Petition to save a famous hovercraft

[otherego]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-35445419

The old cross-channel hovercraft face the breaker, it seems.

I know they'll never "fly" again, but it seems a shame that at least one shouldn't be preserved for posterity. Property developers want the space they're taking up, and the Hovercraft Museum Trust is very anxious.

Wish I'd travelled on them!

There's a petition here, its originators hoping to preserve one of these extraordinary machines:

https://www.change.org/p/homes-and-communities-agency-save-the-princess-anne-the-last-remaining-srn4...

If anyone feels that it's worth preserving one of these machines, that might be of interest.

[cee-dee]

Tragically, not everything can be saved. The cost is enormous, even to shift one.

Look at the fate of the Vulcan? All that money spent getting it flying for a while and now........?

[otherego]

At least the Vulcan should (one hopes) be preserved. I do wish I'd seen it flying. One of the most beautiful aluminium overcasts ever, even if its designed purpose might have upset some.

I think that was a practical problem. Nobody was willing to continue certifying its fitness for flight. Am I thinking of the engines? - must do a little re-reading - but I don't think anyone was making spares for them, nor was anyone willing to take responsibility for them any more. I suspect there were also concerns over the airframe, which was probably beyond its designed "use-by" limit, either by flying hours or by date - or both.

Presumably the only problem with the hovercraft is that it takes up an awful lot of space. It's a great rectangle, unlike an aircraft which can often be shoe-horned into a hanger with other aircraft wings etc interlocking/over or under its own.

Of course, it's impossible to put a monetary value on it - which makes it difficult to decide, in purely financial terms, whether it should be preserved, or whether the property developers would quickly realise greater monetary value from the land used.

I really don't know when emotive concerns should be over-ridden by practicality. Personally, I'd hate to see both hovercraft broken up, or all the remaining Vulcans, or Concordes. And are there any Comet 2 or 3s left? I seem to remember a Comet 2 was the "gate guardian" to RAF Lyneham - and has been scrapped. Tragic, if so. But practically, it took up a lot of expensive space.

My own attitude is "Sod the space," which is probably why I will die poor.

(Ah, Lyneham - happy memories of dragging  DC-8s out of there and using what felt like every metre of runway to do so... but I digress.)

[cee-dee]

Wasn't the Lyneham Comet due to go to Cosford to join their other Comet?

[otherego]

That would be wonderful - I'll have a look. Could you post if you find anything definite?

That was one rare bird.

As, keeping sort-of on-topic, is the hovercraft.

Funny - British airliners never really cracked it competitively. Yet they included some of the most beautiful machines ever. The Comet (all of them). The VC10 (if I'm not mistaken, the only airliner of its era which could take off from Nairobi at max structural weight.) The Viscount. The Britannia. (And the Shorts 360 and the Trislander, but then, into every life, a little rain must fall.)

[fallen-archie]

This country has a fine tradition when it comes to preservation, from farm machinery to fairground rides, all forms of rail and many types of aircraft. The Hovercraft may well end up as a static exhibit but it woould almost certainly require the support of national organisation.

We have relatively few naval vessels preserved in the UK given our history of seafaring however if that subject interests you then the current work taking place in Belfast on one of only three naval vessels left from WW! might be worth following. HMS Caroline is a light cruiser which saw action at Jutland she is undergoing significant restoration but at a huge cost. She was only officially decomissioned around 5 years ago but lacks guns and has a hideous structure on her stern which will be removed, I'm not sure the Hovercraft even restored woould have the appeal of this type of project but I hope that one will be saved.

[otherego]

Yes, I really hope one might be spared. I honestly think there's merit in it, even if it might not become apparent during our life-times.

I'll bet the original owners of the Cutty Sark lost little sleep over what would happen to it when it was no longer able to earn its keep.

And as for the Lyneham Comet - noooooooooo.... too late ...

http://wingsofhistory.net/features/the-axeman-cometh/

[ga1637]

Hi

Thanks for bringing this up. Wasn't even aware this was happening. Most definetely signed .

[otherego]

Brilliant - I'll bet they appreciate every bit of support  they can get for a very worthy cause!

[*.*..lola..*.*]

Signed x

[elfkincatcher]

TBH I have never thought that Lee on Solent was the place for these Hovercraft. As someone who remembers the original SRN2 that flew from Eastney to Ryde, I have often thought that such brilliant vessels have deserved a better fate than to be broken up....but the 'museum' in Lee is really a desolate looking, out of the way home to the X channel ferries and the other hovercraft it is home to. Given that Portsmouth Dockyard is now home to historic ships perhaps that could be extended to the 'flyers' now we have such a depleted navy requirement! Southsea is the only commercial route left for these vessels in UK so there is a definite 'connection'! There was to be an extension to the existing Southsea/ Ryde service this summer to Sandown but that has been shelved because it involves exiting the Solent into the English Channel making it too expensive!

Ideally the Princess Anne should be under cover to protect her - she has weathered the all too frequent howling gales of Lee on Solent for long enough. I agree that she should be preserved, the hovercraft was (and still is) a truly innovative vessel. As a travel agent I booked many on Seaspeed and Hoverlloyd (Ramsgate-Calais) - it would be sad to see them all disappear without a trace. I just hope they manage to keep our hovercraft running for years to come....it's still a great site seeing it coming up the ramp at Clarance Pier! Mind you...it was more spectacular when the old SRN2 first made its way up the beach at Eastney....it used to hit the pebbles and stones flew everywhere!!! They are definitely more comfortable than the vomit comets though.. I really don't like the Cats! Pity hovercraft technology hasn't really progressed further (gas guzzlers) and they are mostly only used by the military, coastguard and aid agencies...great idea!