Momentary Lapse Of Reason Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 If you ever get the chance, go to the Hovercraft Museum at Lee on Solent, Hampshire.Hovercraft Museum WeblinkWell worth the visit.They are under threat from H.M. Government's Houses and Community Agency,who are the current owners of the last two Cross Channel hovercraft (SRN4) and who want to scrap them.BBC News Story linkITV News StoryPetition to Save the SRN4 weblink So save some Hovershite from Her Majesty's Governmunt! D Spares & Tyres, hennabm, Dick Longbridge and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfamale Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Signed. Remember going on the Princess Margaret as a kid on the way to France. Remember those huge propellers and that glorious noise. Stunning machinery. Also liked the fact they cleaned your car windscreen during the crossing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hooli Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Wonderful craft, it's a national shame we have none running any more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inconsistant Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 The one on the left looks like a Reliant Scimitar. Frogchod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryoldcortina Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 The museum's trustees said they hoped a deal could be reached with HCA and have submitted a proposal to save the Princess Anne, which is in better condition than the Princess Margaret. Understatement of the century.... Craig the Princess, Tamworthbay, Walter White and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanky Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Its an ace place, I went to the museum (since its about a mile an a half from my front door) earlier this year - run by some very knowledgeable volunteers and was sad to hear about the sword of damocles hanging over the two cross-channel hovercraft, though to be fair they are fucked. They were privately owned by some chap, who forbade anything to be done on them, he went bust and they were claimed in lieu of tax by the state. Its a travesty but they are quite far gone and the only change of HMG getting a buck out of them is to scrap them. Its a huge shame but really I can't blame HMG on this one - the dodgy character who owned them previously had obviously highly dubious financial affairs and HMG are only interested in the cash. Unless a buyer can be found for what is basically a pair of rapidly dissolving ornaments, who has seriosuly deep pockets to more or less refabricate the whole bloody things its only going to end one way. A lot of the other exhibits are far more interesting and viable however, the main issue facing the site is that it occupies some prime real estate on Lee seafront. Old people are literally queuing up to buy retirement flats to die in along there and the site isn't owned by the museum, its leased land. Well worth a visit, and potentially a solent shiters meetup there for an afternoon. I was there for two hours last time and didn't see even half of what I wanted to. Its open every saturday and is either £7.50 or £10 to get in, I can't recall. Partridge, RoadworkUK and inconsistant 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSdriver Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Just think how many cars you could squirrel away in one of those if your garden is big enough. inconsistant and mercrocker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rml2345 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 It was reported a few weeks ago that "Princess Anne" is likely to be saved and they were negotiating a lease plan for it, which would be ace. Could certainly be a big draw for the Hovercraft Museum if they do as they're a bit iconic.Hovercraft are bloody interesting anyway, would like to go down for a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Eagerly and enthusiastically signed; though the location has probably doomed it irrevocably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyNuts Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 they're a bit iconic. A bit? They're fucking epic legends mate. They also used to be owned and operated by SeaSpeed... AKA British RAIL! To let them get cut up by glorified can openers would be a direct crime against the nation and its people and additionally an attack against royalty. It's an absolute disgrace that the government can't be arsed to save anything for the sake of the nations museums while proclaiming to want to encourage youngsters into science and engineering. The double standards that reside in westminster make us a global disgrace. danthecapriman, inconsistant, mercrocker and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surprisingskoda Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Hear Hear. There's absolutely no reason why HMRC, being a government body, couldn't write off those losses off or put them through another dept that deals with national heritage, it's only red taped bureaucrats that say no where common sense and most people say yes. Although they should prepare themselves to move to somewhere less valuable, as that one may be insurmountable. Housing takes precedence over just about nearly anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Some long time ago, when prehistory dawned, I once travelled to Blighty on one of those SR.N4s.If there ever was a method to cross the Channel