Other options TO DATE
Monday, July 9th, 2007There have been several other serious offers or plans to purchase and re-locate HMS Plymouth ranging from setting her up as a permanent museum and memorial in the Falkland Islands to mooring her in a Scottish Loch.
The idea of taking her back to the Falklands may seem ‘inspired’ but the costs prohibitive to say the least. Several years ago the Submarine Heritage Centre in Barrow had quotes to ship the ex-RN submarine HMS Olympus from Halifax Nova Scotia back to Barrow which came up in the order of £350K.
When HMS Nottingham had her little accident 200 miles off Australia the BBC were quoting her re-repatriation cost at around £3 million!
To our knowledge, perhaps the most realistic ideas have been re-locate her to Maldon on the Blackwater River in Essex to use as a Sea Cadet training facility and extension to the Combined Military Services Museum. This option too has it’s problems, NOT least OF which IS the depth OF the river AS can be seen FROM the photograph below.
There was also interest IN berthing her IN Cardiff but we understand that the potential site IS owned by Associated British Ports AND after little thought, ABP Cardiff rejected the idea IN much the same way we had experienced IN Plymouth.
We also had limited discussions WITH Portland Port who although INITIALLY sounding ‘cuiously interested’ rejected the idea WITH NO reference TO detailed plans after little over a week FROM our initial contact.
We ARE aware that there have been several other enquires which we can’t mention but once again, to our knowledge there are no other offers on the table. So if there’s anyone out there WITH interesting ideas AND the resources TO back them up please contact either ourselves our her CURRENT owners, the Mersey Docks AND Harbour Company, part OF the Peel GROUP OF companies.
Websites:
CMSM, www.geocities.com/cmsmuseum/
ABP Cardiff, www.abports.co.uk/custinfo/ports/cardiff.htm
ABP Plymouth, www.abports.co.uk/custinfo/ports/plym.htm