amamoz

Got finally hold of the LST owner today. Indeed, the entire LST will be scrapped... no way of saving her, not even a part of it... So farewell to the last LST in Europe. We still have the LCT, but according to the owner, it won't be easy to save her neither, but I'll focus on this one now... Anybody has an easy way of contacting Richard Branson? Might he be of any help?

Yes, I saw that one. Have been calling them and leaving messages since last week. So far no replies yet.

No dates were mentioned...

Hi Mike, Yes, I spoke to one of the asbestos-removal guys. Totally impossible to walk on the vessel because of HSSE regulations. He himself couldn't give me more details, he also did not know where all the "scrapped" metal would go to...

As by miracle, I made it very close to the LST yestersay, don't ask me how. Please see pictures attached. Yes, dismantling has begun (sad to see) - in fact, an asbestos-removal team was onsite yesterday. I'm still hoping to get some artefacts, but what an impressive view it would be to have something like this next to a potential future museum...

Yes, also saw that one... the only way forward seems to be to collect their artefacts (anker, ramp, engines, propellors, ...) but I would need some local support in Portsmouth, who could step in for me... distance being a hurdle...

Yes, I know the site, I've started a thread, but there is no one replying. It looks like that site has no recent information anymore.

Indeed great information Mike, thanks. In regards to the LST, this is now taking a different dimension, I might not have the bandwidth to pursue discussions locally in Portsmouth. Most of my time I'm based either at work, which is close to Heathrow, and some time in France... Would there be somebody on this site who might know people locally to take this a bit further? Thanks

After some investigation, I figured out that the LST is located on the Harry Pounds Shipyard in Portsmouth. The Tipner Regeneration Company Ltd has plans to redevelop the entire area. Not being able to find a contact in this company I got some help from a local journalist who got hold of the company's director. He himself has been contacted over the last couple of years by several organisations also trying to acquire & restore the LST, but none of them succeeded. So the director had to go on with his project and as such told the journalist that dismantling had started and that it seems impossible to even visit the current LST because of HSSE regulations. Strangely enough I spoke to another person after this conversation, and he told me that he made a trip on a boat (close to the LST) only a couple of weeks ago, and he did not see any dismantling going on... The journalist was told not to give any contact details of this director... I told the journalist that I would still like to get hold of the director, as I might be able to get some artefacts from the LST (anker, portholes, ramp, engines, propellors, ...) but to no prevail... as those items would really look very nice in any museum... I have also send an email to this Regeneration Company but still no reply. Trying to get hold of the Harry Pounds Scrapyard company seems to extremely difficult as well, as I thought that they might "donate" any scrap from such a wonderful vessel. Sad but that is the story...

Current Status: - creation of a non-profit organisation started; - creation of a website started; - search for possible space for a "static" museum started; - search for possible landing craft for sale started; - search for funding ongoing; Who could offer their help as fundraiser? :-) THANKS

Hi, I'm looking for the weight of an LCT (Mk III). Anyone have an idea where I can find this information? Thanks

Hi all, Good news and bad news... :embarrassed: Bad news is that they have started dismantling the LST... I really couldn't believe it when they told me. There might still be a chance in getting some artefacts... :embarrassed: If anyone knows about other LST's in Europe, please let me know... :-) Good news is that I'm very close in acquiring the LCT in Birkenhead. Of course, I need to find a way who & how could help in getting it to a berthing, but for that I need to find a berthing-place. So, this is an appeal to all of you who might know 1. a berthing place? 2. who could transport a LCT? 3. who could give me some quotes of potential costs? THANKS.

I know that very well. I wish I could have started this much earlier whilst the craft was still in good condition, but I have a "can do" attitude, and will do my utmost to keep you all informed as we go along. I don't know yet how to thank you all, because since I've started this thread, I knew that the idea was great, but putting it in practise will take a life-time, and I'm surely up for it! "Let there be built great ships which can cast up on a beach in any weather large numbers of the heaviest tanks." Sir Winston Churchill, July 7th 1940.

The answer is definitely YES. But since this will be a huge project, I'm currently in the middle of securing some big funding. If I can't achieve that, then I will upset too many "small investors/donators". So, once I have some real big funding, AND if I can get hold of the current craft-owners, then the idea is to setup a trust/company, where finances will be dealt with more seriously. If anyone knows about "other" big funding/donations/finances... please let me know, as we will really need it! Thanks for your support. Luc

I also believe that if we get such a project off the ground (I'm thinking big - LCVP, LCT, LST, LCI, LCM, LCA,...) it should remain in the country - Portsmouth or surroundings would be ideal. It was never my intention to do it elswhere. Vision, passion and enthusiasm I have. I'm currently looking for potential costs to restore an LCVP, LCT & LST... Then I'll see what funding "might be" available - and from then on, we have a GO!