Hi Nerys, that must have given you a great boost ! sounds like you two had a fantastic time, and as Pete said, lots of lovely wood to admire on that vessel👍 I'm sure Alice would have been impressed with the wood work, she might be able to knock a barge up in the back yard, now she's seen one up close.😁

JB

Hi Nerys,
I feel very happy for you and Alice.
It must of felt like Heaven especially after all the lockdowns we all have had to put up with.
Doubly happy as the Command Centre did extremely well on it first shakedown trials.

Martin555.

Nerys I'm green with envy, you lucky girl. I bet you wanted to take command again.
Glad your mobile again with such a good companion.
Keep going lass, stay safe and best wishes, Colin and Caroline.

Looks like alice and yourself had a really good time, the barge looks really comfortable inside, with all that lovely wood, and very pleased that the new camper performed well, still waiting for my turn to get my camper out, maybe July, if I'm lucky.😊

Cheers, Pete

This is not a genuine LST post but it tells of the first voyage of the NAAFI Campery van.
We arrived in Maldon,Essex, at 5am, Sunday, then after a short sleep drove down to the Hythe to join Centaur. I had booked a short trip on the Blackwater , not only to see my first command in 1955, but to show Alice what a Thames Barge looked like. She has put up with me talking barges all these years without having actually been on board one.
When she floated in her mud berth, the crew cast off and we motored away from the berth. There was a fair wind, so the crew set the foresail, topsail sheet and a few cloths of the mainsail. After a while the engine was stopped and we continued our perambulation down past Heybridge Basin and Northey Island. Later off Osea Island it was time to return to Maldon , so sails were stowed and we slowly motored back to Maldon. A pleasant day out and a very nostalgic one for me. The photos show, two shots of Centaur in her berth. The after cabin with the inscription as required by law ' licensed to accommodate one seaman. Every part of the barge would have a similar inscription carved into a beam denoting what that area was and what tonnage it was. There is a photo of a corner of the main hold as it is now and one of the after part of the original skipper's cabin which was always called 'The Yarmouth Roads'.
The following day, Monday, we carried on to Southend and had a ride on the train along the pier. Then returned home Tuesday in time for dialysis at 5pm.

As far as the van was concerned, it performed perfectly well, proved very comfortable, needs a couple of minor tweaks, then she'll be ready for the next trip.

Cheers, Nerys

"only wish I could get a bit of a pick up"
FLEET COMMAND MESSAGE:
PRIO: TOP-FLASH:
SEC CLASS: CLEAR:
MEN!
Fleet Command URGENTLY requires a volunteer squad of min six able bodied men for a Special OPS detachment to our SW Command UK, Welsh Navy Flottila. (Ensign attached).
Volunteers within rapid deployment striking distance of Ammanford, South Wales are herewith requested and required to report ASAP to Admiral Nerys, SW Command HQ.

MISSION: To render all necessary physical and 'jollying' assistance to her Admiralship as required to enable her to conduct and continue her duties, and pursue her interests, in the exemplary manner to which we have become accustomed, and she has served the MB Navy so valiantly prior to her recent most unfortunate and debilitating experience.

Senior Officer or NCO volunteer mustering on site shall assume command and organise the squad into three watches for 24/7 support.
Liaise with the Hon Commodore Alice w.r.t. accommodations (it is understood that various covered accommodations are available on site) and for any special equipment / construction requirements.
For the duration of the detachment squad members may draw extraordinary rum rations (Havana Club 7 years) from the Munich HQ Depot.
Mission reports to FLEET, Munich HQ and UK Western Command HQ, Vice Admiral Colin.

God speed you all on this important mission.
MB NAVY EXPECTS EVERY MAN JACK TO DO HIS DUTY:
FLEET// 😎

Hi Nerys,
I can understand you frustrations there is nothing worse than wanting to do things but due to ill health unable to.
I hope you'r health improves soon so that you can continue with your model making.

Martin555.

Nerys my thought are with you hope you feel better soon
Rick

Thanks everyone for your messages of sympathy it's very kind of you I feel so helpless being like this, I hate the whole thing of being like this, only wish I could get a bit of a pick up and have a period of being able to carry on normally. It's not only having things at the right height, it's holding my arms out and carrying out some simple little task. I got breathless tonight trying to tie a bowline in a piece of cord around the mast with my arms held out in front of me for a few minutes, it's just silly little things like that. I get so frustrated about it all.

