Fibreglass hull id

I have a boat which was built as a steam river launch which I want to find out more information as to the original design as a victorian naval steam picket boat.

It was supplied by ABCO(UK) Ltd in March 1983, which no longer exists!

I've Googled & giggled at some of the results especially on photo comparison and haven't found anything remotly resembling this hull, from what I can see it hasn't been modified or remodelled so I'm a bit stuck.

I would like to re-build it as a picket boat if possible.

Roger

Hi Roger,

Welcome back

Your hull looks like a deep sea trawler or small ship hull which has had the topsides cut out ? I've never seen a steam launch like that with the forecastle & poop deck !!!

Do you have a drawing of the Steam Pinnace or Pickett boat you want to produce ? first I'd cut off the raised sections at the bow and stern and see what the shearline looks like compared to a fullsize boat ? and put a new deck and superstructure on it.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 08/04/2022 09:12:03

Hi Ray,

Thanks, I have been lurking but with big health issues for me and the missus I haven't felt much like joining in or modelling.

I think I might have misled you, the hull was originally purchased as one for a victorian naval steam picket boat for the buyer to build as a 1919 steam river launch. When I got it it had a horrible ugly homebuilt steam plant on it which had never been tested.

What I fancy doing is to build to the original design but I can't find anything that resembles the hull shape at all! I don't think the hull has been modified in the overall shape so I'm really looking for what ABCO(UK) had in mind as they must have had an original boat/plans to work to.

Cheers

Roger

Hi there

sorry for the awkward copy but for some reason the Canon printer I have plays up when I try to mess about with it. Anyway, this is an advert which I have found in Model Boats Magazine January 1982. This is the only 1 out of 4 or 5 adverts for ABCO which mentions the picket launch - if you can make it out it looks like the keel may have been altered and also the bow and stern of the model added on to the upper works. Just out of reference the original plan was from David MacGregor - so - now I have read this, we may be able to help with a small plan. I am busy looking now.

John

John, thank you, you are a star

The evidence trail starts, I just need to find the original and it seems his plan collection was donated to the ss great britain trust. