Think I may need to explain a little more to you guys about the post and about the ship.
I am heading a campaign to restore and reopen her as the successful venture she once was. As you are probably well aware the Funship was closed by the owners because they were sick of being repeatedly attacked by the then Delyn Council. Despite being in favour of the idea and having discussed it for nearly 12 months prior, the night the ship arrived it was a very different story.
To cut what would be a tremendously long & detailed story short. myself and fellow members of our Group have just recently exposed the Council for making false claims regards the railway bridge to the rear of the ship being too weak for fire engines for cross. That, as we were told by Flintshire Council, is the main constraint they said we would have to overcome before being able to move forward. In the old days in 1979 planning permission was refused on that basis but luckily they managed to secure alternative access a little further down the Coast Road, which is no longer there.
After a lot of research and various discussions we have been told by the Office of Rail Regulation that there are no structural problems with the bridge and can carry loads up to 40 tonne. (previously claimed by the Council as
10 tonne max. A fire engine weighs 12/14 tonne)
We have asked the Council to justify those claims but so far they haven't.
This has blighted the ship and the site for the past 30 years and the reason she remains closed. If the Council had had their way she would never have opened.
These pics were taken the day we put a banner up on the bridge of the ship exposing the Council for their lies. The owners son was doing the banner and I was on the dock. You see the health & safety issues are so strict even I am not allowed on board. The open door was too much of a temptation I'm afraid. When the owners son discovered me he was so angry, we had a huge row and I told to leave.
What I'm trying to say to you all is to please be patient and respect the owner's wishes by not trying to board her? They are trying, like they always have done, to come to some sort of a compromise with the Council because they want to reopen her, always have. The fact they still own her and have not given up says so much about the determination they have and of course of their love for the Duke. For that reason I ask you to admire from the outside and keep your fingers and toes crossed we succeed in what we're trying to do?