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RML 526

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:31 pm
by sandybc
To all those interested I would like to announce that RML 526 ( previously known as Western lady IV) is very alive and advanced in her restoration project. Much work has been completed to save her from that all too familiar graveyard for historic boats.
We are working towards reinstating her original launch profile including armaments (demilitarised !) I attach a reasonably recent photo.
I am new to this forum and would like to hear from anybody who has any connection with her, in particular from veterans who served or families with any history of relatives with connections.
Wait to hear
Sandybc

Re: RML 526

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:22 am
by johnk
Hi there,

Just joined this forum, great picture of 526, quite a re-build job but looking good, have also checked the post on the main BMPT site, believe you plan? to go to Portsmouth, hope to catch her there or perhaps sooner if I get the chance, you are in Rye?, what is the long term plan, appreciate busy with the vessel, but see the web-site is not quite fully live yet.

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:18 pm
by sandybc
Hello Johnk, thank you for your reply. Yes - 526 is moored in Rye & Yes - she was quite a re-build. Quite a challenge at times but very rewarding. She is locally known as the 'Big Boat that goes up & down" due to the tides. Sometimes on very high tides she looks enormous! I am working on the website and will be adding lots of images of the restoration and announcing the future plans for her - which are very exciting - I won't divulge to you now, because I have prepared a layout for the site.
During the summer months we had several hundreds of visitors. I had information boards put out along the Quay side. Whenever possible and if I was personally on board I did give tours. If you do get a chance to be in Rye, please let me know I could arrange to meet you and show you around.
Could you tell me - what is your interest ? for example do you have naval background or ???? I'm always interested to know.
Sandybc

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:03 pm
by johnk
Hi Sandybc,

Great to hear how things are going with RML 526, great to hear you had so many visitors, look forward to the new web-site and future plans, will revert with a personal reply so as to not to clutter the site, but again, I would like to say well done on saving this historic craft, you join a select few including MTB102, HDML Medusa, the MGB81 and of course The Fairmile at torquay, number escapes me, going strong with a passenger ticket still. All the best,

johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 12:55 pm
by tony
hi sandy you asked for any one that had a attachment to her Well im tony the former owner of her its so good to see you are taking her back to as close as original as possible sorry we didn't get the chance to meet when you purchased her but due to my heath at the time it wasn't possible But im glad to say im back to full health now. as her previous master i know her from bow stem to astern if you wish to contact me please leave a post and ill be glad to replie also if you need a master for her on future voyages it would be good to take her to sea again many thanks tony

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:47 pm
by johnk
Hi Tony,

Great to hear from you, and of course that you are back to good health.....appreciate perhaps Sandy you have been busy, but be great to hear of any further progress....all the best,

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:07 pm
by tony
thanks john keen to to talk to sandy on the progress rml526 maybe have lots of advice for them especially on the subject of handling her

Re: RML 526

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:04 am
by johnk
Hi Tony,

Great to hear from you and glad you are better now, indeed as per, sure you have much good advice to give on her, all the best.

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:51 pm
by tony
hi john

thanks for the warm words haven't as yet spoken with sandy very keen to see rml52 again !

Re: RML 526

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:02 pm
by tony
Hi sandy
just wondering how far you are going with her restoration ,from what i have seen and read you have replaced her major worn timbers , i was wondering how you addressed the problem of her de-laminating frames below the engine room aft of the starboard engine bed below what would have been her asdec generator bed ?.also do you intend to replace the deck aft of the funnel to what would have been a raised deck . very keen to chat with you . tony

Re: RML 526

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:36 pm
by sandybc
Dear Tony, Thank you for continuing your interest with 526 I did not know of your ill health but am glad you report you are well. Suffice to say is that extensive work has been done on her and I think it would be easier if you look at the website in the next few weeks because I have somebody working on it (with my input) and this will give much information including some rather horrific photos - so brace yourself! I think the visuals will tell you all you need to know rather than me writing up a detailed report which I do not have time to do.
For the moment she is closed up for the winter and preparations are being made for Phase 2 of the works which will be re-instatement below deck. We have a top team of Naval Architects, shipwrights/carpenters, Engineers and a gang of ex R.N personnel.
Much work is always going on behind the scene - I am working on archiving and producing a 'pop-up' exhibition and interviewing veterans and or their families - I have some presentations planned.
At this stage if you have any stories relating to 526 these would be very useful to have or indeed any other archive material.
526 has a very bright and exciting future ahead of her and as the progress evolves I will keep you posted ( or the website will)
Sandy

