News

Faye Beerling’s “Adventures of the Medway Queen” is a summary of the ship’s history in story form, aimed at primary school children. Faye specialises in children’s books with a historical theme written in association with museums and collections.

In our new book, Jasmine, with her friend Peter and Peter’s Mum, visit Medway Queen at Gillingham Pier and take the tour of the ship.

“Adventures of the Medway Queen” will be launched at Gillingham Pier on Saturday October 8th. It is planned that the author, Faye Beerling, will be on hand to sign books and chat to her readers and all are welcome.

www.medwayqueen.co.uk

(this is a copy of an email all members should have just received)

Overview - SBA IT System Update

During the course of the last year, we (the committee) have been discussing how we manage and maintain the IT systems that support the SBA and its members.

So this includes both the "visible systems" (i.e. SBA Web site, The Steamboat Register, Events, News, Forums, emails, Zoom, and social media), and the "hidden systems" (like email servers, hosting platforms, wild apricot etc. that make all this function).

The Next Steps Document

This has resulted in a document (and an accompanying slide presentation) describing our intentions in implementing some updates and changes to our IT systems that will help us all make the most of our memberships, and exploit the web and on-line systems that we already use to make it easier for members to participate in SBA events (both on-line and in the real world). I have included links to this "Next Steps" document, and the associated slides. PLEASE READ THEM NOW!

Read the SBA IT Next Steps Document

View the SBA IT Next Steps Slides  (click the slideshow link when the doc opens)

An SBA IT Team - are you ready to help?

The first step is to form a formal SBA IT Team of members who will take responsibility for managing and maintaining each of our systems. So, this message is a request for members who might be willing to join this IT team and take on the work involved in maintaining and managing one or more of these components.

Some notes before you say "yes":

• Read the Next Steps document and slides before you respond please.
• We need people with professional experience of managing and running IT systems, you will be surprised by the size and complexity of our systems.
• We are not intending to implement a "perfect" system, but a simple, reliable and manageable system, exploiting the functionality of our chosen platforms, that we can maintain without needing to spend members' subscription money on "experts" or "consultants".
• We are not undertaking a "rewrite" or "redesign" of our systems or web sites, we are just making sure we have the functionality the SBA needs, constructed in a reliable, maintainable form.
  
• You will need to be ready to spend some time (probably no more than an hour or so a week) on the task.
• You may be responsible for access to systems that contain personal data, so some appreciation of the requirements of practical on-line security are imperative.
  
• You will be a member of a team, and so will need to agree programs of work with other team members, and implement changes in concert with others.
• You are not required to be a committee member to join the IT Team.
• Your efforts will be much appreciated!

If all this sounds like your bag, then please drop me a line, telling me about your experience and interest and we will get back to you as we move forwards.

Click to email Malcolm, to register your interest

A thank you to Roger Heise

Roger Heise's has decided that this is the time to step away from the administration of the SBA IT systems after many years of dedicated effort. So, we all owe Roger a considerable "thank you".

Regards,

Malcolm Duckett

A skipper from Liverpool who has put his life's work into restoring a historic steamship has been awarded the Merchant Navy Medal in honour of his achievement on Saturday 3 September 2022).

Captain Dan Cross has received the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal for his efforts in restoring the iconic SS Daniel Adamson, which first set sail in 1903. Through Dan’s restoration efforts, he has supported young people from all backgrounds and abilities to learn, participate and eventually volunteer as part of the ship’s crew and go on to lead careers in engineering and across the maritime sector.

We cooperated with JSC of Poland in the design and production of their latest card kit featuring HMS Medway Queen and 3 other Dunkirk ships. These kits are now available through MQPS in support of the Medway Queen’s preservation and have been announced on our website and Facebook page.

https://www.medwayqueen.co.uk/news

https://www.facebook.com/TheMedwayQueenPreservationSociety

Mark Rudall and five others headed to Trossachs Pier for the first ‘Sir Walter’s Workweek’. They had a fascinating time and were part of the process to set the iconic Scottish pleasure steamer on course towards steaming once again in the autumn.  Read Mark's comprehensive report on the SBA website here. But she needs more help: is this something for you? If it is, talk to SBA Committee member Adrian Greco who will be delighted to hear from you.

Post AGM news

A big thank you to all who attended this year’s AGM either physically or online - especially those who travelled a long way. For those of you who couldn’t make it then a little news of how things went.

