Please be aware that we are currently refurbishing the SBA shop. It will be closed for a little while, while we replace the technology which supports it, but we hope to have it back on-line in time for you to obtain those vital Christmas gifts.

Thank You.

At the 2019 AGM there will be 3 vacancies on the SBA Committee.

If any member considers they can make a contribution to the running of the SBA please contact me in confidence. I will send you a nomination form and help you with it in any way I can.

email to secretary@steamboat.org.uk

John Griffiths, Hon Sec

I am writing to inform you that  William Findlay known as "Bill" sadly passed away having been taken ill very suddenly . He was admitted to hospital on 18th October and died on 1st November 2018. It has been a great shock. Bill was 86.

The family is holding a celebration of his life at 1.45pm on Monday 19th November at The Oaks Crematorium, Barton Road, PO11 9SL, followed by a reception at Hayling Island Sailing Club, Sandy Point, PO11 9SL at 3pm.

Anyone who would like to attend would be very welcome. It is family flowers only, but donations can be make to The Seafarers Charity which Bill was involved with - Cheques made payable to The Guild of Benevolence of the IMarES or can be made on line at https://www.imarest.org/about-imarest/the-guild-of-benevolence

Bill used to own two Steam boats but sold them following the death of his wife and a move from fleet to the address below.

My name is Penny Austin and I was Bill Findlay's partner for the last 9 years.  We used to be invited to meet up for a lunch with a group of Steamboat Association members, who were local to the area, every summer at the home of  a lovely couple who live on the Hamble Estuary but I cannot remember their names and I would like to be able to contact them to let them know that Bill has recently died so that they can forward the information on to any one else that they think would want to know. Bill Findlay lived at 15, Fountain Square, West Town , Hayling Island, PO11 0FB.

I live in High Wycombe Buckinghamshire and can be contacted on *** I have removed Penny's phone numbers from here. If you need to contact her , then please contact me Mike Cole membership sec, details in funnel and I can post her phone numbers on.

I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you are able to help me with my investigation and if you are able to let people know about the service in time. We also used to go to the Annual Steamboat Meets on water near Reading.

Kindest Regards

Penny Austin

As per our "rules" we are about to embark on our semi-regular clean out of advertisements more than 6 months old in the Small-Ads bit of the site. 

Please check if your ad is dated before April 2018, and if you still want it on the site please email adverts@steamboatassociation.co.uk  to let us know.

Thank you. (the SBA web-dwarves) 

Earlier this year during hydraulic testing of the boiler of Steam Tug Kerne it was found that the sixty heavy gauge stay tubes were defective.

As a result of the recent award of The Queens Award for Voluntary Service, The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund have just granted us £3,000 towards the repair work to get Kerne back into steam.

We now have further good news....

Brilliant news. We are delighted to announce that The Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society has been granted an award of £9,300 by The Heritage Lottery Fund under the “First World War then and now”, scheme. 

As H.M.Tug Terrier she served the Royal Navy from 1913 until being sold into civilian service at Liverpool in 1948.

With this grant the boiler stay tube will be replaced to enable Kerne to steam to events as the last operational ex Royal Navy steamship from the First World War. The work will be led by our skilled volunteers who will train young people in rare heritage boiler repair skills.

The award will go towards researching and sharing the First World War heritage of Kerne, tell the story of her role in the naval dockyards, commemorate those who served in H.M.Tugs during the First World War and enable visitors to come aboard Kerne at events and see what life was like aboard an operational ex Royal Navy coal fired steamship.

Tube removal is now underway with steaming planned for next spring.

Please see the event listing for winter social event for details, but any SBA member is now able to attend on Sunday for Auction and Afternoon Talks for just £10/head! - thanks Dot!

( You can download the booking form for the Auction & Talks here. )

Dot informs us of:

OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT BOLTON STEAM MUSEUM

SATURDAY 10th NOVEMBER 2018

1.00 PM

As part of the activities for the SBA Winter Social weekend there will be an afternoon visit to the Bolton Steam Museum (Northern Mill Engine Society) and non-participants in the weekend are invited to join us. This is an ideal opportunity for those interested to have a private guided tour of the Museum with the machines in steam.

As it is a private function the cost per person will be £7.50.

There is also an opportunity to have a buffet lunch at 1.00 pm at the Museum. Cost is £8 per head.

If you are interested please send name(s) and cheque (made payable to the Steam Boat Association of GB, £7.50 for Museum only, £15.50 for museum and buffet) to

Mrs. D.A. Bullough (address in member's directory) by Friday 26th October.

Any queries contact Dot on 0161 723 3366 or

r.bullough375@btinternet.com

The Consuta Project are seeking to appoint a part time Project Assistant to arrange and organise a variety of activities associated with steam and steamboats.

The work will involve arranging and supervising visits and talks, mostly near the Thames area. The job will be paid on an hourly basis and involves some working from home plus the supervision of the visits/talks that have been arranged. The project is supported by an HLF grant and will end by December 2019.

A variety of possible activities has already been prepared, however the person appointed can vary and modify these as appropriate, the purpose is to develop and encourage public interest in steamboating and its history.

Please look at the Consuta Trust website for more details of the Consuta Project.

If you are interested and would like to know more, please contact Brian Smith by phone:- 07486 606130 or email:- activities@consuta.org.uk "

Brian Smith informs us that The Consuta Project HLF Activities programme is sponsoring a visit to Crofton Beam Engine Steam Gala on Sunday the 30th September. 

Entry open from 10:30. 

Website: https://www.croftonbeamengines.org/

What's on:-

• Beam engines in steam
  
• Static engines
  
• Classic cars
  
• Craft stalls
  
• Boat trips on the canal
  
• and much more
  

Crofton is a Wiltshire location near Burbage/Bedwyn and has a large car park with a cafe for snacks - drinks. Why not visit the oldest working steam engines in the world still performing the job they were built to do.

If you would like to visit this Steam Gala and see steam machinery in a lovely countryside setting you must let me know before Wednesday 26th September to  obtain free entry.

Brian Smith

email: activities@consuta.org.uk or 

Phone: 07486 606130

I am please to announce that Dick Plumb has agreed to take over the vacant role of Anglian Rep. Any local members are encouraged to contact Dick (rgp1000@cam.ac.uk) to welcome him to his new role and see what he has planned for you in the near future.

This appointment was ratified at the full Committee meeting held yesterday (15 Sept 2018)