News

VP Mark Rudall would like to advise the following brief message regarding John's funeral:

"For now, all I know is that John's last journey will be at Loughborough Crematorium, Leicester Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2AF on Monday 22nd December 2025 at 11:45am".

If you intend to be there, please notify Mark Rudall (contact details in 'members' section of website), who will act as postbox.

Registration for the 2026 AGM at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, is now available on the Events Page.

You must be logged in to see this - any problems please email: membership@steamboatassociation.org.uk

Dot

VP Mark Rudall reports the following obituary:

I am saddened to report the death of John Tilley on 22nd November, at the age of 87. John was for many years a very high profile member living in the Midlands with his wife Francoise. They ran a 21' Frolic called 'Chantilly' and toured with her extensively in the UK and France, attending many rallies and organising them too. He wrote often for 'Funnel' and had a distinctive 'light touch', always being a man of humour.

John was a consummate engineer and alongside his steamboating was involved with steam cars and classic motorcycles, his last project, only a year or two ago, was to rebuild a Citroen Deux Chevaux and members may remember his rare Scott motorcycle. Towards the end he suffered with dementia, frustrated that his engineering activities had to cease, but he leaves a warm legacy of  engagement and laughter with those many SBA members who knew him.  We send sincere condolences to Francoise.'

I spoke to Francoise at length today. A lovely lady, and very sad that she has to wait for such a long time in the UK for the funeral to happen: not the French way at all...

The Henley River & Rowing Museum opened in 1998 has announced that it will be closing its doors to the public for the last time on Sunday 21st September 2025. The sad closure of this large Thames museum is due to significant increases of annual operational costs with loses averaging 1m£ a year. Note the museum are offering free entry during the closing weekend, as part of the Heritage Open Days Festival.

The museum collections include the 1874 Thornycroft steam launch EVA, an early umpire launch used at Henley Regatta rowing races. EVA is 45ft LOA which was restored and steamed at many SBA steamboat Rallies during the 1980’s including a visit to the SBA Windermere rally of 1989.

Congratulations to all the volunteers who have contributed to the SS Sir Walter Scott being made National Historic Trust's Flagship of the Year.

Brian Boucher (SBA Midlands Area Rep) kindly organised a Zoom call for members to discuss the SBAS Library offerings (with John Maltby and Malcolm Duckett) - looking at boilers, hulls, castings, engines and drawings. Here is a link to a zoom call, https://youtu.be/OhU7FH0DFTI

...and pictures of a Klinger-type sight-glass made from SBAS castings showing fittment to an SBAS water-tube boiler as discussed on the call.

Just a reminder that the SBA exists on two social media platforms (FaceBook and WhatsApp). There are links to these on the SBA Website home pages. 

• An SBA Facebook home page  here: https://www.facebook.com/steamboatassociation/ 
• An SBA Discussion Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheSteamboatAssociation/  This is a group page so you have to request to join, which you can do from Facebook. (Mike Cole manages our Facebook activity)

WhatsApp is a private & secure group exclusivly for SBA Members. You have to be added to this group to participage. The ONLY way to do this is to follow the insturctions on the WhatsApp page under the Member's menu on the SBA website (and you need to be logged on to do this) - this link goes to the right place . It's quite an active group with just under 60 members today.

There are also some other WhatsApp groups relating to specific regions (like the Windermere steaming group) - these are administered by local members.

At the request of the SBA Committee, SBA Services Limited (The SBAS) have instigated a new service to allow Overseas Visitors to SBA Events to obtain temporary Boiler Test Certificates from the SBAS.

These will be known as "TISRs" (Temporary Inspection Scheme Reports) and are provided under the normal Boiler Inspection Scheme. They can be valid for up to 60 days, need to be applied for typically 60 days before they are needed.

Such test can be requested via the Scheme Administrator, and you can see the updated booklet (Version 7.08, dated 29th May 2024), which describes the process and charges) on the SBAS pages of the site or download it from here

Malcolm Duckett, Company Secretary SBA Services Limited

Waverley, the World’s last seagoing paddle steamer, has been awarded the prestigious status of National Flagship of the Year by National Historic Ships UK. The award recognises the breadth and geographic coverage of Waverley’s sailings in addition to the extended sailing programme planned for 2024 with a record beating seventy ports and piers included within this year’s cruising itinerary.

There are some slightly adjusted draft accounts now on the website on the Events page/2024 AGM