We started with a very successful auction which not only boosted club finances, but also the pockets of members who brought items to sell! Strangest item offered was a Magimix kitchen mixer – not at all sure what this had to do with steam boating, but it went for £2!

We then covered the many developments and initiatives which the club has achieved this last year, followed by Roger Powell, our membership secretary, reporting very healthy growth in new members (19) so far this year which is double that in previous recent years.

Our treasurer, Nigel, said club finances were much reduced from previous, perhaps unnecessarily high, cash balances. The good news here though is that we will finish the year with cash in the bank and the new membership rates (mentioned below) will boost this back to safe levels.

Most know that Kevin Slater has boldly stepped up as our new editor, he reported that all was now in order and that Funnel 192 will shortly be with paid up members together with a free copy of the fascinating new 50 at 50 booklet.

Serious business then followed, centered on two new proposals put to members.

1 An increase in the cost of subs

2 Changes to the Constitution.

After vigorous discussion results were as follows:

1 - Carried by a large majority - 81% in favour. Next year UK subs will be £36 and £44 for overseas. Junior membership remains at £12.

2 – Defeated as the small majority achieved was insufficient to carry the matter to the required postal vote. Constitution changes will now be studied by a subcommittee who will then re-present for members approval in due course.

We closed the meeting with a very informative talk by Peter Green, skipper of SL Alaska.

Happy steaming this year – we have some great events planned for you all!

Tootle Pip

John J

An SBA Member, Robin Gibson, has made us aware of a youtube video which has recently been produced in the US.  It's a fine reminder of the amazing preservation and voyage of the Eppleton Hall, well known to the SBA of course as mentioned in Funnel recently.  As he writes "There are a few details of which some pedants like myself may draw breath a little, but overall it's a very good job".  Watch the video on the website.  If the link has expired, go to the media/video page and look under 'Steamboats Abroad'.

This year the Marsh Group Volunteer Award has been awarded to two winners both connected to steamboats. They are the Daniel Adams Preservation Society of Liverpool and the Volunteers and trustees of the Steamship Shieldhall Charity of Southhampton.

The Shipshape Volunteer Award was awarded to the Ship Engineers of the Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society and 

the Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Chris Heyes of the Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society for 50yrs of committed volunteering.

Congratulations to everyone and especially to Chris.

Regional  Flag ship Medway Queen was appointed “South East Regional Flagship for 2020” by National Historic Ships UK earlier this year so, on the same day as the AGM, and following a regular Board meeting, the pennant was ceremonially hoisted on PS Medway Queen by our President, The Rt. Hon. the Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC , in the presence of the Mayor of Medway, Cllr. Habib Tejan . This was a much lower key event than we would have liked due to current restrictions, but we were able to include the local media. The guests arrived exactly on time, the weather cooperated (for a change) and a small party proceeded on board. The tide was rising and the NHS- UK ensign flew proudly at the stern of the ship. The TV crew, from ITV Meridian, were ready and Lord West hoisted the Flagship pennant on the jack staff at the bow and pulled the lanyard to unfurl it. Camera s clicked and whirred and we all breath e d a sigh of relief! Lord West said a few words and then he and Mayor Tejan were conduct ed round the ship by Pam Bathurst, MQPS Members hip Secreta ry. They inspected the refurbished Aft Saloon and the Engine room before proceeding back to the Visitor Centre for tea and biscuits. All masked and distance d as necessary of course.

Pictures are in the gallery. Media, Members Photos, Misc.

The SBA has teamed up with BESST (The Boiler and Engineering Skills Training Trust) to produce some training modules.

These Marine Steam Modules have been prepared by a group of experienced marine engineers and experts from the Steam Boat Association, BESTT and Maritime Heritage Trust including Bob Garnett, John Megoran, Mark Rudall, Kevin Slater and Rob van Es who co-ordinated and edited the work. The work is part of the BESTT National Lottery Heritage Fund "Skills for the Future" project to extend syllabus based steam heritage engineering training, whose first marine trainee has recently started at the Windermere Jetty Museum. The modules are aimed at trainees and other new entrants to these topics and don't aim to offer a comprehensive account - references to textbooks and other sources are provided.  The modules will, however, be of real interest to any steamboater; read them at  www.bestt.org.uk/training_plan. 

These syllabus modules are published in draft and comment is welcome. Please forward any comments to: enquiries@bestt.org.uk