Another British engineering icon to be scrapped

[ScottyStitch]

The last two car-carrying cross channel SR.N4 hovercraft are currently stored at the
Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-Solent where they have sat since retiring from service.

Unfortunately they are not the property of the museum trust and now the owners want to scrap them both. The trust has started a petition to save the best-preserved example, the "Princess Anne", as one of the great British Transport icons.

https://www.change.org/p/homes-and-communities-agency-save-the-princess-anne-the-last-remaining-srn4-hovercraft-for-the-nation

Please sign and don't let another important piece of our engineering heritage go for "scrap value".


Paul

Signed and shared

[railsquid]

Signed. My first two Channel crossings were on Hovercrafts, don't remember which ones right now (have photos somewhere) but if memory servers correctly it was 1978 and 1979 from Ramsgate. Spent ages afterwards trying to recreate one in Lego.

[Unclealbo]

Signed, thanks for making us aware.
Allan

[Jerry Howlett]

Signed. Managed a quick "Day return" one evening having been paid to work at Dover Priory Station audit team it seemed a shame to waste the day.. A bounce across the channel and back with some Duty Frees was a bargain at £5.

Hope it is a success and they then restore it to Seaspeed colours.

[Chetcombe]

Signed, it would be a shame to lose an icon like this.

I first travelled on one in 1976 on a school trip to Germany and Switzerland, my first trip out of the UK. An amazing experience, albeit a noisy and diesel fumed one!

[Rabbitaway]

Hi All

Signed as well

The hovercraft needs to be saved!

[Sprintex]

STOP PRESS !!

Just received this e-mail:-

15 AUG 2016 — The Hovercraft Museum Trust is delighted to announce that they have been successful in securing the future of SRN4 "The Princess Anne".

We are also absolutely delighted to announce we will partially open the craft to the public at the Hovershow next weekend!!!

We have worked very closely with our landlord, the Homes & Communities Agency to land an initial 3 year lease (at peppercorn rent) with the intention of the HCA to hand the craft over completely to the Trust at the end of the 3 years.

This time period allows us to fulfil obligations in making the craft safe and of smart appearance.

We would like to thank the team at HCA, the 23,000 signatories to our petition and the support of the Museum's local MP Caroline Dineage. There has been an awful lot of work going on behind the scenes.

Special thanks also goes to our hardworking team of volunteers and trustees who have managed the campaign and we would also like to thank Cliff Valize-Jones for setting up the Save the SRN4 Facebook group which massively raised our profile.

The real work starts now though - volunteers to undertake work on her please get in touch!




Paul

[Bealman]

Great! Keep me informed!

George

[Mito]

Great news. I'm too far away to volunteer.

[steve836]

Great news. I'm too far away to volunteer.

Ditto: but  I remember Christopher Cockerel giving a talk at our school in Norwich and a group of us built a working model of SRN1

[Mito]

I've always wanted to build a small hovercraft, a 2 seater but when I've had time, no money and when working, no time.

[Unclealbo]

Thanks Paul for originally bringing our attention to the situation.  I signed the petition and recruited several like minded friends.  Since then the trust has kept me up to date on the current situation which is a nice touch.  I'm too far away to get bodily involved but I wish them all the best and will help if and when I can.

[railsquid]

My first Channel crossing at the tender age of 5 was on one of those, I remember being so impressed by the experience, I spent a fair bit of time trying to recreate it in Lego.

[Tonye]

  I had to sign because I remember them leaving Pegwell Bay Circa 1977/9.