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[Bernhard]

Hi...Real nice this is
Model 33 1/2 overall length;
i think this is a Maxwell steam plant in it...read about it one time in a old magasin
Regards Bernhard

[barryfoote]

Is that the one built by the late Derek Brown? A very beautiful model of the great Windermere Steam launch.

[SteamboatPhil]

I think the article appeared in model boats about 15/20 years ago, as far as I can  remember it is all home made including the engine which I think is a compound d/acting slide valve

[John R Haynes]

might have been made by a chap called Townsend who made models of most of the Windermere  vessels for collectors worldwide using my plans that took me a few years to draw up in the late 70's. www.johnrhaynes.com

[Bernhard]

hi,,,,
 this scratch-built model is in complete working order. It is a model of the Windermere Boat built by Brockbank from her first owner, Alfred Sladen, own design. Historically, BAT was the first ship ever steered by remote control, from the experiments of Isaac Story and Jack Kitchen. The model comes with complete operating and care instructions in its brass-edged glass case cover on a painted wood base with handles.

Model Boats november 1984..have one look just the same build by,,Keith Townsend

[barryfoote]

You could be right there John. I remember that Keith Townsend's model was one of the inspirations behind Derek's model...

[John R Haynes]

When I left the Lakes after two years to live back in Essex , the Lakes being too wet and I lost all my London Museum work since I was too far away, I sold the plans/copyright to Keith Townsend who lived about half a mile away at that time and he continued to build to order the steamboat models. Not sure where he is now but sure its still in the area.

The steamboat Museum people used to sell my plans but  did not sell many copies , not enough to make it viable to keep reprinting  at 50 a time x 13 boats and several prints per boat

[Liverbudgie2]

Keith and his wife now live in Scotland and has or did have a website.

I have a complete set of drawings for the vessels owned by the museum. Unfortunately, the Steamboat Museum closed down three years ago and the boats taken over by a local trust with the view to restoring them. Quite what has happened since then is mystrey. All very sad, as it it was probably the best location to sail models and have an enjoyable weekend doing so in the UK.

LB

[Vintage]

I was under the impression that the Windermere Steamboat museum was temporarily closed for refurbishment, it seemed to have suffered from years of underfunding but I thought those issues had now been resolved with a National Heritage grant?

Would be interested to know how things are progressing...

Mark

[gondolier88]

Hi Mark,

In answer to your question;

The windermere steamboat museum is NOT closed temporarilly- it is closed permanently until such time the Lakeland Arts Trust- the new owners of the museum and it's land- can get their way- turn the museum into a family attraction... by whatever means possible- including mothballing some of the most important small steam launch designs in the world- SL Dolly- the oldest steam propelled launch in the world and ironically one of the best preserved boats in the museum's collection is intended to stay OUT of the water! She has a VERY sound hull, the original but well looked after engine and a very heavily constructed boiler which was built when she was restored and is also well looked after and steamworthy- however the museum don't see her as 'relevant to the ongoing public image of the museum and are unsure of her safety with her being so old' 

They recieved a grant of £250,000 when they took over the museum in order to 'safegaurd the collection and produce detailed surveys of the boats and to secure the museum buildings'.

This money has now run out- when I was taken for a guided tour along with some other steamboat assosciation members last year we were very upset at the way the money has been spent- a horrifically basic 'specialist humidity controlled' hangar for the most at risk boats has been erected in the car park- so 'specialist' that a 1" gap runs all the way around the bottom and on the day we went round it had rivulets running through it- lakes weather for you- but this shocked us. Also all the boats have undergone very detailed and expensive marine surveys- leading to, and I quote the curator of the time, 'Some difficult decisions needing to be made as to the future of some of the core collection- ie restoring or conservation, read 'mothballing'.

Strangely cameras were banned in the hangar-

The curator has history in miniature railways and was seeing the boats as larger locos- thats the way it seemed anyway- they spent an unnamed amount on a Sissons engine- beautifully restored and in mint condition- thought to have been out of 'Water Viper'- but this is pointless- they cuold have spent that money on gettint the most suitable boat seaworthy and get it on the water to make some income. On top of this the engine was stored in the old shop area along with all the engines and boilers- every single nut and bolt has been chucked in big boxes with little names of the boats written on in permenent marker- this is not the way to conduct a longterm restoration project.

At the moment the museum is stagnant- it has plowed all the money it got in things that don't provide income, or just as importantly interest from the public. It has boats very slowly decomposing out of the nautural environment that they have been in for the past 25 years or so- even if this has been done for the right reasons- SL Branksome will definately have sunk in the next 3-5 years, but why not just take her out of the water?!?!?!

We all feel very strongly about this and I must admit I felt like crying on leaving the museum- at the moment these beautiful boats have NO future.

