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Beverley set to move from the Humber to Solway


Dave Swindell

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About time. It's been sitting in Fort Paull for ages, partially dismantled and looking very sorry for itself. The logistics of removing it from its current site, never mind the subsequent transportation, will be challenging but at least it might now have a chance of survival. Kudos to those good folks at the Solway Aviation Museum. :yes:

Jon

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On 2/1/2024 at 5:06 AM, bentwaters81tfw said:

Someone either has or needs deep pockets. Best of luck with that.

Or a bunch of little pockets. I just sent them part of my kit fund. Never underestimate crowdfunding for a good cause.

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I am happy that SOMEONE is saving her from scrappage. I can't help feeling that it's a real shame that someone closer to her real home at Brough couldn't have stepped in and done the deal a whole lot earlier.

She's the last of her breed, not only several members of my family worked on them at the factory, but hundreds more around here. Wouldn't it have been nice to have seen her as the gate guardian outside the factory? 

Just a thought.

Regards

Pete

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On 18/02/2024 at 19:08, Pete Robin said:

I am happy that SOMEONE is saving her from scrappage. I can't help feeling that it's a real shame that someone closer to her real home at Brough couldn't have stepped in and done the deal a whole lot earlier.

She's the last of her breed, not only several members of my family worked on them at the factory, but hundreds more around here. Wouldn't it have been nice to have seen her as the gate guardian outside the factory? 

Just a thought.

Regards

Pete

I think a move to a proper museum with the resources to look after her is the best outcome. As a gate guardian I suspect it would just prolong the slow demise to corrosion. 

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On 2/18/2024 at 7:08 PM, Pete Robin said:

I can't help feeling that it's a real shame that someone closer to her real home at Brough couldn't have stepped in and done the deal a whole lot earlier.

IIRC, the sale of the Beverley when the excellent and much missed Army Transport Musrum closed was by sealed bid auction. I think two bidders intended to keep the aircraft at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, which is reasonably close by, but neither won the bid so it ended up at Fort Paull - which, while it had potential, was definitely not the world's best-kept museum and is in a location that is hardly conducive to the preservation of historic airframes. 

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Interesting project. Will the preserved machine be stored under cover or will she be exposed to the elements?  I hope under cover of some sort, to aid long term survival. 

It would be terrific if a working Centaurus could one day be installed, though I suppose that is high;y unlikely.

 

A project well worth supporting.

 

Long ago, reading one of Nevill Shute's books about a  chap who starts a freight airline in the Middle East, 'Round the Bend', I thought one of the machines in that was based loosely on the Universal Freighter or Beverley. Does anyone else think so?

 

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1 minute ago, John B (Sc) said:

Interesting project. Will the preserved machine be stored under cover or will she be exposed to the elements?  I hope under cover of some sort, to aid long term survival. 

They'd need to raise a lot more than 60k for a hangar. The museum already has a Vulcan which they have been looking after well, and recently proved their ability to restore pretty far gone aircraft with their Gannet. I wouldn't be overly concerned about it being outside under their care. 

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12 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

They'd need to raise a lot more than 60k for a hangar. The museum already has a Vulcan which they have been looking after well, and recently proved their ability to restore pretty far gone aircraft with their Gannet. I wouldn't be overly concerned about it being outside under their care. 

 

Thanks Adam. That's what I thought, though it is why I said 'under cover', rather than a hangar.  A 'hangar' seems to excite planners to add all sorts of extra details, whereas a simple 'shelter' could perhaps  work.  Not for £60k however !    She's a large beast to keep in good condition, as is a Vulcan - though there seem to be plenty of those around, so I'd hope it doesn't take too much attention from Beverely restoration work.   I must find out more about their Gannet; a fine, tough and complex aeroplane.

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