Cheers, Nerys

BTW: Very sorry to hear that you may have lost a pint of blood. Awful!!
But it did remind me of Tony Hancock 'The Blood Donor'!
"A pint? That's very nearly an armful! I can't walk around with an empty arm!!"

Always look on the bright side of life 😉
Have a giggle at the vintage Hancock and keep your chin up Nerys👍
Cheers, Doug 😎

Very sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations Nerys 🤔
My first thought was of a potter's stool which you can wind up and to adjust the height as necessary.
Also Cash's idea is good. Such height adjustable desks and tables are available in good office supply stores. Several of us in my old company had such desks, all troubled with back problems🙄, so we could work sitting or standing and adjust the desk height to suit.
You can even get flash electric versions. 😉 None with a built in wine cooler though! 😭
Best wishes, Doug 😎

Hi Nerys, I’m so glad you’re still working on your LST, sorry to hear of health issues still, I hope it gets better for you. I was wondering if you could find a some sort of folding desk that would raise and lower, you wouldn’t have to get up, you could just lower the table boat and all. Anyway, I’m glad you’re still at it, and I truly hope you feel better.
Cash

Hi Colin,

You would be more than welcome to join and sail at our club, Vale of Glamorgan, I know it must be getting on a hundred miles away for you, but we started sailing again this week. We sail every Saturday and Tuesday morning as a club, and you can have access to the lake every other day except Sunday morning, when another club uses it. Parking is lakeside ten foot from the water, on a concrete apron, you get a key to give you access. The lake has concrete paths all round and is only about three feet deep if you do have any sinkings. It was built by the local council to give employment during the depression of the twenties. It is 'parkified' at the opposite end to our parking. We run a very successful open day each year with several local clubs participating. Another thing that endears it to me is, I learnt to row on it. That was in the 1940s when there were rowing skiffs to hire on it. Those were the days. Give it thought.

Cheers, Nerys

Thank you for the congratulations, I'm nearly up to where I was before the points reshuffle a couple of years ago.
That bike lift is what I was trying to think of when I mentioned lifting you up to work on your fleet.
Look forward to seeing you and your command centre soon, may even try a trip your side of the border, as I'm getting no replies from my club,
they put off subs renewal in January, and I was told to wait as the committee will be dealing with it in March, it's May tomorrow and no response from club so I'm looking for another club water to sail at. I've tried Cwmbran Lake which I liked very much even though it's a long walk from the car park.
That's all for now, got to go to B&Q with Caroline to get some timber for raised veg beds.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Colin,
Firstly, let me congratulate you on your promotion, very well deserved.
Actually, we have a rise and fall thingy, it's a motor cycle lift. We bought it to see if it would lift me on my wheelchair to access a horse box we were thinking of buying to convert. Never had a chance to try it as it was sold before we got there. That's not the problem though, it's staying upright without thinking I'm going to faint through lack of puff.
A trip across the border is quite likely before long so thank you for your kind offer.

Best wishes to you and Caroline,
Nerys and Alice.

Hi Nerys.
Sorry to hear of your continuing health issues.So frustrating when you just want to get on with things.
Glad however to hear that you have got some spraying done and are in the frame of mind to finish the job.
Like so many others I am looking forward to the end result.
Take care and stay safe.
Regards Bill

Hi Nerys, nice to see you are still progressing. You could do with a rise and fall lifter under your chair.
Joking aside my lovely, I can't wait to see your Fleet on the water.
Best wishes to you and your number 1 Alice.
Cheers Colin.
ps. Don't forget next time you plan on straying over our border let me know as if I'm available we could meet up for a cuppa and chat, and the awning is still sat in my garage awaiting your arrival.

Thanks JB, most things I can do on the barge whilst sitting, but there are a few things to do on the top of the topmast and sprit end. The height is wrong if I put her on the floor and sit down, but I expect that is what I'll have to do. Alice would help me, but it's difficult to explain the intricacies of something you know so well what to do. I'll tackle it, a little at a time.

cheers, Nerys

Sounds like you need a custom 'sit down' work bench Nerys, with everything handy.

JB

Hi Bill,
The LST received it's priming coats a couple of days ago, then couldn't find the gloss, so have ordered some, ready for a nice fine, still day to finish off, and we don't get many of those here, it's either blowing a gale or raining most of the time.
I still haven't had the May MB, so I rang them and they are sending me a replacement.
Would really like to get on with the barge, a week or so if I was fit would do it, but I just can't raise the energy levels high enough to go and do a bit. Much of what I have to do entails standing up and I'm afraid I cannot stand more than a minute or so without getting out of breathe and feeling as if I'm fainting.