Re: RML 526

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:55 pm
by tony
thank you sandy for the update . so pleased you are able to take her back to bare bones and sort all her problems out .please keep the updates coming . LET ME KNOW WHEN A VISIT WILL BE POSSIBLE

TONY ( m.r.i.n ) S.R.R rtd.

Re: RML 526

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:42 pm
by tony
sandy i prob have a lot of info for you and more so how her original design differs from other mls i also have her original blue print ! my email ........RML526@LIVE.COM tony

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:55 am
by johnk
Hi Tony and Sandy,

Great to read lastest, got slightly? round the wrong way but as per BMPT forum, logged onto the site and see great updates, as you say, with photos, the first member of ship's company report etc...., contact button was not working for me ex work, wanted to mention in case any one was trying to get through. Noted closed up for the moment, so as with Tony, will if you don't mind, keep in touch to see when OK to visit. You have a great team on board I think, the works to the ship look great, and look forward to seeing her underway in due course.

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 4:46 pm
by sandybc
John, thank you for your comments. Glad you found the website. As you can see it is under construction at the moment so there will be some changes. I have more information to add. The email link is not yet set up so this does not work. I am hoping by the end of the week that it will be more advanced.
I am planning some 'open days', where I shall have a small exhibit alongside with information boards. I have been loaned from the national museum of the Royal Navy and Coastal Forces some models of Fairmile classes which I will have on display plus other memorabilia - I will let you have dates once I have decided what I can do. Time and health do not always permit me to do the things when I would like.
If you discover any information linked to 526 I would be happy to receive.
Sandy

Re: RML 526

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:46 am
by johnk
Hi Sandy,

No problem, noted on BMPT your home page now picture of RML 529....! looking good, yes quite understand re site, sorry to hear of your restrictions there....but yes, will look out for the dates you mention and will cut along, all the best for now,

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:59 pm
by tony
great pics of RML 526 on new web site BUT a little amazed to see all her deck ripped up and replaced with ply! 85% of her original mahogany deck was in perfect condition plus all the original universal bronze deck mount fittings were in good serviceable order ???? can only surmise that because her calico layer had perished and her deck was not 100% watertight that must have been the reason for such a waste of good original timber also her wheel house ?? Yes when she is completed she will look stunning! One would hope that she undergoes new roll and stability tests before she is put to sea. Speaking as the last skipper to be at sea in a force 8 it is imperative that she is ballasted correctly. Now you say to your self (but we have no intention of steaming in anything greater than a small swell ) correct balance matters on this boat. Ballast forward for close quarter manouver and aft for steaming (in a nut shell you will have reduced her upper deck weight, correct interpretation of her load line is imperative also remember it is no longer correct!!). The load line was calculated for a passenger ferry sorry for the rant but she is in my blood and to have seen her wonderful deck discarded in such a way concerns me! something that I can not understand, is why wasn't the deck timbers reused to replace her aft bulk head in the correct double diagonal formation as opposed to ply.

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:48 am
by sandybc
Dear Tony,
A quick response to your post. Just to remind you she is W.I.P (work in progress) - Finishings are FAR from complete. I do not think it would be appropriate to enter into a dialogue on a open forum about the condition of 526 to a Ex owner who clearly has great affections for her (particularly concerning the force 8 gale!) and sorry to be blunt but my reason for joining this forum is to try and make contact with veterans or their families who will be able to shed some light on her war service and or anybody who has information that will be of interest to her heritage.
May I redirect you to your previous post where you mention you have such documents. I have a team of people working on the archiving for 526, should you wish to contribute to adding to this we would certainly be grateful. I'm sure you will agree that the history belongs to this vessel and we intend to make it available to the public as do many followers/supporters of other vessels. They can be contacted via the site by email and will discuss with you how this can be safely carried out. We have had some very interesting material and stories given to us which will be available shortly on the website.
Thank you again for your continued interest and please keep looking at the website for further updates.
Kind regards
Sandy
p.s Our naval architects who are working with the MCA were appointed to do the stability tests/ LLE for HMS Caroline on behalf of the NMRN

