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The photos below look back through 2011, and are arranged in chronological order.
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12th October 2011 - Craning out the boiler, Consuta and then the Shallop |
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This is the tricky bit - less than an inch spare on the sides during the lifting |
This is our overweight boiler - paintwork looks a little rough but the winter makeover will soon have it pristine again |
The boss keeping us all in order |
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Consuta still with boiler but much lighter without the boiler water - note how she rides high at the bow |
What are they laughing at - don't they know how to use the shackles? |
Look at that bundle of weed on the prop, Consuta is hung out to be cleaned off with the magic chemicals |
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Some like playing with the shallop even though there was a light rain shower - moving it to the slipway |
Now parked on a much modified trailer - surprisingly it fitted quite well |
No not sabotage - the support bars were a little too long, John asked have you got a spare hacksaw blade - no just be careful |
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Always a bit of a worry for the organiser, will it be too windy - will it rain - will we have enough people. Well the weather was much better than the forecast, the wind was very light and we had 11 helpers. The crane was a 35 ton job easily master of the task. |
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The last steam outing of Consuta in 2011 was on Saturday 1st October - we had 13 of our own supporters on board on a remarkably warm October day |
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The outing started at Beale Park and by the time we had raised steam and moved onto the river through the swing bridge we decided it would be sensible to have an early lunch stop at the Swan on the river at Pangbourne. After lunch we travelled down and stopped at Mapledurham to have a look at the mill and surrounds. We then returned up river to Whitchurch and then after a bit of exploration further up river through Goring and Cleeve locks to Moulsford, finally returning down river to our Beale Park mooring after a perfect day. |
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Eager hands cleaning up the boat while raising steam |
Everyone is happy after the meal at the Swan |
The Swan Inn at Pangbourne in the background |
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| How to keep cool on a hot day - temp was about 28 C |
Moored at Mapledurham in the weir stream |
Mapledurham Mill now has an Archimedean screw generator |
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Swan car park on the right seen from below the weir |
Travelling astern back from the weir to the Whitchurch toll bridge |
Waiting by Goring Lock for the icecreams |
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Sunday 11th September was the last scheduled event on our calendar was the special steaming for the Goring and Streatley Local Historical Society. This event was nearly cancelled because of the bad weather predicted by an advanced weather forecast, but on the day its was nice and sunny, although a little windy. Photos by David Creasey |
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Nunns Acre is a communal garden just upstream of Goring Lock |
Consuta about to set off with a full compliment of passengers |
Consuta made four trips two up to the location of the Saunders Springfield works above Cleeve Lock |
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The weather was fine and sunny although a bit windy except for one very heavy shower. Consuta was just coming back from one of the trips and got caught. |
| Saturday 3rd September, Consuta was steamed at the Steam Boat Association Rally based at Beale Park. Photos by Lyn Smith |
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Travelling upstream from Beale Park to Benson |
Magic Dragon, Sandra and Consuta by Moulsford railway bridge |
Sultan seen at Shillingford Hotel above Benson |
Upriver for the Goring and Streatley Regatta - Saturday 23rd July - this regatta first started in 1880's
Most of the repositional river trips do provide a great day out on the river, so why not make a point and come along.
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Lyn Smith on the helm while moving Consuta to Cleeve Lock |
Consuta's pitch at the Goring and Streatley Regatta - right near where she was built in 1898 |
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Mr Toad and Mole also come along to the Goring & Streatley Regatta |
Don't see these competitors at the Henley Royal - I wonder which legion they represent? |
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Private party for lunch at the Swan - Streatley |
Consuta had a trip upriver to Wallingford bridge |
Saturday at the Henley Royal Regatta
As well as some exciting boat racing this is also a great river spectacle well worth a visit. Consuta was there providing river trips.
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OUBC Bosporos also carrying onlookers |
Photo from Henley Management College |
The river is very busy |
Consuta working as an Umpire launch at the Henley Women's Regatta 18th June
She joined six other umpire launches on a very busy schedule. Racing was from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with a race starting every four minutes
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Consuta was at the race start ready for action by 8:00am |
A rare moment during the racing allowed the crew a few minutes relaxation |
Some don't take this boat racing seriously |
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A study of the race start acceleration |
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Here Consuta is only about a half boat length but is probably already running at 10 mph |
Just a bit further on, about one boat length from the standing start note bow is down, so still accelerating |
Now the bows have lifted but rowers have been caught up so throttle needs to be closed down |
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Half way down the course speed drops and revs here are only 350 rpm which equates to about 12mph. Engine throttle has been reduced from a full turn to only a quarter turn open. |
Argonaut, one of the new GRP hull also exhibits this bow down stance at lower speeds, however all the latter boats were built with more freeboard than Consuta |
This section of the bank provides a good indication of the swell created by the umpire launches, this one was from Argonaut, Consuta's is about the same |
To see more photos of earlier activity please scroll down
Photos of the 2011 Beale park Boat Show (10th-12th June) will be placed here shortly
Consuta was successfully re-launched on Monday 23rd May 2011
Many thanks to all who came along and helped.
