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OverviewFrom the heart of Rosyth naval base in 1978 five volunteers set out on VIC 56, an elderly steamer snatched from a scrapyard fate. With only a basic radio and a compass made usable by one of the crew, they set out down the North Sea. Turned away by some ports and welcomed in others, she began a new life on the London river just as Docklands was being reborn. This was the first of many challenges to keep the steamer going and family, friends, work colleagues and sympathetic visitors were ruthlessly enlisted to help. A rare survivor of wartime shipping, the puffer attracted interest around the Thames estuary and in 1989 sailed across the North Sea to Flushing in Holland. VIC 56 appeared in arts events and in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012 before being donated to Portsmouth Boathouse 4 in 2019 where she is a popular exhibit. Trips were only possible through the heavy work programme of the engineers to keep the engine, boiler and other machinery in good order. This book looks at the challenges for small historic vessel owners and how to stay ahead. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Henry ClearyPublisher: Troubador Publishing Imprint: Matador ISBN: 9781803137513ISBN 10: 1803137517 Pages: 80 Publication Date: 28 July 2023 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In Print This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us. Table of ContentsReviewsAuthor InformationHenry Cleary was a career civil servant who became actively involved in preserving steam heritage in 1978 when he bought the redundant naval puffer VIC 56 from Ministry of Defence and, with the help of friends and volunteers, kept her in operation. He remains active on maritime and wider heritage issues. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |