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Post by lesmcs on Feb 17, 2014 15:42:21 GMT 1
I haven't seen any recent updates regarding the ongoing preservation of the Britannia G-ANCF on the site of the old airfield. The last I heard was that there was ongoing work taking place on the undercarriage being undertaken by apprentices from Newcastle doesn't seem to have been any changes when I was at David Lloyd sports centre last week. Do they have a date for completion or does it depend on funds? Also are there any plans to have the Dragon Rapide outside the Crowne Plaza fixed as the weather seems to be taking its toll on it following the recent gales. Any updates would be much appreciated. Thanks Les McS  |
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Post by maverick on Feb 17, 2014 18:13:12 GMT 1
I haven't seen any recent updates regarding the ongoing preservation of the Britannia G-ANCF on the site of the old airfield. The last I heard was that there was ongoing work taking place on the undercarriage being undertaken by apprentices from Newcastle doesn't seem to have been any changes when I was at David Lloyd sports centre last week. Do they have a date for completion or does it depend on funds? Also are there any plans to have the Dragon Rapide outside the Crowne Plaza fixed as the weather seems to be taking its toll on it following the recent gales. Any updates would be much appreciated. Thanks Les McS Don't know about the Brit. but the Rapide is going to be re-built very shortly - back to a silver scheme I believe. |
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Post by lesmcs on Feb 17, 2014 22:59:12 GMT 1
Maverick thanks for the update on the Dragon Rapide. Regards Les McS |
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Post by eye2eye5 on Feb 20, 2014 12:27:02 GMT 1
Les
Work on Charlie Fox over the winter period has largely been confined to the cabin floor. Wooden floor panels are being raised, sanded and treated with wood stain and preservative. As the aircraft was previously used for carrying freight including cattle, it's quite a slow job. As the boards are lifted, the metal work underneath is being rubbed down to remove corrosion and is then treated with etch primer. It's starting to look better inside. Better weather should see progress on the exterior of the aircraft.
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Post by mictheslik on Feb 21, 2014 0:26:12 GMT 1
Today the Rapide replica was dismantled and moved to the rear of the hotel after suffering significant weather damage. It is hoped she can be rebuilt in the future .mic |
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Post by lesmcs on Feb 22, 2014 10:51:34 GMT 1
Thanks to mic & eye2eye5 for the updates on the Britannia and the Rapide I did notice on Wednesday 19th February 2014 that the Rapide I had been removed from it's position at the front of the Crowne Plaza. Any further updates over the coming months would be much appreciated. Regards Les McS |
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Post by thepaperplane on Apr 5, 2014 23:32:46 GMT 1
It has been decided that the Rapide replica will not be rebuilt - at least paid for by the hotel.
At a recent senior NW Crowne Plaza management meeting a vote was taken and a proposal to have the Rapide replica rebuilt was rejected by three votes to two. It is currently lying dismantled at the rear of the hotel awaiting its fate. The whispers tell us that it may be donated to the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group but until that happens it will stay where it is.
The decision to have it rebuilt has been on-off for the last twelve months or so. Managers and staff would each say, from time to time, that it would and other times it was it wouldn't, nobody seemed to know.
If SAHG get it then we will erect our polytunnel and get it inside so it can start to dry out. Then we may look at the feasibility of doing it up at our own expense. It may then join the fleet at the hotel's rear, though any such decision at this point is impossible to make. My guess is that it will sit, forlorn, abandoned (but not unloved) for a while until someone makes up their mind. However, if the decision-making ability of the hotel management is to be measured by their past performance, I don't hold out much hope it will be any time soon. I will get round to posting a link to a set of pics we took when taking the replica apart as soon as I can.
The intervening years since it was built in 2001 have passed quickly and the old girl has lasted well considering it has had little maintenance and what the weather and hotel guests meted out to her. Let's hope this isn't the end and that a decision can be made and work started on bringing the replica back to life.
In that dysfunctional and unrealistic way that large businesses seem to operate the hotel seemed to presume that we would do it ourselves, at no cost to themselves, and have it back out the front of the hotel in short order. They seemed genuinely surprised that this wouldn't be the case.
I hope to have some positive news in the not-too-distant future.
thepaperplane.
