracy". Indeed, quite the opposite if true when applied to a National Historic Ship in her own home port... Would you really disagree with that?

Yes.

But what I was asking for were the facts of the matter - which as ever are scarcer than opinions...

I have some knowledge of 'facts' related to Peel Ports.

 

[tillergirl]

In the dim and distant past when Sally Line sailed out of Ramsgate, they always used to quote a pilot exemption number before entering the channel. There were a number of different exemption numbers. I am presuming that was a license held by the Master to excempt them a Pilot having passed some sort of local qualification.

There must be some process for similar to allow ferries to come and go in places like Dover.

I have certainly have heard a Dover Ferry quoting the Master's 'code'.

 

[Kukri]

Peel Ports are by a country mile the most unpleasant port operating company to deal with in the UK. I speak as a customer.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Peel Ports had a big role in the destruction of HMS Plymouth as a museum ship. Probably best to move the Lydia Eva out of Gt Yarmouth

 

[Sandyman]

How interesting. Not been back to Gt Yarmouth for what must be nearly 60 years. As a boy I visited Yarmouth twice a week with my father. Him on his motorbike & me in the sidecar to collect the herring, that then became my responsibility to hang in the smoking shed behind Deny's Fish & Chip shop in East Dereham Norfolk. The best kippers in town. Can remember I had to turn up to be paid after every Sat lunch time opening. Same wages every week. 3d of cold chips cooked in lard & a Wagon Wheel from the sweet shop just up the road. By heck those were the days . Didn't realise at the time that we lived in poverty because everyone lived as we did..............................in poverty. All in the same boat
Hoping the Lydia Eva is still there when we make a final sailing visit next summer. THE FISHING INDUSTRY

 

[Slowboat35]

The latest tale of shame I hear about Lydia Eva and a "pilot" who couldn't cope with an engine-room voice pipe and chain-connected steering is even more incredible.
Allegedly this so-called "pilot" tossed his teddies and returned to his pram, abandoning said vessel in the offing...!

I hope, for the utter, total shame and derision of Peel Ports that this can be shown to be TOTALLY untrue.