Cheers , Nerys

Hi Nerys.
Any more news on the LST, ie spraying,paint job?
Looking forward to the next update.
Hope you have now received your MB Magazine.
Regards Bill.

Still waiting for a fine day to take the LST outside for spraying. Amazingly, for Soggy Swansea, it's been dry this last few days, but far too cold for spraying. In the meantime work is proceeding on the barge, rigging is in process, hull all but finished. The camper too is coming along, Alice is making the roof cupboards for the starboard side, port are done and the track for the sliding doors has arrived.. There's still a lot of electrical work to do. And I made some sausage rolls today.

Cheers, Nerys

"Will be opening very carefully ..."
Are you expecting it to go off on opening Rowen 😮
😁😂🤣 ... 🤕

I was just leaving 😌
G'night All, don't let the bed bugs bite now 😁
💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤

Thanks Nerys,
Will be opening very carefully and inspecting.
Been reading of your trials and tribulations.
Good luck and Best Wishes.
Rowen

For your sake, I hope it is better than the guns supplied in my kit!

Cheers, Nerys

Have just ordered a Bofors gun from Deans. Was surprised about the handling charge, but accepted it.
Have not dealt with them for years. Was disappointed in an earlier purchase.
Am not that bothered about the handling, if the quality is good. Will post my impressions in due course.

Hi Bill,

With the amount of negative statements aimed at Deans on this website, I can't believe he has never either seen them or at least, heard about them, I think he just couldn't care less what people say about him and will continue to exploit anyone silly enough to buy from him. I'm guilty, I had read all the negative comments, knew about the extra charges, but still bought, just because nobody else does that kit. But as I said before, I wish I had bought a plan and built from scratch.

Cheers, Nerys

Nerys.
I concur with your remarks in all aspects.
As you know there have been many comments with regards to Deans products on our site over the years.Most of the comments have been to their detriment including from me.I will never touch them again after the way I was treated when I dared to question a product fault.
I find it hard to believe that with the vast membership numbers that we have that someone somewhere hasn’t pointed out to Deans our dissatisfaction that is posted on here to them.If they had you would think they would defend themselves.Perhaps they think they are untouchable.
Anyway....moan over. Looking forward to seeing the finished item after the spray job.
Keep at it.
Stay safe and well Everyone.
Regards
Bill

It's called profit making Ian or as I prefer to think exploitative profiteering.

Nerys

Hi Nerys
As they say once bitten twice shy.
Why on earth a handling charge to check the kit when they manufacture the kit I cannot understand

Now that the dust has had time to settle on the LST, literally, and all we are waiting for is a reasonably warm still day as we can only spray outdoors, I would like to give my thoughts on the kit and the building thereof.
I consider the kit to be very expensive made worse by the imposition of quite heavy carriage charges and worst of all, a handling charge. How Deans can have the nerve to charge this I do not know. They say that it is to check the contents of the kit to make sure everything is there etc. If this is so, they didn't do a very good job in my kit. Several bits missing ,broken or listed but unfindable.
I admit that my inexperience in building a plastic kit did not help, as I struggled particularly trying to glue bits together despite using all the specified adhesives. I thought that the standard of the many odd bits was very poor \and in some cases like the rudders, props, prop shafts were unusable and had to be replaced. Many of the plastic odd bits stuck around on the decks were unrecognisable and might just as well have not been there. I found some of the things like the guns impossible to stick together and of incredibly poor quality.
A worry at the moment is that as it will be necessary to vacuum clean the model before spraying, how many bits will fall off when I do so.
As many members know, I only built this model as a tribute to my father who commanded 368 during the war. Had I known what I was letting myself in for, I would have bought the plans and built the model from scratch in wood.
Would I buy a kit from Deans again, definitely no. Perhaps they wouldn't sell me one!

Nerys

Glad you enjoyed your excursion ADMIRAL Nerys
Congrats on your promotion.👍
Herewith your new command flag and insignia.
FLEET// 😎

Nerys, glad you're getting out, to come to the cider city and miss a meeting with you and Alice.
Pleased your command vehicle is almost finished, at least the border patrols didn't get in your way.
Hope to meet you soon when lock down ends.
Best wishes to both of you, Colin and Caroline.

Nerys, your LST is really looking good. You did a fine job of taming that Deans kit. Really and truly looking forward to her finished up. You’re gonna need some tanks. Hey!! You could ship it over here and Errol and I can invade Oklahoma🤣🤣.
Seriously..,glad you’re feeling better, and I really like your LST.
Cash

Yes, we thoroughly enjoyed it and gave us a taste of things we will be able to do, despite dialysis, in the future. Alice was straight back into it the following day and finished panelling the roof and making a start on the roof boxes. She's also started sorting out what batteries we are going to need and other aspects of the electrical bits. For my part, I ordered two duvet covers for the beds, nice multicolour geometric pattern, well, we liked it anyway.

Cheers, Nerys

Nerys sounds a wonderful day rest travel and eating out can't get much better than that.
Rick

Sounds terrific Nerys, and fish & chips from Morrisons,(No scampi), but did you get the wood you wanted?

Cheers, Pete😊

What a lovely day. To start off with, I felt better than I had for ages (forgot my tablets last night), it was a lovely sunny day and then I saw what an excellent job Alice is making of the camper. The beds are finished, all down the starboard side and to port she has now finished all the cabinetry in the galley and other lockers. No fancy woods, only standard, but carefully chosen from the local DIY shop but for sheet materials, she has used 18mm ply rather than ersatz stuff like OSB or chipboard.
Anyway, we wanted timber for the roof lockers, so, lets give the local DIY a miss and go to another, and let's give the camper a good run, so we set a course roughly SE and an hour or so later we arrived. We moored at their loading wharf, went in and bought what we wanted and some extra fixings and fittings. Loaded up, then visited the local native eating place for a burger and a BLT and that local delicacy tea.
Once ready, we set a course NW to take us to the lands where the mighty Rear Admiral Colin holds power. Making good progress, after an hour or so, we anchored in a pleasant bay for a short rest and refreshment, then headed off to the great trading company of Morrisons in the principle settlement of the region, where we took on stores and regaled ourselves to a Takeaway Fish and Chips. Headed homewards on a Westerly course, all was well until we had passed the township known as St, Tydfyl the Martyr when the route forward was closed for repairs, which meant a diversion of some forty miles to cover the less than thirty needed. All in all, a very pleasant day out.

Cheers, Nerys

That's looking excellent Nerys, a lot of nice detail going in there,- you've been busy!

JB

"btw, finally got to Commodore😊 "
Congratulations Commodore. Well done 👍
Herewith your new insignia.
BRAVO ZULU:
FLEET// 😎

Thanks Fred, I came to the same conclusion after looking at their site.
I may have found an agent here in Germany 😊
Cheers, Doug 😎

It was the 'bent' that 'concerned' me most Pete 😉
Thanks for the link 👍
I'll have to get me summa dat!
Ciao, Doug 😎😴💤

Hi
Re Albion Alloys they informed me that they do not sell to the public, but they are more than willing to give you the name of your local supplier that would have what you require in stock.

Fred

"the gun that could shoot around corners"
Not quite a 'U' Pete, a U would've been a bit dodgy for the shooter 😭, but a right angle at least.
I think some had a mirror mounted at the apex of the curve.
I believe that there was also a version in WW1 for early tank crews so that they could defend the flanks of the tanks through small slits.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Sincere apologies for mistakenly insinuating that you were a U Doug, I failed to start the next sentence with a capital.
Albion alloys do thin wall ali toob, down to 0.3, have posted a link Doug.😊
https://www.albionalloys.com/en/aluminium-tube/
Pete

"the barrel was bent into a U😏 just like you Doug,"
Wondered just what you were insinuating there for a second Pete!!😮😠😁
Although my Graf Spee is a pretty big ship, ca 1.5m, the 20mm barrels are about 0.5mm max.
Hard to find toob that fine. Outside NASA / JPL perhaps. So wire/rod it will have to be.
Might get away with 1mm toob I suppose. I'll just say they upgraded to 40mm 😉
Cheers, Doug 😎

Porque no Nerys? 👍

I can't understand as to why Deans didn't do that in the first place, would make it easier for all.

Cheers, Pete

Yes Doug, it reminds me of the gun that could shoot around corners, the barrel was bent into a U😏
just like you Doug, I tend to replace all small barrel guns with fine ali or brass toob.

Cheers, Pete

btw, finally got to Commodore😊

Thanks Pete for those kind remarks. I must confess something about the gun tubs though, I didn't fancy trying to get a strip of plastic to stick around the edge of a plastic disk, so I asked Alice if there was any plastic water pipe in the shed.

Nerys