gravygraham
Well-Known Member
All being well, we'll be out on the water to witness those last few miles upstream. We've blagged a place on the 44' Rodman Muse 'Song and Dance'. Will try and post some photo's tomoz.
The return of the Medway Queen
- Thread starter oldgit
- Start date
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Spotted you in the flotilla.
Nice to see her back.Couple of years to fit her out apparently.
gravygraham
Well-Known Member
Well, it weren't half parky out there today but we stuck it out, up there on the flybridge. Presumably they timed the arrival at Gillingham at slack water so they had half a chance to push and pull her into her berth without the flow of the river complicating things.
Here's the old girl following the lead tug Christine. Nice big tow ropes there, as thick as your wrist.
And here's the handbrake at the rear. Note the much smaller rope.
Looking at the paddles it appears they can be feathered - obviously useful for being towed. There was a local chap on board with us who said that at some point all new paddle steamers were made to change their build so the wheels couldn't be made to go in opposite dierctions at the same time, as would be needed to spin the boat around. Apparently a paddle boat somewhere sank it'self doing such a manouevre, and drowned everyone on board.
It all got rather engrossing and we nearly missed this chap coming the other way!
If you're in the south-east you might have seen today's story on the telly.
This tug joined in the flotilla, and turned back when the Queen was safely docked. Presumably as a back-up. The old water jets made for a good display. Apologies for the grainy pic - I've got an iphone 5 on the way!
And these two chaps were loitering around the show but didn't get a chance to do any nudging or shoving.
But for me, the best part of the day, apart from getting back in the warm, was Bob's joystick control. It's the nuts.
Right then. Dear Santa, this year I've been a good boy and would like a mobo with IPS drives . . .
Here's the old girl following the lead tug Christine. Nice big tow ropes there, as thick as your wrist.
And here's the handbrake at the rear. Note the much smaller rope.
Looking at the paddles it appears they can be feathered - obviously useful for being towed. There was a local chap on board with us who said that at some point all new paddle steamers were made to change their build so the wheels couldn't be made to go in opposite dierctions at the same time, as would be needed to spin the boat around. Apparently a paddle boat somewhere sank it'self doing such a manouevre, and drowned everyone on board.
It all got rather engrossing and we nearly missed this chap coming the other way!
If you're in the south-east you might have seen today's story on the telly.
This tug joined in the flotilla, and turned back when the Queen was safely docked. Presumably as a back-up. The old water jets made for a good display. Apologies for the grainy pic - I've got an iphone 5 on the way!
And these two chaps were loitering around the show but didn't get a chance to do any nudging or shoving.
But for me, the best part of the day, apart from getting back in the warm, was Bob's joystick control. It's the nuts.
Right then. Dear Santa, this year I've been a good boy and would like a mobo with IPS drives . . .
sunquest
Well-Known Member
You' ve had your Christmas present - lucky b......er.
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Curiously enough the tale of the BOT prohibiting independant paddle wheels is impossible to confirm.
Google cannot find anything on the subject.
Google cannot find anything on the subject.
lynall
Well-Known Member
I like them little red tugs
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Thats Dennis Swann from over at the Marina in Hoo.
He also provides the floating stages for the river festival at Maidstone.
lynall
Well-Known Member
Oldgit, i knew i recognised them, just couldnt place them thanks.
I think they were moored between the bridges in Maidstone this year?
I think they were moored between the bridges in Maidstone this year?
oldgit
Well-Known Member
The Queen is moored in Gillingham Dock at end of Pier Road, if anybody fancies taking a few photos from dockside ,good views from other side of dock.
TTwiggy
Active Member
The smaller one was next to me in Hoo all summer.
sharpness
Well-Known Member
I know that the Medway Queen is now safely back home, but further to the original post i've just come across the following vid clip showing her leave Portishead en-route to the Medway.
byron
RIP
Very interesting. I'm surprised the paddles are feathered but what I know about towing Paddle Steamers you can write on the back of a postage stamp.
DHV90
Well-Known Member
why does there seem to be a line going into the water from the aft of the ship as well? looks like something heavy judging by the amount of spray. Does the ship have to carry a drogue or something to keep it inline with the towing vessel?
oldgit
Well-Known Member
All offshore tows will have a long warp over the stern of the towed vessel. Should the primary warp between the the tug and the tow part due to inclement weather, it is far easier(and safer) to go to the stern of the vessel and retrieve a rope (usually with a light line and bouy attached to end of spare tow rope) from surface of water,than to get a man aboard a drifting craft in very possibly dangerous conditions.
penfold
Well-Known Member
Paddle tugs(or at least the RN's diesel-electric paddle tugs) had independent drive to each paddle.
