News

Dear all, 

Please find below a link to the video recorded at the AGM, with business meeting, SS Great Britain talk and Auction bidding...

HERE is the LINK - https://youtu.be/qhq4CxNDVtw

Dear all, I will be uploading a few documents that I (as projectionist) received at the AGM for circulation:

1. A video of the meeting as transmitted on Zoom
2. A Video of the 1981 rally cine film Christine Monkhouse showed after the meeting (this will go into the video library here
3. A scan of the rally report from 1981 to go with the cine film - you can see that  here. 

Cheers, Malcolm

Reminder that the AGM is on Saturday 7th March 2026 at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

This year lunch will be provided free of charge to those who have booked before the 26th February 2026 as numbers have to be submitted a week in advance. There will be no lunch available for anyone booking after this date.

Anyone wishing to attend the Friday Night Dinner at the Holiday Inn must book and pay before 2nd February 2026. DO NOT FORGET TO LIST YOUR MENU CHOICES.

Unfortunately due to work being done at the museum the previously proposed visit to the museum on the Sunday cannot take place. Attendees to the AGM will still be able to visit the museum individually on the Sunday free of charge. I am still thinking on an informal meal on the Saturday night and have a few venues in mind. Details re this will be available early February.

Regards

Dot

Registration for the 2026 AGM on the 7th March at the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port is on the Events Page of the Website.

Details here: Moment canal collapse swallows boat

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.