wasting the maximum amount of fuel and other irreplaceable resources, this was it.The four Rolls-Royce Proteus engines used 90% of their power to create sea foam, 9% to create noise and the remaining percent to create propulsion.This was still sufficient to propel these monsters across the sea at 70 OMGMPH, encompassed in a cloud of spray, while burning a hole into the ozone layerfor the ultimate in The Climate improvement.Food wasn't served, because it would have had to be cleaned off the windows after each crossing. Wonderful. Not only do these behemoths need to be preserved, I demand them to be put back into service! mat_the_cat, Fat_Pirate, mercrocker and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johngarty Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Signed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lobster Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Fwiw, fairly sure these aren't owned by HMRC or whoever. They were owned by Sea Containers - might still be - I think the engines were sold to some guy who wanted the engines for a boat(!), HMRC own the land on which they sit. They wanted to sell the land for redevelopment which would have been an issue for the Hovercraft museum. Still, they sit there rotting slowly waiting for salvation which will probably never come. Ship preservation is insanely expensive and rarely works out. There's a project to 'save' the former TSS Dover which has been resting on the bottom of a shipyard near Middlesbrough for the last couple of years slowly turning into immovable scrap which is trying to raise something stupid like £70m to restore it and stick it somewhere where it will be seen as an expensive white elephant. thats not to sound negative as I'd love to see one of the hovercraft preserved but it is a massively expensive business and ultimately not often successful. warren t claim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMC Rebel Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I went for a dirty (sorry I mean romantic) weekend in Paris with my girlfriend in one of these. Trip out was great 30 mins in calm sea and sunshine. Trip back was less fun. Pretty choppy - despite a propensity to travel sickness GF and I were one of about only 4-5 people not to throw up. I was worried that if the woman next to me chucked, I would, but when she did it made me feel strangely better. Saddest of all was the woman in front who held out the whole trip - but as soon as we hit the smooth water in the harbour she went blerrrgh! I agree they have historical significance - but I don't have especially fond memories Junkman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Fwiw, fairly sure these aren't owned by HMRC or whoever. They were owned by Sea Containers - might still be - I think the engines were sold to some guy who wanted the engines for a boat(!), This is true, and to be fair to the guy the boat that the engines were intended for is a bit special. Named Brave Challenger and was built in the '60s as a private yacht along the hull and engineering lines of the Brave class patrol boats. Three Proteus turbines and two auxiliary diesels. Was based at Southampton but I don't know if she's still around. Mr Lobster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogchod Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 These were awesome, I've fond memories of family holidays starting on these. First one in a beige Hunter next was green 1100 both times with mahoosive roofracks. No in flight grub but booze was served as I remember my dad asking for a straw so he could drink his whisky without smashing his teeth on the glass Was a bit rough on that crossing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Have any of you ever tried to drink a pint on this?I did. Not a lot of it ended up inside me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyboy406v6 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Signed the petition, great British Shite.............. strangeangel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shep Shepherd Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I grew up in the part of the world where the SR.N4s plied their trade and have fond memories of both Dover and Pegwell Bay hoverports when they were operational. As a self-proclaimed hovercraft geek, I consider that it would be a real tragedy if all of these fine pieces of uniquely British engineering were lost to history - it's bad enough that none of the Hoverlloyd craft (Swift, Sure, Prince of Wales, Sir Christopher) - not to mention the French-made SEDAM N500 Naviplane, Ingénieur Jean Bertin - survive. Shep's Link-O-Matic: This ad is why I will always associate Emerson, Lake and Palmer with the cross-channel hovercraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 They need turning back into car museums...... Junkman, AMC Rebel and Shep Shepherd 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangeangel Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Have any of you ever tried to drink a pint on this? Fat chance! I was too busy spewing up to think about beer. Junkman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 IIRC, the operators referred to what those things were doing as 'flying'.The crew, wearing high heels and pill box hats like stewardesses, called you to your 'flight', I think.And didn't they also wear white gloves? Shep Shepherd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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