August 2018

By

August marked the awarding of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service which turned out to be all we had hoped it would be and more.

Cleaning, painting and general sprucing-up during the first week of the month had the vessel looking very smart indeed for the award ceremony on the 7th August, but ahead of the event itself we had a marquee to erect, tables, banners and bunting to be put in place, food and celebratory bubbly to be arranged, and regional TV and radio interviews to be recorded.

 

Monday 6th started early as Dave Guest, BBC North West’s Senior Reporter arrived with his cameraman on the quay to film a piece for the evening news. Over the next two hours Paul Kirkbride, myself and Chris Heyes were interviewed and filmed in the Wheelhouse, Boiler Room and Engine Room, shots were taken around the vessel, and information gathered for the commentary. This was duly broadcast during the North West Tonight, albeit that the two hours was condensed down to three minutes and Roger Johnson in the introduction pronounced ‘Kerne’ as ‘Kee-ern-ee’. That said, we had plenty of good feedback and responses to the piece. No sooner had we finished with the TV, than BBC Radio Merseyside’s Claire Minter arrived and recorded an interview with Paul that was broadcast on the Tuesday morning.

 

The crew arrived before noon on 7th and delivered the catering and made final preparations for the big day. United Utilities had very kindly offered to provide car-parking at the Liverpool Wastewater Treatment Works from where our volunteers (suitably dressed in ‘Kerne’ shirts) and guests were conveyed in a classic ex-Liverpool bus to the quayside for the ceremonial proceedings. The Queen’s official representatives were Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Mr Mark Blundell, Deputy Lieutenant Sir Mark Hedley DL and Lieutenant Colonel Sean McEvoy BEM. The civic party was The Right Worshipful, The Lord Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Christine Banks. After official introductions and a visit aboard Kerne there followed official speeches including a welcoming address, a description of the award process and assessment, the presentation of the Award and signed Certificate of Authority. Obligatory photographs followed and a speech of thanks on behalf of the volunteers before all present enjoyed drinks and food in the marquee in a very relaxed and convivial atmosphere despite the somewhat cold and blustery conditions..

 

The Society are very honoured to receive this Award in recognition of the 47 years the group has preserved and operated the vessel, particularly as it is the first time the Queen has recognised a voluntary vessel preservation group in this way. Following the departure of the dignitaries and guests, the remaining crew were transported in the classic bus to The Lion Tavern for post event drinks. Unsurprisingly, this part of the proceedings lasted several hours! Even less surprisingly, the dismantling and clearing-up operation the following day was performed despite a number of very thick heads.

 

Work aboard had taken second stage to the Award Ceremony, but we are now on with jobs including the cleaning and cement washing of the aft peak tank and preparatory work on the Aft Cabin/Galley improvements. In the Boiler Room work has commenced on the removal of the 60 stay tubes, a job which will likely take us into next year. Normality service has returned!.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

July 2023

By
Kerne has remained in Canning Dock throughout the month with the crew giving conducted tours around the vessel when members are in attendance. One very interesting recent visitor was an Australian gentleman and his wife who are members of the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney harbour which amongst its exhibits is the Steam Tug ‘Waratah’. It just so happened that in the mid 1970’s we were befriended by an Australian gent by the name of Peter Jones who was having an extended visit to the UK and he joined us as a temporary volunteer. He described that in Sydney he and others had embarked on a project to restore Waratah. Somewhat larger than Kerne at 105ft, she was built in 1902 by the Australian Government Dockyard and fitted with steam reciprocating engines built by Ross and Duncan of Govan on the Clyde. During Peter’s time in the UK, we were able to discuss common issues that both they and us had to confront in preserving these ancient vessels and I am pleased to report that
Read more

March 2023

By
To say that March has been ‘full-on’ would be no exaggeration as we approach our operating season. The most important element being successful boiler inspections without which we are going nowhere. Firstly after a successful dry inspection, fire bars had to be refitted in the two furnaces, there being two sets of bars in each furnace supported by a very heavy central bridge piece. That done, the two folding smokebox doors had to be closed and the multiple dogs correctly engaged to ensure a smoke-tight fit. After filling the boiler with approx 8 tons of water fires were then lit and over three days the boiler was slowly warmed up and steam raised to 180psi for the Boiler Inspector to witness the lifting of the safety valves to his satisfaction. The latter was followed by engine trials alongside the quay at Sandon which again was successful with only a few minor issues. The steam test did reveal a failed joint in the safety valve waste pipe which runs up the front of the funnel. This joi
Read more

August 2022

By
Whilst there is never any real let-up in the work needed to keep a 109 year old steam tug in active condition, there is nothing like the a fast approaching trip to speed things up and August has been no exception. The outstanding welding to the new bunker cross deck continued apace, the main welding being pretty much complete and the square apertures for the bunker lids cut out and the surrounding lips formed. In order to make the tug presentable, areas to be finished off have been masked before primer and 2-pack black top coat was applied across the deck. The letter ‘K’ of Kerne that was lost when the corroded upper sections of the bunker were cut away has thankfully been reinstated, as it had been suggested that if the port side of the bunkers appeared to be called ‘Erne’ we should name the starboard side ‘Eric’!! The suggestion was not adopted. Work continued over six work sessions to repaint white band beneath the rail. This entailed flap wheel grinder preparation, water wash off,
Read more