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 1:03 am
by dinger149
John thank you for your post. my father was on RML 523 must have been a sister ship? I hold little info on what flotilla or what boats were in his group or there history I would love to find out more. I think it was when serving on RML 523 he got a MID. but being the chap he was never gave much away! only would talk about his funny times in the CF once or twice the really grim ones.

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 9:16 am
by johnk
Hi there,

No problem, many thanks,

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 8:50 pm
by Brian Holmes
ML_523 H J Percival, Horning, Norfolk 2/7/42

Wind up of the war in Europe (Gazette Date - 11/12/45)
MID PO John Cole C/J48211
MID AB Leslie Bell D/JX256333
MID AB Frank Harold Webb P/JX326806

Known Crew
TSLt C N Rands RNVR TSLt 13/11/41 HMS Minos II 6th ML Flotilla 23/3/42 HMS St Christopher for MLs 20/4/42 60th RML Flotilla HMS Beaver II 1/7/42 Commanding Officer ML 523 7/6/43 TLt 1/2/44
TSLt J B Baber RNVR TASLt 8/1/43 HMS Aggressive (Newhaven) HMS Attack (Portland) for small craft ML 523 17/5/43 TSLt 8/7/43
PO John Cole C/J48211 ML 523 Wind up of the war in Europe MID
AB Leslie Bell D/JX256333 ML 523 Wind up of the war in Europe MID
AB Frank Harold Webb P/JX326806

Wartime Activities
Rescue Motor Launch

Post War Fate
12/45 For disposal

Re: RML 526

Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:29 pm
by dinger149
Thank you Brian.

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:47 am
by sandybc
Just to let anybody interested in RML 526 know I now have a face book page.
I am tying to find time to do more work on it but please visit and send any information of interest and of course send it on to your contacts.
If you think it is worthy of a 'like' - this would certainly boost my confidence and energy !

There is some very exciting news in the pipe line for 526, so watch this space.

Sandy BC

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fairmile ... ef=tn_tnmn

http://www.fairmileb-rml526.com/

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 6:25 pm
by johnk
Hi Sandy,

Bit of a ....but posted under ML 296 for some reason but also on your facebook page....just really saying great to see plans for RML 526 and her future, great to see such a great patron! we at Paddle Steamer Medway Queen have Lord West, Admiral of course, who has already done sterling work for the ship, enabling us to get to Ramsgate for the 75th anniversary of the evacuation of Dunkirk, await news of the funding campaign in due course.

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:04 am
by Bensidney
Looking forward to seeing her, she belonged to my great grandfather when she was known as Anbrijo. Can't wait to see her in her former glory!
Ben Sidney

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 11:33 am
by sandybc
Ben, How great to hear from you - I am in contact with Phillip Sydney one of the son's of your great grandfather - How does the family link together?
I have some nice photos of ANBRIJO in the Med. post war.
How can I get in touch with you ?
We are holding a Gala Dinner on HMS Victory in celebration of RML 526 hosted by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas - our senior Patron. Would be great if you could attend - We have some very interesting guests !
Look forward to hearing - we have a lot to talk about
Sandy

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:52 pm
by Bensidney
Sandy that sounds very exciting, Phillip is from the side of the family that I have been desperate to get in touch with!
My email address is Ben-Sidney@hotmail.com
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Ben

Re: RML 526

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 6:06 pm
by johnk
Hello there,

Just browsing the BMPT site and check in on RNCVF of course and see latest news, great to hear re the dinner and contact with Ben, posted on the FB page, trust all is well, await more news as and when, all the best.

Johnk

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 5:01 pm
by Pioneer

Re: RML 526

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 9:50 pm
by Fairmileb
Would love to hear how she was allowed to get into such a state that she had to be destroyed, the images of her being broken up after surviving through the war & over 60 years of passenger service is truly heart breaking!!