Seajet
...
I've read the bit about most paddle steamers having independent gearing on each side being banned too; may have been in a magazine such as ' Old Glory '.
I went on board Medway Queen decades ago when she was lying abandoned at Whippingham on the Medina River ( Cowes ) after a fire ended her use as a disco; she used to flood with every tide, very sad - a lot of the original brass fittings and the engine were still there.
At last lottery money has been wisely granted !
I went on board Medway Queen decades ago when she was lying abandoned at Whippingham on the Medina River ( Cowes ) after a fire ended her use as a disco; she used to flood with every tide, very sad - a lot of the original brass fittings and the engine were still there.
At last lottery money has been wisely granted !
Last edited:
VicS
Well-Known Member
Was it the Medway Queen that caught fire? Or was in PS Ryde ( Ryde Queen)?
Research suggests that it was RQ that caught fire, in 1977, but was renovated and reopened.
MQ I think was simply closed but was just accidentally sunk in the Medina later
I went on one of them in the early eighties when still in use as a disco, restaurant or bar.
Recollections though of another fire a year or two after my visit. Not sure if it was my one and only visit or if I've been there twice.
Seajet
...
VicS,
I believe both of them had fires at times !
I first started visiting the Folly in 1978, and by then the MQ was abandoned on the mud; it was 78 or maybe 79 when I and a chum clambered onboard the MQ at low water.
The Ryde was in use as a ' disco ' by then, we often used to go to this as teenagers in the delusion we might meet the girls of our dreams...
Ryde was not in bad condition then, also had / has her engine, there was a viewing gallery around it - apparently for passengers but maybe just engineers when she was operational.
One thing I remember about that disco was it would often start at low water with the ship heeling a few degrees; everyone ( except non dancer just spectator me ) got acclimatised to this, then as the booze and tide both flowed eventually when she was level the dancers were at a slight angle...
Ryde also has a bow rudder which I found interesting, and used to have a lot of photo's around of her wartime use as a minesweeper; I think I remember getting on the bridge and finding the wheel, telegraph etc still there.
There have been various approaches by groups ( one involving someone I know ) hoping to save Ryde, and a section of hull was replated at one point years ago, but the owner was awkward about it - she is in a terrible state now, the disco closed many years ago and I very much doubt she has any hope.
I think I am right in saying Medway Queen saved more troops than any other vessel at Dunkirk and made one of several trips with over 1,000 men onboard ???
She was taken from Whippingham on a raft, and suffered several minor sinkings at her berth in Kent as the Medway Queen Preservation Society battled to save her for years before her salvation came in a lottery grant.
I believe both of them had fires at times !
I first started visiting the Folly in 1978, and by then the MQ was abandoned on the mud; it was 78 or maybe 79 when I and a chum clambered onboard the MQ at low water.
The Ryde was in use as a ' disco ' by then, we often used to go to this as teenagers in the delusion we might meet the girls of our dreams...
Ryde was not in bad condition then, also had / has her engine, there was a viewing gallery around it - apparently for passengers but maybe just engineers when she was operational.
One thing I remember about that disco was it would often start at low water with the ship heeling a few degrees; everyone ( except non dancer just spectator me ) got acclimatised to this, then as the booze and tide both flowed eventually when she was level the dancers were at a slight angle...
Ryde also has a bow rudder which I found interesting, and used to have a lot of photo's around of her wartime use as a minesweeper; I think I remember getting on the bridge and finding the wheel, telegraph etc still there.
There have been various approaches by groups ( one involving someone I know ) hoping to save Ryde, and a section of hull was replated at one point years ago, but the owner was awkward about it - she is in a terrible state now, the disco closed many years ago and I very much doubt she has any hope.
I think I am right in saying Medway Queen saved more troops than any other vessel at Dunkirk and made one of several trips with over 1,000 men onboard ???
She was taken from Whippingham on a raft, and suffered several minor sinkings at her berth in Kent as the Medway Queen Preservation Society battled to save her for years before her salvation came in a lottery grant.