Rick W Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Just seen a picture of a Motor Torpedo Boat, (yes I know not strictly a vehicle, but it does have an engine), pictured on the River Adur at Shoreham by Sea in West Sussex. It was converted to a house boat and in need of a lick of paint. Its the last surviving MTB and was engaged with the german navy in the D-day operations. Does anyone know if its still moored there. or what happened to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 ... Its the last surviving MTB and was engaged with the german navy in the D-day operations. Do you mean the last one involved in D-day operations? because there are certainly other MTB's and MGB's in running order, MTB102 is certainly running and lives on Oulton broad, Lowestoft. (she apparently operated during D-day too) Fantastic craft, I'd have on if my lottery numbers rolled in ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 I was under the impression that it was MTB 682, but not that fussed about which number it is! As long as it is still there, is it still a houseboat? Or is there another D Day MTB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Crossed wires, the one you are talking about in West Sussex may well be 682, I don't know it myself, I was refering to another one based in Lowestoft that is in WWII condition (other than the fact it now runs diesels with a much reduced top speed from 43kts down to 27kts). there is also a MGB (MGB 81) running in the area of similar vintage. as for restoration projects some one is working on the rebuild of an RAF crash tender up the Deben in Suffolk where there is also another MTB house boat conversion, of which I believe there are several around the East coast, as this was where they tended to be based (Lowestoft, Harwich, Ramsgate, London). Sorry not boring you now am I? ;-) :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 No youre not! Ive been fascinated with these since I was a sprog! I just got the impression there was only one left, obviously not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I remember seeing lots of these converted into houseboats down in Devon in about 1975 years ago. They all seem to have dissapeared now. I remember seeing one very original looking one being broken up on the shore up the estuary from Dartmouth (i think it was there). Even at the young age of 8 i remember thinking how sad that it was that it could not be saved. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ives Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 item about them here http://www.shorehamsailing.org/html/local_history.html and when i went past a couple of weeks ago seemed a few there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 We saw one in the process of being converted while cruising upstream on the Thames last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 Does anyone know if there are any restored about? Or any up for grabs? The blokes that used them were remarkable, real mavericks of their day. Pic for interest sake of one below, withtorpedo tubes mounted up high on deck to fire over sub nets. http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o72/rik242_2006/rsn-mtb74.jpg[/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 We saw one in the process of being converted while cruising upstream on the Thames last year. Yup, it was a little way upstream of Richmond, Windsor etc. moored off a semi-derelict boat workshop on an island. They appeared to be trying to mate the streamlined hull of an MTB with a small block of flats. I hope the finished article will look better than the work-in-progress did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Yes there use to be one at shoreham you could see it from the A259 It might have been a Fairmile Its not there anymore I seem to recall that it was a rare bit of kit some one tried to buy it but the owner wouldn't sell I belive that it rotted away But there is another hull being restored further along next time we go that way will have a look Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 The problem was/is, is that they had such a short life expectancy (as I dare say a lot of military kit of the time) that they were very lightly constructed using cold moulded construction which although sturdy, has never really lent it's self to longevity and now 60 years later, many have simply rotted beyond any state of repair. The house boat examples have had the benefit of some maintenance to keep them water tight but apart from the hull nothing else of the original boat remains. The cost of doing a restoration to one of these (if you could get the owner to move out ) would be monumental. MTB102 was fortunate in the fact that it was used in 'Where Eagles Dare' (or has landed?) and part of the deal was to pay for it's (now first ) restoration. It's second was minor and still cost £20 000. 102 was apparently the first MTB initially bought as a prototype from Vosper with a single tube coming out of the bow, soon changed to twin tubes with a 10 deg. offset, it was quickly pressed into action and many more were ordered. The MGB 81 had an article in one of the motor boat magazines and it's restoration was more along the lines of telephone numbers with MAN eventually donating 3 diesels to power it. (it reaches something close to it's original Merlin powered top speed now) The MGB resides on the Beulieu and as said before MTB 102 in Lowestoft harbour and takes part in quite a few comemeratory events (little ships gatherings etc) If I get a chance to get some snaps of the ones on the Deben I'll post them. Meanwhile Wikipedia has some good articles on them just enter motor Gun Boat or Motor Torpedo Boat. finally, there is one story of a new lad going out on his first run on an MTB and as they opened up the throttles he noticed the engine hatches were open, thinking it would be a good job to A, keep the water out and B, stop anyone falling in, he decided to close them. It took all of about 10 seconds before all three engines died from air starvation although not before sucking in every loose rag lying in the engine room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowtracdave Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Don't know if they are still there as I've not been that way for a while but there used to be one (semi derelict)moored at St.Osyth , think there was another (houseboat)over at Heybridge & that was for sale a couple of years ago - knew someone who thought about buying but decided against in the end . Seem to recall that there was something on the local news a short while back that a restored one had been badly damaged by a fire which destroyed the boatbuilders workshops where it was being worked on : It could even have been the Lowestoft one referred to above . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 I work as a cab driver in london and my firm does a regular job where we pick a old boy up and take him to his sisters every week. Ive taken him at least 100 times and this week we started talking and one thing led to another and he started telling me about his war service, on MTB's!. He nearly died once because another MTB fired on him by mistake!. He left the navy as a petty officer and we spent nearly an hour chatting. He was a pleasure to talk to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 4, 2007 Author Share Posted August 4, 2007 Perhaps you should interview him for an article, or get him to write some of his memories down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 there is certainly 1MTB and 1MGB restored and in use by a group called the military power boat trust Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Perhaps you should interview him for an article, or get him to write some of his memories down! Gotta agree there, Rick.............. I'm guessing it would make for a good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 4, 2007 Author Share Posted August 4, 2007 Ive just had a look at this site, the British Military Powerboat trust http://www.bmpt.org.uk/index.htm I didnt even know they existed, but a nice site to visit, especially the boats for sale section! The few boats/ships that I have had a look at have been traced to very specific military service history. traceable to their build numbers. Its a shame you cant do that with most land based MV's . would I be correct in thinking that is because land MV's were made in such huge numbers or is it because boats/ships had their records stored elsewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Next time I see him I will ask about an interview and ask him if he wants to come to chatham one sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Have a read of this if you get a chance Turn to page 16/17 (centre spread) on the on-line edition of Boat News (PDF) http://editions.pagesuite.co.uk//PageSuite3.aspx?page=1&scale=100&height=700&width=1000&editionid=22745&filekey=&path=_PSEDitions/BoatNews/Boat%20News/August%202007/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 (edited) I had supper last night with the man who, it turns out, first bought MTB102 for preservation, in 1970. It was then still a houseboat, he bought it for the local sea scouts who did a lot of the initial conversion back to original spec., and also donated a cut for mooring. Good on him, I say! As Tugger said, it was in The Eagle has landed, disguised as a German boat. Nigel said the film company paid for and installed a pair of new engines in her as the fee. Eventually the sea scouts tired of the never ending repair work and she was sold. She was on the slipway outside the shed at the Lowestoft yard where the dreaded fire occured, but didn't even get a blister! Edited May 22, 2008 by N.O.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest catweazle (Banned Member) Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I had supper last night with the man who, it turns out, first bought MTB102 for preservation, in 1970.! Been on 102 donated ww2 binos and manual for the origanal Packard built merlins.Have tons of stuff on all the things mentioned but sadly no place to put them. MGB 81,restored but internally not refitted.modern diesels i think MANs.48 knts.:cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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