there has been a fire at a shipyard in Hythe, I wonder if Medusa is ok?

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7068781.stm - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7068781.stm

What can I say, Pioneer has posted that Medusa and Ark Royal are unaffected thank goodness. But a real kick in the teeth re the engines of course. What a close shave re the Medusa, thoughts of the loss of MGB 60 at Newsons came to mind.

JohnK

From the Medusa team...

A big thank you to all for the messages of support over the last 24 hours.

The story so far is this.  As our yard foreman opened up to start work yesterday morning he saw flames coming out of the gas powered heating sytem which is in th engine shop.  He cleared the site and called the fire brigade.  The two engine shops and two shiwright shops above went up very quicky and are completely destroyed.  The shed containing Medusa is completely unaffected and she is safe.  The ships engines were in the engine shop just about ready for test run after a years hard work.  It will be later today before we can get into the site and see what has survived. 

This is a setback but  no-one was hurt, the vessel is OK, we are insured so the project will still complete, perhpas a little delayed.

Alan

Hi Alan,

Indeed, I am glad you have had so many supportive messages, and I hope if you need any help, do post here, I am sure if people can they will be only to willing to help.

JohnK

From the Medusa team,

late last we were able to re enter the site with the fire brigade and were able to assess the damge at first light this morning.  The devastation has to be seen to be believed...huge steel girders twisted and bent and debris everywhere.

In the middle, sitting proud, were two gardner 8l3s.  The alloy bits have metled but they are substantially intact.  Later a specialist firm has treated them with preservative oil and wrapped them.  As soon as we can we will remove them and get working on them again.

Qite a lot of internal fittings have been lost and will have to be remade but equally so a surprising ammount has survived so all is not lost.

Not sure how to post pics here but will add some to the Medusa website over the next couple of days.

Alan

Hi Alan,

Well, glad that things are not to bad and hope that the lost items can as you say be remade and the project go on, I wish all the best to you and the team, something I am sure we all on the forum would echo.

JohnK

From the Medusa team,

a quick update.  Our engines were craned out though the reamins of the roof last Wed and have gone away to be examined to see if they are recoverable.  The small Gardner 1L2 bore the brunt and we found that the piston had melted in the bore.  One of the main engines shielded the other to some extent and we are hopeful that these might be recoverable though the condition of the cank bearings after being heated is a concern.  At a minimum we will need to find new starter motors, injection pumps and a variety of other bits.  The full list of what has been lost is depressingly long but most can be rebuilt. Th two Oerlikons have losy their shoulder harnesses and gunsights and one of the barrels is decidedly banana shaped.

We are back at work on the boat and making good progress.  Sifting throught the rubble for bits is less fun but nearly done,

Alan

Many thanks Alan for the update, despite the horrible mess it seems things can be recovered and as you say, you thankfully can continue with the hull. We all hope I am sure that the engines can be saved, albeit with the need to find all the bits that were destroyed. All the very best to you and the team.

JohnK

From the Medusa team,

a quick update on progress.  Things are looking promising for the engines.  Immediately we had access to the building we used a specialist firm to clean and coat the engines with preservative oil, inside and out.  Shortly after we craned them through the reamins of the building (no easy task) and transferred them to Gardner Marine Diesels at Canterbury.  There they have been stripped and it looks like the two main engines are recoverable although both crankshafts will need to be reground.  The auxilliary (1L2) became so hot that the piston melted in the bore and this engine may well be beyond hope.  Over the next months we will be hunting for bits, in particular 4 starter motors (two per 8L3); these may be difficult as they are handed and have extra switch contacts in them so that they operate in tandem. All suggestions welcome.

The rest of the last couple of weeks has been devoted to recovering as many bits as possible by sieving heaps of ash looking for treasures. This is a filthy job but worth it as quite a few bits have been recovered and can be refurbished.

Progress on the boat is good with first layer planking now well on the way and second layer not far behind.

The cause of the fire still has not and probably never will be ascertained but it clear that it was not deliberate.

Alan 

Hello Alan,

this advert is on find a fishing boat...

2 x GARDNER 8L3B

For Sale 2x Gardner 8L3B completed with gearboxes , shaft stern gear plus CPP. Needs overhauling or as spares.

http://www.findafishingboat.com/listings.php?cid=13 - http://www.findafishingboat.com/listings.php?cid=13

Best of luck.

Clive..

Hi there,

Great news re the engines, and close to my neck of the woods! can't offer anything in the way of tips, but will ask around here to see if any one knows anything of help. So glad the work on the hull is going forward, any chance of some pics when you have a moment? of course understand you have much to do. Great work by your team, my congratualtions and admiration to you all.

JohnK

Many thanks to all for the leads so far, am looking into the two 8L3Bs in Malta.

Will attempt to put some pics up soon

Alan

Hi everyone,

Myself and two friends from the Medway Queen Preservation Society visited the Hythe yard yesterday and met with Alan Watson and Mike Boyce who as ever were very hospitable and generous with thier time. Saw the great work done since the fire and how the team are recovering from that terrible day. The work on Medusa's hull is a wonder to see, she is going to be magnificient once again. If there is any one out there who can offer any sort of assitance to the trust, do get in touch with Alan via the web-site, link on the link page of the BMPT site, I am sure they would welcome all and any support. As ever, if you want to visit, do as we did and get in touch FIRST with Alan, as I said, they are a welcoming bunch but visitors are a distraction from thier work, so do give them notice so it is expected and convienient to them. Much was lost, although they have recovered some items from the ashes, as you know the workshops were destroyed. Not as ever forgetting MTB 102, looking forward to the new season with her of course, not fortunatley in the same position as Medusa, but as ever any support for them appreciated, link to their web-site as with Medusa.

Johnk