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Post by viscount on Apr 6, 2014 0:05:06 GMT 1
To illustrate 'The Paperplane's' post, the storms and rain of the past winter have not been kind to the Dragon Rapide replica. Now dismantled she looks even more 'worn' than when complete outside the front of the hotel. This is how sad she looked two weeks ago:    I am informed that while restoration is quite possible despite the visual impression, there are considerable costs in purchasing materials which someone will need to pay for. Hopefully there will be a happy outcome for this replica that has become synonymous with the Marriott, now the Crowne Plaza Hotel front entrance for some 10 years. Without it the hotel front looks bare. I wonder if the Hotel management team have taken that into account? |
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Post by hangerrat on Apr 10, 2014 19:57:09 GMT 1
When I worked for Marriot hotels when it first opened no one on the board at the time had anticipated how much free press they could get from having an aircraft on the front of the property,(it has been featured in aviation mags all over Europe) it appears CP have not realised this either, but to be honest a Rapide should not be exposed to the weather or public I'm surprised it lasted this long
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Post by davecalveley on Apr 12, 2014 8:00:17 GMT 1
Mike
Is the safety of SAHG tenancy safe if you are not providing their front of house exhibit??..would imagine they would not be pleased with too many dismantled aircraft on the old apron area....
Dave
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Post by thepaperplane on Apr 13, 2014 23:47:43 GMT 1
The tenancy of SAHG is not dependent on maintaining the Rapide replica, Dave. SAHG and the hotel's management have a good relationship and the hotel's management are very supportive and accommodating of the group's requests to bring (relevant) aircraft on to the site and encourage us to do so. Don't forget that the apron is a EH-listed structure to be "used for the purpose for which it was built or intended" i.e. parking aircraft.
There are a few dismantled aircraft at the rear of the hotel but that is really only an indication of our limited work force. However, there is nearly always a healthy turn-out of members on a Saturday and sometimes a Sunday to work on the airframes and progress, whilst appearing slow at times, is steady. When projects seem to have come to a halt (such as the Meteor) it is usually because we require some heavy lifting capacity to move on to the next stage, in this case a hiab-equipped lorry to enable the nose and centre sections to be moved and mated together.
We are presently in the process of finishing the fin/rudder of the 748 before it is fitted and when the painting is complete we will hire in the necessary gear to get the Meteor assembled and the fin fitted all in one visit, thereby saving a considerable expense.
The decision has been made to finish the 748 in the early red/black Dan-Air scheme, a move that should bring considerable approval from NW airline enthusiasts and the nostalgists amongst us. Consideration was made to refinishing the aircraft in its present scheme, however, we already have the cockpit of BEJD's sister ship G-ORAL in a Reed/Eemerald scheme so the decision was as good as made. The elusive correct Dan-Air red required was finally sourced by the discovery of a pristine area of paint in the fin/rudder joint area from which a decent colour chip was taken. It matches exactly Karminrot (or Carmine red to us Brits).
The undercoat primer went on last Saturday (12 April) and, after a couple of small areas of trouble have to be re-spotted, the red will follow in short order. It was deemed far easier to do all the necessary prep and finishing whilst the fin and rudder were lying down rather than trying to do it fifteen feet up in the air!
BEJD's mainplanes have been inverted so that prep and finishing work can go ahead before the wings are reattached, hopefully later this year. The fuselage joints are finished internally and all that remains is the 2mm x 150mm weatherproofing butt strap to be applied and the fuselage will be back in one piece and ready for duty.
As always, visitors are welcome whenever we are on site and at other times by arrangement.
thepaperplane
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Post by thepaperplane on Apr 13, 2014 23:56:59 GMT 1
Oh, and by the way, hangerrat, the Rapide is only a replica, not a real one! All the same, it's a pity it has not been better cared for.
And yes, the replica has been a great advert for the hotel for the past 13 years. I wonder how many children (and adults) have gone past the hotel recently and exclaimed "the aeroplane's gone"! It's not quite a Lambanana but, nontheless, it's an equally important local landmark and an iconic symbol of a bygone age
thepaperplane
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Post by davecalveley on Apr 14, 2014 9:00:09 GMT 1
Mike
great to know the old apron is listed and good luck with all your efforts with the 748 ...pleased you have gone with the Dan Air colour scheme.
Dave
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Post by baldyman26 on Apr 15, 2014 16:31:25 GMT 1
Have the Echo ever taken an interest in the old planes. Sounds silly but I think an article would fit in quite well in the weekend editions. Is there a Facebook page relating to the restorations..
I think SAHG are doing a fantastic thing with these old girls, and would like to think any extra publicity would be a good thing.
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SAHG
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Post by SAHG on May 24, 2014 0:56:54 GMT 1
Have the Echo ever taken an interest in the old planes. Sounds silly but I think an article would fit in quite well in the weekend editions. Is there a Facebook page relating to the restorations.. I think SAHG are doing a fantastic thing with these old girls, and would like to think any extra publicity would be a good thing. The Echo have always been very kind to us by helping publicise our activities when we've asked them to. Generally, local aviation doesn't get much of a look-in when compared to local Maritime history. Even locals don't really appreciate how much history there is to the old airfield so it's no surprise really. We do have a facebook page at facebook.com/spekeaero kindly put together by one of our younger members who understands such things (Thanks Michael). |
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