We managed to get through a lot of work during the day and even had a bit of fun steaming Consuta to the Swan for a pub lunch.
The work done:-
Moved Consuta on its road trailer from Cowshed to the lake 8:30am
Lift Consuta off trailer and complete the hull antifoul in areas masked by the trailer supports.
Put Consuta into the water and paddle/pull her along the lake to the pontoons - about 100 yards.
Fill the boiler with water and raise steam, six bags of coal brought along but only four loaded into the bunker.
Clean up and move the pontoons into position ready for the Beale Park Boat Show 10th - 12th June
Conclude the steam test part of the boiler inspection
Steam onto the river and down to the Swan at Pangbourne for lunch - then return to the lake at Beale Park
Shut down the boiler and fit our brand new beige cover.
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| Travelling the 1/4 mile by road to the lake | Final touch up of the antifoul | 4 tons - nearly there |
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| Beautifully done | Filling Boiler and raising steam | Waiting for the boiler inspector |
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| We've made it to the Swan at Pangbourne | The Swan is next to the old Hobbs sheds | All sheeted up with the new cover |
Photos provided by David Creasey, Lyn Smith and Mark Smith
Saturday 2nd April was a reasonably warm day for the Consuta work party
Ray made a splendid job of cleaning out the aft cockpit bilges, Paul continued his work on the engine and took another part away home for some delicate fitting work, Lyn provided tea, coffee and biscuits whilst also taken yet more measurements for the new cover. Other work was to clean up parts of the engine and some minor descaling of the boiler backhead. Some workers sat outside and carried out the more gentile task of polishing yet more brass - does this polishing task ever end?
Here are some pictures
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Oh! the photo on the bottom row right is a bit of the engine (crosshead and slide bar) that was taken away for some work - now sorted.
Some clandestine work at the Beale park Cowshed on Wednesday 23rd March - what a lovely day
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Consuta was moved out of the Cowshed to allow the Bismark to be tucked away carefully inside |
It was such a nice day we decided to finish off some engineering work on the engine while Consuta was out in the open |
We also took the opportunity while there was room to try out some sections of Consuta's new cover.
Saturday March 5th 2011 - at Consuta's winter quarters
Another good work party turnout, thanks to those who came along, sorry not many photos we had a camera focus fault.
Some of the work done was refitting the boiler back-head spectacle frame, this now sports a clock. The leaking steam valves have been reground in so hopefully should be steam tight.
Floorboards in the bow and stern cockpits have been removed for a repaint. A start was made to vacuum the bilges, unfortunately the ancient cleaner developed a fault (since repaired I hope).
The stern and bow sections of the new boat cover were tried out and marked up for further cutting and sewing work.
Copious supplies of tea and biscuits were provided for the workers; 10 of us ended a successful mornings work for lunch at a local pub.
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Fitting the spectacle plate which now has a clock and the boiler pressure gauge |
Work on improving the support frame of Cygnet's trailer |
Another sociable lunch at the pub after a hard morning's work |
On the 19th February the Trust had its annual Social Luncheon at Beale Park.
The day ended with a visit around the park for those who stayed on after the lunch
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| Ringtail Lemars were among the many park animals and birds to be seen | Lovely model steam launch on display with many other ship models in the Park Pavilion | Some guests took a ride on the park steam train |
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Lunch was taken by 44 supporters in the Beale Centre building
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Late morning prior to the Trust lunch, some 30 visitors stopped at the storage shed to look over Consuta and Cygnet. The originality of the fabric of Cygnet provoked much interest. Lyn Smith provided teas, coffees and biscuits during this visit.
The First work party of 2011 was on Saturday 29th January
and it was a freezing cold day. A 3Kw heater helped a little but a cup-of-soup was very popular.
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Preparing hot drinks |
lots of polishing |
here is a bit I've done |
Happy work |
By 12:30 we decided enough was enough and most of the party adjourned to the warmth of the local pub for a nice lunch and a bit of a chat.
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Nice and warm in the pub - we want a nice warm crew room just like this please |
One fanciful idea had been to rescue the old ex steamer Clivedon and have it as a club house for supporters. A few of us had already looked over
Clivedon prior to the auction and had decided that the deck rails might be of use for the Consuta Boathouse.
Clivedon 100ft loa and 16ft beam was built as a steamer in 1931 and had a tunnel stern.
Nearby was gutted hull of Marlow (photo right) which although looking complete had already been cut in two by the torch.
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The cabin must be over 50ft long |
Clivedon has a tunnel stern |
Marlow has now be scrapped |
If you have an interest in old steam launches, you are most welcome to join us
