It played such a minor role and at 7 million pounds to restore I say scrap her.
William
Mine-sweeper ship that defied the Germans on D-Day set to be scrapped for health and safety reasons
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:27 PM on 31st January 2010
She survived everything the Germans could throw at her during the Second World War.
Converted into a mine-sweeper, Paddle Steamer Ryde escaped North Sea torpedo attacks and shot and shell during the D-Day landings.
She even came through a serious fire later in her life.
Paddle Steamer Ryde
Imperious: Converted into a mine-sweeper, Paddle Steamer Ryde escaped North Sea torpedo attacks and shot and shell during the D-Day landings
Paddle steamer Ryde
Derelict: The once-grand boat is languishing and, without warning, work has begun to break her up amid health and safety concerns
Now the 223ft vessel - the world's last coal-powered, sea-going paddle steamer and one of the few surviving ships used at Normandy - is finally being sunk - by bureaucracy.
The once-grand boat is languishing at a mooring on the Isle of Wight and, without warning, work has begun to break her up amid health and safety concerns.
This is to the fury of a group of enthusiasts who have been trying to buy her with the aim of one day restoring her to her former glory.
PS Ryde - which is on the National Historic Ships register - is in the hands of receivers after the company that owns her went bust last year.
But those who wanted to buy her can't understand why the administrators did not accept their offer, which they thought would be of mutual benefit to the creditors and Britain's maritime heritage.
Mark Young, one of the trustees of the Ryde Preservation Trust, said: 'During her life she has been a pleasure craft, a war ship, a gin palace, a hotel and a nightclub - and unfortunately she is now a wreck.
'She has survived a bad fire when she was a nightclub but we believe that if she is restored we could run her as a tourist vessel.
'The company that owned her, Island Marina Holdings, is in the hands of the receivers.
D-Day
Historic: American soldiers disembark at the shores of Normandy on D-Day, June 1944
'We offered 15,000 pounds for her and showed evidence of our funds and that we were able to pay for her storage for a year.
'During that year we would have been able to secure grants to help us move her and then restore her. But we couldn't apply for the grants until we owned her.
'We made the offer and then heard nothing until I walked past the other day and found that they had started to break her up.
'They have exposed asbestos and because their licence for removing it has run out we have at least 14 days during which they can't work on her.
'It was a complete shock to find that they have started to break her up without even responding to our offer.
'Our offer was small but it would not have cost them anything, whereas breaking her up will cost them a great deal. Possibly 25,000 to deal with the asbestos alone.
'It does not seem to be in the interest of the creditors.
'They cite health and safety as reasons for their actions, but breaking her up causes pollution and she is in an area of special scientific interest.
'We would have fenced her off, guarded her and made sure no one could get to her. But at the moment you can climb over her if you wanted.
'A director of the National Historic Ships is in talks with the Environment Agency, DEFRA and the DCMS to see if they can get a stay of execution for the vessel so that a more suitable solution to this can be found.
'She is the last coal-powered sea-going paddle steamer and it would be a tragedy to lose her.
'And she is one of the very few remaining ships from the D-Day landings that have survived.'
The paddle steamer was built by the renowned Clydeside shipbuilder William Denny and Bros of Dumbarton at a cost of 46,000 pounds.
Built for the Southern Railways in 1936, the steamer was launched on St George's Day the following year.
Shortly after entering service on the Solent as PS Ryde she was commandeered for the war effort.
As HMS Ryde she was used as a mine sweeper patrolling the North Sea and the Dover Straits and on more than one occasion the Germans claimed to have sunk her.
Later she was refitted as an anti-aircraft ship and after duty on the Thames and at Harwich she sailed to Portsmouth to join the great invasion fleet in 1944.
On D-Day, HMS Ryde was stationed at Omaha beach protecting the Mulberry Harbour from aircraft attacks.
After the landings she was sent an order: 'If you have enough coal, return to Portsmouth, if you do not have enough coal, run the ship onto the beach!'
She managed to return and after the war went into the business she had been built for, taking passengers on trips around the Solent and the Isle of Wight.
By 1968 she was moored on the Thames having been chartered to steam along as an 'Edwardian Gin Palace' in a promotion of Gilbey's Gin.
The following year it looked as if she would be broken up, but was saved and steamed to the Isle of Wight where she was tuned into a hotel, or 'floatel'.
After that she was used as a nightclub called the Ryde Queen but by the mid 1990s had fallen into disrepair; she had been vandalised and savaged by the elements.
The enthusiasts who want to save her hope she can be returned to her original state and used once again to take passengers on trips along the south coast.
A statement released by the administrators, BDO - formerly Stoy Hayward - stated: 'Some months ago the Preservation Society approached the administrators chattel agents in respect of the PS Ryde.
'We were advised that the Society needed to raise substantial funds for the acquisition and that this would take some considerable time.
'Unfortunately, due to the fragile condition of the vessel and for health and safety reasons, the administrators have concluded that the vessel should be removed.
'The society has been provided with details of the party whom they should contact in relation to acquiring any parts of the vessel.'
