Flag Pole at Anfield

The Anfield Flag Pole from SS Great Eastern Telegraph Cable ship

The topmast of the SS Great Eastern, one of the first iron ships, was rescued from the ship breaking yard at Rock Ferry, and was hauled up Everton Valley by a team of horses, to be erected alongside the new Kop. It still stands there, serving as a flag pole in the famous Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club.

Bet most of you didn't know that, there are lots more interesting facts about this great ship 

To see more click here!.

Article sent by Bob (Ace reporter) Abell.

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It was reported to me at the lake yesterday that the Quiz and Hot pot supper was another success, so good that members stayed longer than the usual 9-o'clock, it being 10-o'clock before the last ones left!.

At the lake yesterday saw the usual sailors there enjoying the sunshine and though it had been quite cold during the night, both lakes were ice free.

There was Garth with his Tug, Eric with his "Aziz" and the Commodore with his Submarine, yachtsmen instead of their usual "J" class's had a variety of One metre boats on the water which was a nice change to see!.

Spoke to Mike the social Sec and his operation for a new hip joint was finally done on the 20th of this month and he is now back home, some of you will have seen him at the Quiz night!, now taking it easy so it knits to-gether alright, I'm sure all the members will join me in wishing him a speedy recovery!.

Is this him from now on?

Do you remember this guy??.

That's all folk's.

Quiz and Hot pot supper

At last it's nearly here, after being put back last month

27^th March 2013,

  Quiz Night and Hot Pot Supper

at 8-00pm 

Wednesday Night in the Clubhouse

 Bring the family and join the fun.

Mike's Hot Pot, Apple Pie and Cream 

An event not to be missed!

  Phil the Quizmaster.

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Another Eureka moment from Bob the Abell!.

Whilst planking his Sovereign of the Sea's model found the bends to be quite tight round the bow as in picture, then had his Eureka moment!

And here it is, use your drill to squeeze the wood make it a bit more to the shape of the hull!, that's a good idea isn't it.

 Well that's all for to-day, hope to see you at the Quiz night, weather permitting!.

Duckie.

Boiler certificates 2013

Saturday 23th March 2013

BOILER TESTING

Attention all owners of steam driven boats

All members wishing to run steam powered vessels on the lake at Etherow Country Park are required to have an up-to-date boiler certificate conforming to newly revised

national regulations concerning the testing of boilers that have come into operation as from 1^st January 2013.

All steam driven boats operated by EMBC members must meet at least the minimum requirement of the new test code in order to be covered by the Club’s insurance and to be allowed to sail on the lake.

The regulations distinguish between small boilers with a pressure-volume product below 3 bar/ litres and larger boilers of 3 bar/ litres plus. The rules apply to commercially made boilers, so no exceptions!

Owners of steam driven boats are requested have in their possession an up to date boiler certificate when sailing at the lake and may be asked at any time to show this to one of the officers of the Club.

Members now need to arrange to a boiler test through our registered boiler tester, Mr David Sharp (contact number 01625 266 824).  It is your immediate responsibility to make an appointment.   The tests cannot be undertaken at the Landing Stage but in David’s home workshop.

 

Chris Platford

Commodore

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That's all folk's

Another Eureka Moment

Another couple of eureka moments for you from Bob (the Ace reporter) Abell

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Just had a brill idea!..............(Yawn)

It`s a garden hoe with a torque handle!...........(What?)

It`s a hoe with attitude!.................(Tell me more, my son!)

When I use the hoe, I find it hard work turning over the soil, due to no handle..........(You wimp!)

So I added a torque handle and boy!.....Does it work!...................(Wow, what a brill idea!)

                                     

"Errrr.........What`s this got to do with model boats?"........I hear you say

Easy........The Wife said......"If yer don`t gerrin that gardin an` do summut,.......yer doin` no more model boats!"

Nuff said?..........Bob

And another!

Right then.....What`s this chaps?

                                        

Could it be a hatch?

Yes!.......But more than that!

We give up!........What is it then.

                                           

When a heavy plastic model gets rammed..........It often goes to the bottom!

All is not lost though!

Up pops the Wreck Marker!

