Despite the ravages of time and lack of recent TLC, Paddle Steamer Ryde (Southern Railway 1936) – marooned in a marina on the Isle of Wight – is not the hopeless case she appears to be at first glance. Behind the scenes the Paddle Steamer Ryde Trust cares very much. The Trust has a firm plan to rescue this magnificent sea-going coal-fired vessel – which is on the National Register of Historic Ships - and put her back where she belongs: taking people on pleasure trips along the South Coast.
Maybe with the odd major historical event thrown in, to celebrate the vessel’s role as HMS Ryde in the North Sea, at Dunkirk and on Normandy beaches during World War II. Truly a vessel worth saving.
Oddly enough, the next step is in the hands of a newly nationalized Irish bank, which owns the assets of the now-bankrupt marina. The Trust, which is just completing its registration as a charity, is pressing its case to take over the ship, which is effectively a liability rather than an asset to its new owners. Unfortunately, Ryde is just a small problem among the rather larger problems of the marina’s debts, so negotiations are taking longer than expected.
And an engineering company has its eye on Ryde’s engine as scrap, though there would be major environmental and cost implications for anyone wanting to remove it.
More positively, a reputable shipyard in Lymington has cast an expert eye over the ship and costed readying her for removal from her current location in order for restoration to begin. That is when the Trust’s expertise will be truly put to the test, raising the funds for restoration, which is estimated to cost £7.5-10m.
The aim is to make the restored vessel self-supporting. The ship’s historical territory is the Solent, which is a good area for tourism, and day trips from ports on the IOW, Bournemouth, Swanage, Southampton, etc. are just what Ryde was built for.
Ryde is large enough and sufficiently well-built to cater for a variety of uses. The Trust is confident that both the ship and its rescuers have the style and panache to not only successfully preserve this magnificent piece of Britain’s heritage but also enable it to give pleasure for the long term as a working vessel
