Behind closed doors.....

[C.Ricko]

Hi Jonny,

I'm not restoring it for the museeum, it is mine, the engines next to it belong to the museeum.

I will get a better picture,as she is a nice launch, Ranger has different lines as does Golden dawn the tow boat from Hearts which I think were the same.

[Gordon]

Clive, I have often heard your guys refer to the Ponderosa, is it just the big shed or the whole area at that end of the yard.

How was it so named, was someone a 60's western fan?

[C.Ricko]

Clive, I have often heard your guys refer to the Ponderosa, is it just the big shed or the whole area at that end of the yard.

How was it so named, was someone a 60's western fan?

Hi Gordon,

The Ponderosa is the shed next to the Wet shed, I am not sure where the name came from but I think your guess is right, I have asked before but cant remember the answer!

[Broadlander3]

Hi Clive...

Does it have anything to do with Hoss???

[Guest]

Ranger has different lines as does Golden dawn the tow boat from Hearts which I think were the same.

Hi Clive.

Sorry to hijack an old thread - but what happened to the tow boat from Hearts, have you still got her? Is it the one that used to ferry customers to and from the island?

James.

[C.Ricko]

Hi James,

Golden Dawn stayed at Hearts when the yard was sold, I thought about keeping her but the purchacer said he wanted it, she had been sunk and the engine was shot, she had also bee fiberglassed and that would have hidden issues so it was probably a blessing in disguise!!

[stowboy]

Hi All

Very interesting thread this.. pic of my 34 elysian there in the basin too! thanks for the behind closed doors pics..always wanted to look in where some of the work to the fleet was being carried out when im up working on of Hearts 1, but didnt want to get in the way

By the way Clive, can you tell us where the old hangars came from?

Andy

[C.Ricko]

Hi All

Very interesting thread this.. pic of my 34 elysian there in the basin too! thanks for the behind closed doors pics..always wanted to look in where some of the work to the fleet was being carried out when im up working on of Hearts 1, but didnt want to get in the way

By the way Clive, can you tell us where the old hangars came from?

Andy

Hi Andy,

The green 'blister' hangar (ex John williams) came from Seething airfield, the other 'blister' hanger (new build) came from Metfield airfield, as did the 'T2' hangar just inside the gates (Black hangar), the shed between the two blister hangars was bought from Colemans mustard from auction for £12 for the roof trusses in about 1960 (we doubled the roof trusses to make the shed longer)

[stowboy]

Hi Clive

Thanks for the info, always thought they were from Ludham airfield, but Metfield and Seething! blimey they have seen some history in their time!

im sure when i cleaned Richardsons boats on the yard on saturdays in the mid seventies, we all congregated around the end of the T2(black hanger) first thing in the morning, hoping to be picked! i think it was either 50p or £1 a day!! it was hard work too..still cannot stand the smell of brillo pads!

andy

[C.Ricko]

we dont get many crowds these days waiting to be picked for work at £1 a day, perhaps we should double it

The Black hangar was subject to an explosion where at the end of the war some Americains were rolling bombs into the bomb dump and the whole lot blew up, the shed was concertinered. when we got the shed home the perlins were straightened by driving the digger over them, some were also replaced..