The estimated cost of retoring the Ryde is seven million pounds. She currently lies near Newport on the island.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz0eEBO0ROS
William
Mine-sweeper ship that defied the Germans on D-Day set to be scrapped for health and safety reasons
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:27 PM on 31st January 2010
She survived everything the Germans could throw at her during the Second World War.
Converted into a mine-sweeper, Paddle Steamer Ryde escaped North Sea torpedo attacks and shot and shell during the D-Day landings.
She even came through a serious fire later in her life.
Paddle Steamer Ryde
Imperious: Converted into a mine-sweeper, Paddle Steamer Ryde escaped North Sea torpedo attacks and shot and shell during the D-Day landings
Paddle steamer Ryde
Derelict: The once-grand boat is languishing and, without warning, work has begun to break her up amid health and safety concerns
Now the 223ft vessel - the world's last coal-powered, sea-going paddle steamer and one of the few surviving ships used at Normandy - is finally being sunk - by bureaucracy.
The once-grand boat is languishing at a mooring on the Isle of Wight and, without warning, work has begun to break her up amid health and safety concerns.
This is to the fury of a group of enthusiasts who have been trying to buy her with the aim of one day restoring her to her former glory.
PS Ryde - which is on the National Historic Ships register - is in the hands of receivers after the company that owns her went bust last year.
But those who wanted to buy her can't understand why the administrators did not accept their offer, which they thought would be of mutual benefit to the creditors and Britain's maritime heritage.
Mark Young, one of the trustees of the Ryde Preservation Trust, said: 'During her life she has been a pleasure craft, a war ship, a gin palace, a hotel and a nightclub - and unfortunately she is now a wreck.
'She has survived a bad fire when she was a nightclub but we believe that if she is restored we could run her as a tourist vessel.
'The company that owned her, Island Marina Holdings, is in the hands of the receivers.
D-Day
Historic: American soldiers disembark at the shores of Normandy on D-Day, June 1944
'We offered 15,000 pounds for her and showed evidence of our funds and that we were able to pay for her storage for a year.
'During that year we would have been able to secure grants to help us move her and then restore her. But we couldn't apply for the grants until we owned her.
'We made the offer and then heard nothing until I walked past the other day and found that they had started to break her up.
'They have exposed asbestos and because their licence for removing it has run out we have at least 14 days during which they can't work on her.
'It was a complete shock to find that they have started to break her up without even responding to our offer.
'Our offer was small but it would not have cost them anything, whereas breaking her up will cost them a great deal. Possibly 25,000 to deal with the asbestos alone.
'It does not seem to be in the interest of the creditors.
'They cite health and safety as reasons for their actions, but breaking her up causes pollution and she is in an area of special scientific interest.
'We would have fenced her off, guarded her and made sure no one could get to her. But at the moment you can climb over her if you wanted.
'A director of the National Historic Ships is in talks with the Environment Agency, DEFRA and the DCMS to see if they can get a stay of execution for the vessel so that a more suitable solution to this can be found.
'She is the last coal-powered sea-going paddle steamer and it would be a tragedy to lose her.
'And she is one of the very few remaining ships from the D-Day landings that have survived.'
The paddle steamer was built by the renowned Clydeside shipbuilder William Denny and Bros of Dumbarton at a cost of 46,000 pounds.
Built for the Southern Railways in 1936, the steamer was launched on St George's Day the following year.
Shortly after entering service on the Solent as PS Ryde she was commandeered for the war effort.
As HMS Ryde she was used as a mine sweeper patrolling the North Sea and the Dover Straits and on more than one occasion the Germans claimed to have sunk her.
Later she was refitted as an anti-aircraft ship and after duty on the Thames and at Harwich she sailed to Portsmouth to join the great invasion fleet in 1944.
On D-Day, HMS Ryde was stationed at Omaha beach protecting the Mulberry Harbour from aircraft attacks.
After the landings she was sent an order: 'If you have enough coal, return to Portsmouth, if you do not have enough coal, run the ship onto the beach!'
She managed to return and after the war went into the business she had been built for, taking passengers on trips around the Solent and the Isle of Wight.
By 1968 she was moored on the Thames having been chartered to steam along as an 'Edwardian Gin Palace' in a promotion of Gilbey's Gin.
The following year it looked as if she would be broken up, but was saved and steamed to the Isle of Wight where she was tuned into a hotel, or 'floatel'.
After that she was used as a nightclub called the Ryde Queen but by the mid 1990s had fallen into disrepair; she had been vandalised and savaged by the elements.
The enthusiasts who want to save her hope she can be returned to her original state and used once again to take passengers on trips along the south coast.
A statement released by the administrators, BDO - formerly Stoy Hayward - stated: 'Some months ago the Preservation Society approached the administrators chattel agents in respect of the PS Ryde.
'We were advised that the Society needed to raise substantial funds for the acquisition and that this would take some considerable time.
'Unfortunately, due to the fragile condition of the vessel and for health and safety reasons, the administrators have concluded that the vessel should be removed.
'The society has been provided with details of the party whom they should contact in relation to acquiring any parts of the vessel.'
The estimated cost of retoring the Ryde is seven million pounds. She currently lies near Newport on the island.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz0eEBO0ROS