Hopefully............Bob

I don't know how he does it for the price.

That's all for now.

Duckie.

First Steering Comp 2013

Yesterday at the lake saw the first steering competition of this year, it was well attended with competitors and viewers as you can see.

Have I managed to catch you?.

                                     

The set course for the day.

                                      

Can it make it through

Safely through.

The finish.

Geoff's the Sec's tea break.

Are you getting the sandwiches out Trevor? say's Pepe. 

Guard Dog or mascot?

These are not the most beautiful of model boats though Terry has made an effort with his warship,

there again they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder don't they. 

These boats have to be certain dimensions and have big rudders to make them more manoeuvrable, so I suppose that's the main thing for the builders of these craft!.

After dinner at my son's in Oldham it was off to the water again at Dovestones reservoir in the hills near Greenfield to walk our dogs and see the activities there.

Though a very nice place to walk the dogs and they do have a yacht sailing club the same as Etherow there isn't the same amount of activity there, seems a shame really doesn't it as there is a nice big club house as well, and the other downer is NO model boats!.

So you can see at Etherow we have a good venue, good program and a committee that put a lot of effort into achieving this.

That's all folk's,  

After the show's

Well the dust has settled again after the shows, I hope you liked the reports that were put together from different people who went to the two shows, hopefully the organisers can get together for next year and spread them out a bit, yes you can go to both in the same weekend, But will your better half be happy with that! I think not.

I personally went to Ellesmere as I've mentioned earlier, I didn't take a lot of money on the day as I was sure I didn't need much in the way of supplies.

 Wouldn't you know it, I saw something there that I fell  for straight away, a sound system stand there.
Stand alone system, no wiring to do. 

"Model Sounds"
Click here for their website

One of our members had bought one before Christmas and I thought it was good then and there was a stand just for that, after the demo on the different sounds and connections I was hooked, But as you know they don't do Credit/Debit cards at shows!, and cheque books are being fazed out these days.

Luckily Bob the Abell came to the rescue and loaned me the money!, he knows I'm not here to-day and gone to-morrow, I'm here to-day and gone to-night!! only joking Bob.

And here are my best buys

  

Saved about £12.50 on show price.

These items will be in the "Shop's and Equipment" section at the top of the page in future complete with price list

If you go on Mark's website you will see he has added our Club to his list of club's, I do like a bit of free advertising don't you, I'm sure Mark does too.

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On the subject of advertising, whilst at the lake the other week, a lady asked if she could take a picture of her doll with a boat, it seemed she writes for a dolls magazine!. 

"Of course" I replied and invited her on to the landing stage and got Alan Breese to put one of his beautiful boats on the water for her and here is my picture.

 There is a charge for this you know I said to her, you have to add our club name in your article I said, I do like a bit of free advertising!.

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Just as a rider to this post, Bob the Abell, his better half Joyce and I went out for a meal last week to the Harts Head Pub in Ashton and though I don't drink much I had to try one of the specialities of the house, can you believe this

An Aussie beer, prob-abelly better on the beach in your shorts and a bit of sand blown in!.

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Don't forget it's Club night to-morrow the 13th March, hope the weather clears up for then.

That's all for now folk's

2nd -3th March, Busy club weekend, Event City.

Yesterday received some pictures from David Lee who attended the Event City event!.

I'm glad that I could include these has it gives you all an overall view of the weekend the members supported.

As you can see the Event City Show was all types of modelling, Boats,Planes and Railways, something for everyone there, whereas the Ellesmere Show is more for the boat people, but there you go you pays your money and makes your choice!.

The pictures.

Donald there in the left foreground.

The Club Stand.

Club Stand too.

Dave's Warship.

Our Eddie with his other hobby.

Railway layout, can you spot any more of our members?

Nice planes there too

Beautiful paint job

Maid Marion (Lee), with Jim Brown, (not Robin Hood)

As you can see there was a good turnout and I would be surprised if the organiser's didn't turn out again next year.

We had a good two days at Event City, there was three other boat clubs there as well, Bury Model boat club,the Surface Warship Association and The A Team Boatyard who are a national team of model boat enthusiasts, sorry I didn't get any photos of the club stand.      Ken P.