Funnily enough the curator said, and again I qoute- I don't want hese boats turning into another SY Gondola' What a succesfull and beautiful boat that spearheads the National Trust's image and WORKS- even if she was rebuilt. As the boats stand at the moment they DO NOT need rebuilding, some even light restoration would suffice, so whats the problem.......

Greg

[barryfoote]

That is very sad. My wife and I spent many happy weekends at their model exhibitions....A great shame...

[logoman]

that's shocking to read greg, makes me so angry, I wish I had the money to help, is it worth supporting the Lakeland Arts trust in this matter?

[gondolier88]

Hi Logoman,

I wish I could say yes- but to all intents and purposes they don't seem to be too bothered! The locals seem to think that they are willing to let the situation run it's course then at the last moment submit plans for a development on the prime lake frontage for an attraction of some kind- with a couple of steamboats on show to make the planners happy in a 'We don't have the money to do what we'd 'really like to' so can we do this instead?' kind of moment- up till now south lakes council doesn't seem to be taking that much of an interest either so they might just get away with it which would be a crying shame.

Greg

[Shamrock]

Greg,
I didn`t know about all this. I thought it was just closed for refurbishment but if what you say is true, something has to be done. Do you know if there are petitions or the like, on the go. On line petitions are quite easy to do and can reach a wider audience but on the street petitions in and around Windermere as well as at steamboat rallies and clubs around the country. Looking at an article about what the grant was originally intended for,


"The National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) has awarded the trust £465,596 for the urgent conservation of vessels at the Windermere Steamboat Museum, which holds the most one of the most significant collections of its kind in the world. Among the rare and elegant boats at the museum is Dolly, built in 1850 – the oldest mechanically propelled boat in the world."

http://www.culture24.org.uk/history/time/art39097

....if the money has not been used for the original purpose or in fact the boats are deteriorating as we speak, then we can`t just say It`s sad and get on with our lives.  I for one can`t anyway.

I`ll have a look on this forum to see if a thread has been started, but if not, I intend to get the ball rolling.         

[gondolier88]

Hi Luke,

I'm glad someone else is emotionally attached to these wonderful vessels as I am- heres the last two updates from the museum-

Spring 2009-

"In July 2008, £50,000 was secured from the Northwest Regional Development Agency to fund a masterplanning and feasibility study for the Museum.  The museum design and masterplanning consultants Metaphor, were commissioned to carry out the study and started work in August.  The study considers both the physical and artistic possibilities in creating the new museum, from how much space is required to display the boats (both in and out of the water), to different story options and how then to interpret the collection.  Other aspects considered in the planning were a learning centre, café/restaurant facilities, shop and administration space and also display spaces.  In addition to these elements, an onsite conservation unit has been factored in to the study.  A detailed specification for this unit was drawn up by Colin Henwood and this guided the consultants during the process, a comprehensive site survey was also produced which enabled the consultants to conduct accurate spatial studies of the site and collection.

The completion of this study now puts us in the position to begin approaching potential funders and begin the major task of fundraising for the project.  Whilst this long process is underway the LAT are hoping to create an interim conservation unit in the newly roofed Windermere Building and take on a conservator to begin and oversee the restoration of the collection.  It is also hoped that we will be able to allow limited public access to the site to enable people to see the collection and find out more about the project sometime later in the year."

Summer 2009-

"The Lakeland Arts Trust has recently been awarded a grant from the Headley Trust, part of the Sainsbury family of Trusts, to fund the position of Workshop Manager for a period of three years.

This is a fantastic move forward towards creating a temporary workshop in which to begin the major programme of restoration on the collection.  The Trust aims to convert the existing Windermere Building into the new workshop allowing the boats to be worked on directly on the site.  The Trust commissioned Colin Henwood to draw up a design brief for the workshop last year and the next step is to gain funding to fit out the building with the required equipment.

The Trust will begin the recruitment process shortly.  If you wish to express an interest in this post please contact Charlotte Upton at Blackwell on 015394 46139 or at cu@blackwell.org.uk"

The undisclosed amount from Sainsburys is just what the museum needs- but why is it still in the care of a 'trust' who's main aim is to make a business of the collection of which they have the care of?

A specific not-for-profit charity should be set up to take off where the trust has left off.

I just hope the trust uses these funds to their full effect.

Greg

[Bee]

back on the Bat I see the RTR price was £2950, and the marine plant alone £441, while Model Boats was 99p.
The front cover picture looks even better without the coffee stains

[Bernhard]

Model of the Steam Launch "Bat" by Keith Townsend Lot 38
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-of-the-Steam-Launch-Bat-by-Keith-Townsend-Lot-38-/332041747444?hash=item4d4f3afbf4:g:dn0AAOSw4GVYNa36