Steam Tug Brent Trust

www.steamtugbrent.org

Email: info@steamtugbrent.org

Steam Tug Brent of 1945

Steam Tug Brent (@steamtugbrent)

NEWSLETTER August 2016

Dear Brent Supporters

In no time at all, it seems, we are near to the end of the summer. At last we have gentle, settled
late August days with blue skies. The volunteers have taken advantage of the good days to keep
busy with their paint brushes. Brent is looking very much smarter now than at the beginning of the
year.

The summer months are always busy ones for us. We had several open days in May and June and
then worked hard on board throughout July and August. We have had visitors on board during the
August Bank Holiday weekend and we will be open in September for the Maldon Regatta.

May 1st saw the Annual Maldon Mud race. The 500-yard (457m) race was first run in winter 1973
following a pub bet, but was switched to the spring in 2011 because of safety reasons.

The original Mud race was from the Queens Head

quay and the competitors ran across to the Saltings,
downed a pint of beer and then returned to the pub
quay.
For many years Brent was berthed head on to the
quay, and had a prime view of the race

Ron Hall in front of the area of riverbed

traversed in the Mud Races in the 1970s and
80s.
In 1989 the race ceased to run, but in 1994 it
was revived. At the new venue, Promenade
Park, viewing from the Brents decks is still a
prime vantage point.

Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
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 Maldon Mud Race 2016
Sunday 1st May

Open Days
A mixture of bright days and rainy days,
so quite a few occasions when we were
closed due to wet, slippery decks!

Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
07404307
On Bank Holiday Monday, August 29th a perfect day for an open day, we were soon ready to
receive our guests. Our best ever Open Day we had over 500 visitors come on board!

We are always trying to improve the

experience for the public and the
Steering Group had prepared a
questionnaire. As the visitors came
off the Brent they were directed to
a table on the shore and given a
copy of the questionnaire to
complete.

Early analysis shows, as we might

hope, that the engine and engine
room is the most popular.

Rating the experience on a scale of

1 to 5, gives an average of 4.7.

There were many ideas of what else

we could do, so we will be busy
before our 2017 open days start.

Visitors were also asked which of

our logo designs they preferred.

Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
07404307
The Six Logo Designs

Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
07404307
 A summer of chipping, priming and painting and the
Brent is looking much smarter. Where they are in
poor condition, the rails have been patched up until
such time as we can have repairs in steel plate.

The Old and the New

The improvement is quite

amazing.
The funnel and the casing,
next year!

Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
07404307
In 2011, Barge and VIC 56 skipper, Alan Jenner donated a model kit of a TID tug towing a lighter. It
has now been completed by a volunteer. Nicely done, it is a pleasing addition to our collection;
seen here, as it was on open day, on the seating in the aft cabin.

It is 46 years since the Brent was a working steam tug. Although Brent was one of the last working
in steam, there were other TID class tugs, which, with their steam machinery removed were
converted to diesel power. This enabled them to carry on working long after the working life of all
the steam vessels ceased. Several of these are still in existence; the Seaport Alpha (ex TID 43) has
recently been involved with moving Steam Tug Kerne when she was undergoing repairs in
Liverpool.

Two vessels of interest are TID 172 and Bonchurch (ex TID 174) seen here in 1946. TID 172 is the
nearer vessel.

Like the Brent they were built in 1945 and did not see war service. Fitted out in 1946, they were
then allocated; Brent to the PLA, TID 172 for naval use and TID 174, briefly to the Ministry of
Transport, before being sold to the French government.
Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
07404307
Two of the handful of survivers of the 182 TID Tugs built, TID 172 and Bonchurch are in new hands.

A year ago we were visited by Karl Prince and Gem Crowder. They had just purchased the
Bonchurch and were keen to renovate her. Although re-engined with diesel power in the 1960s
they wanted to keep as many of the remaining original features as possible. They came to see the
Brent to help understand how Bonchurch would have been. Their plans were to make a live-
aboard tug with as few changes as possible.

TID 172 has been languishing in the boatyard at Mistley Marine for several years. After protracted
negotiations, she has been purchased by Steven Watcham. She is one of the three TID Tugs still
fitted with her steam machinery. (Brent, TID 164, TID 172) It is planned to have her towed to
Rowhedge, where she has a berth waiting, to restore her and have her steaming again in the not
too distant future.

We wish good luck to both projects.

Meanwhile on board Steam Tug Brent and behind the scenes, the work of the Brent Trust
continues apace.

On behalf of the Trustees and Volunteer Team

Wishing you all a safe passage through the coming months.

Best wishes

Janet

Trustees: Richard Albanese, Chairman Paul Burgoyne Janet Hall

Volunteer Team: Paul Burgoyne, Janet Hall, Andrea Raiker, Amelia Hall, Tony Kirk, Penny Kirk, Tony Seaman,
James Morgan, Richard Cooper, Mandy Cooper, Mark Watsham, Gill Clegg, Ray Binning and Sue Stewart.
Reg. Charity. No. 1139414. Reg. Office. 12 The Hythe Maldon Essex CM9 5HN. Tel. 01621 855058. Reg. Company.
07404307