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[heritorasphodel]

These are the test tank models that the R.N.L.I. use to evaluate hull forms that have made their way to us at Chatham. We eventually hope to be able to display all these, but currently only a Tyne and two Severns are on display.


This is the first Severn - The hull is of the hard chine form that was use on the real Severn.


Andrew

[heritorasphodel]

The second Severn was an alternative - this had a rounded bilge form like the Aruns.




Andrew

[heritorasphodel]

This is the Tyne - As far as I know it's the one that the real boats are based on.





Andrew

[Rottweiler]

I'm glad they have gone to Chatham,a very suitable home for them.
Mick F

[heritorasphodel]

All the others are kept in storage, including these two, both of the short lived 40ft Medina class - (But one of them has tunnels - bit odd for a class that used waterjets and outdrives)







Andrew

[heritorasphodel]

I agree Mick, unfortunately we don't have a Severn or Tyne to go with those models, but we can always hope    there is also a rumour that once Poole has finished with them we might get the hull form models of the Shannon as well.


The next model is a 37ft Oakley, complete with relieving tubes.






The other one we have that was built in the same way as this we don't know the type for, the hull's 42in long but it looks more like the hull of a Liverpool than a Watson.




Any thoughts?

[heritorasphodel]

The penultimate boat is, in my opinion, the pride of the collection. It is a hull form model of a 52ft Barnett with an external rudder, fitted out with deck, superstructure, the works. And the best bit is fitted on the aft cabin roof - an airbag. This model was used to test the self-righting gear on the non self-righting Watsons and Barnetts, and we even have video footage of this boat in use.








She's in 12th scale, and is firmly screwed into her case with a couple of very rusty screws. We would like to have her back on the water to see if she still works. We think we know where we can find a spare tank... 


Andrew


(ps - there is one more, a Mersey, but she was buried under other things - I'll try and get photos of her soon)

[furball]

The Severns are 1/8th scale, they're huuuuuge! They're also made of foam, presumably because it's a lot quicker to carve out compared to a wooden hull, which all the others are, and we're at one time fitted with petrol engines (chainsaw size).




Lance

[tugnut]

Hi Andrew, dont let bruv peter near them he will get the paint out .
 
regards John B

[Neil]

Oh Andy.............next time you're in touch with them ask if they have a 1:12 scale 61' Barnett hull that you can have...........just let me loose with wax, gelcoat and resin/matting......glory be, I'd be in heaven!!!

[Rottweiler]

and when you get the Shannon,let him have that for a while as well please!
Mick F

[Neil]

and when you get the Shannon,let him have that for a while as well please!
Mick F

as if I haven't enough to do lol.........gel and first half of a mould going together tomorrow.....I.may as well do two more whilst I'm at it 

[Arrow5]

 Andrew, are you going to post the video of the tests ?  Youtube maybe ?

[heritorasphodel]

If we get to do the test at all, it'll probably be sometime next year. The dockyard closes to visitors this Sunday, and seeing as the tank we wish to borrow is in the smithery (essentially run by NMM/IWM) we'll have to wait until it reopens which will be sometime in the new year.


Neil, unfortunately if they did we'd probably already have it, but I'll ask nonetheless. I want one as well! We'll let you know if we do get the Shannon models whether it be just the one or possibly the whole set. From the photos I've seen of them I think they're about 8th scale like the Severns, they seem too big to be 12th.


If anyone wants to see the models we've got, on display and in storage, just come see us on a day we're there, and ask for me or Lance. Although I wouldn't recommend coming in the winter - it gets ruddy cold!


Andrew

[Norseman]

That was an interesting thread Andy. Encore!!!

Dave

[Neil]

That was an interesting thread Andy. Encore!!!

Dave

I totally agree Dave........and would love to see the models when I get down to Kent again.....just look out for that barnett, Andy..............ooh la la

[Charlie]

Andrew - could this be an early Mersey Hull design, rather than a Medina?

[heritorasphodel]

Don't think so, it's far too shallow to be a Mersey, and it has traces of adhesive along the edges where the inflatable tube was fitted. It was probably just to trial whether standard running gear could have worked in such a shallow hull, and it presumably couldn't.


Andrew

[EHVD]

Hi Andrew,


Do you by any chance have any more photos of this hull showing the underside a little better?


Thanks

[furball]

I can get some when we're back in January. Which one specifically? The weird Medina with tunnels?




Lance

[EHVD]

Hi Lance, that's the one - the odd ball Medina with the tunnels. Do you happen to have any accompanying details with the hull or is it a bit of a mystery? Really appreciate your help.

[spongie]

Lance I'm sure I've seen drawings of that as a concept for fcb1 (Mersey)

[EHVD]

I guess it's a possibility... Do you by any chance recall where you saw the drawings?

[spongie]

I'm sure it was an old issue of lbes newsletter around the time the Mersey came along.

[Charlie]

Spongie is absolutely correct. I found the attached photo in the Winter 1989/90 edition of 'The Lifeboat', in an article all about the design and development of the Mersey.