Everyone I've spoken to enjoyed the event and said they were looking forward to next year!.

If you have any more pictures of this event please send them to me and I will include them!, Many thanks to Dave for these pictures!.

Another Blog I personally follow is Phil Parkers, and thought you might like his views on modelling in general, he writes articles for Model Boats magazine and Railway magazines check out his recent post!, he is a regular viewer of our blog!.  

Click here to view phils blog 

 That's all folk's

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2nd -3th March, Busy club weekend, Ellesmere

This past weekend some of us went to Ellesmere Model boat show and others to the show at Event City in Manchester, what a dull world it would be if we all thought the same hey.

Bob Abell and I travelled to Ellesmere in my car, and had a nice breakfast on the way!.

Whilst there we met other members and though we didn't have a stand there this year, we were surprised how many people remembered us from last year with the Great Eastern.

People of note we met were Laurie and Jackie White of Model Slipway, Jackie remarked on the number of views on John Teal's views of his "Maggie M" on Model Boat mayhem site 5000+.

Laurie and Jackie now semi-retired don't do the shows any more but it was nice to see them still in circulation at Ellesmere.

Another person we chatted to was this chap!

That's Neil Howard Pritchard on the left, retired kit designer and modeller, with Charlie Smith clutching his purchases and yours truly in the Tilly hat, yes Tilly hat not silly hat Bob

I was surprised to hear that Neil has our Website on his PC favourites and my own blog "One man and his dog" as well, we must be doing something right!.

An ex member of our club Ray Benson and his better half was there with their club in full swing as usual 

"The Colwyn Bay Model Boat Club".

Although Ray has now moved to Wales he has always kept an interest in our club and always made us very welcome and looked after us at their yearly "Mayors regatta" (as I try to do at our Do's he attends,) I hope a few more of our members make the effort to go to Colwyn Bay this year as it's a great show!.

I took lot's of pictures there, too many to put here, but if you look at the tab's at the top you will see Ellesmere 2013 click on tab or

Click here for Ellesmere pictures

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For another report off Bob check out his thread here

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I am waiting for someone to send me a report of Event City but from what I heard at the lake yesterday it was another success, with plenty of people there but not many traders!.

Let's face it with Mountfleet burning down and Graupner in financial trouble, it could be the scratch-builders who are the only modellers left, still the Chinese might buy Graupner hey, them seem to be buying everything else.
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Back to the lake, yesterday saw the start of the 2013 Fiesta racing and as usual Dave was on the ball and sent me the results of the first race day as follows.

Fiesta Report 3/3/13

Hi to all

We had ten races in all, weather Ok, but not much wind as per.

Six turned up to race.

The first races were only round Bouys 5, 3and 1 then finish, for the last five

Races we did the full course as the wind got better.

Trevor came  1^st, Bob and Terry joint 2^nd, David 4^th, George 5^th, Harry 6^th.

See you all next month.

David Lee. 

Hope you all had a good weekend and I think the club has been well represented all round.

Bye for now folk's

Jaunty J's at Etherow

Yesterday, (Thursday) I was at the lake and it was nice and sunny, but that was only the half of it, as there was still ice on the water!.

Those hardy yacht sailor's had to get the boat out and break up the ice before they could sail, it was only thin ice, but ice is cold ice what ever thickness it is!.

There was a good turn out as usual on Thursday's and the usual banter and laughter made you tend to forget the cold breeze, there again any breeze is welcome to these sailors!.

My hound Pepe enjoyed himself as it got to dinner time, the various sailors got out their sandwiches and it was time for him to put on his begging act, Will have to get a new disc for his collar "Don't feed me"!

A short video to give you a flavour of the events on the day. 

A slight collision on the lake and Colin's warship was knocked on it's side but recovered and found to be filled with water, the electrics were still working but intermittent, so that was a good excuse to pack up and Donald, Colin, myself and the hound retired to the Cafe for a drink and a bite to eat.

So although it was cold on the landing stage with the breeze, the balcony at the Cafe was nice and sunny and warm, another good day at the lake!.

That's all folks