Sad end for Historic warships

scousegit · Post by **scousegit** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:26 pm

Paul,

The pics are to big to email - is there going to be anybody down there tomorrow?

Thanks for the tour and I'll see you mid-week or on Saturday.

Cheers,

JG

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:38 pm

Hi John, I think I just sent you a PM.

Victorious · Post by **Victorious** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:41 pm

Paul, are you on duty next Sunday, would like a look down the machinery spaces, if at all possible? Spent some time down there on the Rhyl during my eighteen months aboard her.

ARH · Post by **ARH** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:42 pm

Victorious wrote:Paul, are you on duty next Sunday, would like a look down the machinery spaces, if at all possible? Spent some time down there on the Rhyl during my eighteen months aboard her.

YER , HIDDING

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:43 pm

I will be there for the next two weeks Victorious, please pm or email me for details, please do it off board as this is going mad now, you can get me throught my profile or through my linked website, but, here it is anyway.

http://www.psships.com

thanks guys keep it up.

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:44 pm

what dya mean admiral, we is gonna fight?

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:54 pm

Our own website will be updated asap on our home page, before anyone says anything, just to let you know, we have had a bit of a software snag, but, we are on top of it I think now.
Paul...

ARH · Post by **ARH** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:59 pm

psships wrote:what dya mean admiral, we is gonna fight?

AS usual paul, that was dirrected at my good friend GEOFF OR VICTORIOUS, your up tight, relax , were all with you, dont beat us up, ARH

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:02 pm

Hi Ron, no problems, I was just wondering what hidding meant.

Thanks to everyone, this is brilliant, c'mon guys, give this some "welly"

Paul...

ARH · Post by **ARH** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:06 pm

psships wrote:Hi Ron, no problems, I was just wondering what hidding meant.

Thanks to everyone, this is brilliant, c'mon guys, give this some "welly"

Paul...

HIDDING means , down there doing nothing, hidding from the top brass, hidding from his chief, ARH

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:16 pm

ok, Ron, no problem, the council is the one on the run at the moment.

Thanks for backing us up.

ARH · Post by **ARH** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:43 pm

Here,s the hard working crew at the warship site

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:47 pm

what can I say ADMIRAL, Apart from get ya butt down next weekend and my Golden rivet is your's. I've got tears in my eyes now and its not through laughing, well, a bit, of both happy and sad, ya know??? awwwwe?

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:53 pm

Oh, ya spelt PAUL wrong, LOL.!

This is unreal, keep it up.

Victorious · Post by **Victorious** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:54 pm

He can't even spell his own name Paul

ARH · Post by **ARH** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:54 pm

psships wrote:Oh, ya spelt PAUL wrong, LOL.!

This is unreal, keep it up.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, ITS THE WHISKY,

psships · Post by **psships** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:56 pm

I know! BRILLIANT.
Awesome., Don't forget the councillors, give em HELL on earth.
Paul...

Victorious · Post by **Victorious** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:58 pm

try at tot of Woods Ron, you'll get it right spelt backwards

Luke.Sim · Post by **Luke.Sim** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:40 am

the council don't know whats hitting them. Looks like the future for the shoips, with your help, will be bright and secure.

Felix B. · Post by **Felix B.** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:03 am

Hello all,

I emailed the council members listed by Paul and got one reply so far from Tom Harney. He said that since the council doesn't own the ships nor the dockyards they are currently at he does share our concerns. He attached a briefing document the contents of which I am posting here. Sounds like the Trust is in financial dire straits.

BRIEFING NOTE � JANUARY 17, 2006

WARSHIP PRESERVATION TRUST LIMITED

1. You may have heard that the Warship Preservation Trust Limited has decided, reluctantly, to go into voluntary liquidation.

2. As you may know the Council has supported the Trust over many years helping them to secure significant regeneration funding. We have worked very closely with them, particularly over the last six months, to try and address some of the internal financial issues they faced.

3. Unfortunately costs have been rising and visitor numbers have been falling over the past few years, and this has meant that the Trust has been operating at a loss of approximately �50,000 - �60,000 per annum. This is projected to continue on their current cashflow projections.

4. The Trust has continued to trade only because of a wealthy benefactor, Sir Philip Goodhart, but he has decided to withdraw his financial resources from June 2006 due to his retirement.

5. The Trust has made strenuous efforts to find another benefactor but has been unsuccessful.

6. Coupled with this, the Trust, because of its financial position, has fallen behind with its planned maintenance programme for the vessels. The Trust advise that the vessels now need urgent dry docking so that works can be undertaken to the hulls of the vessels. The costs will run into tens of thousands of pounds and the Trust advise they have no way of meeting this cost. There is a prospect that if they cannot undertake these works soon, then they will not be able to maintain their insurance for the vessels.

7. The vessels will need to be relocated because of the redevelopment of the adjacent listed warehouses but this could have been arranged through joint working with the Trust, MDHC and Council. The more fundamental issue for the Trust was their financial position and the implications for the Trustees/Directors under Company and Charity Law if they had not acted.

8. The U 534 is owned by a Danish Company and we are advising them of the current situation and exploring options. A report back will be given in due course.

9. I am now trying to contact the Liquidator to discuss the options for the vessels and then discuss this further with Peel/MDHC. I will report further to you when I have that information.

10. Officers are continuing to work on the options that may be available and a report is being prepared for Cabinet on January 25, 2006.

11. If you require any further information then please do not hesitate to contact me.

David Ball
Head of Housing and Regeneration
Tel: 691-8395

The Ship Model Forum

Sad end for Historic warships

A Reply From Tom Harney - Wirral Council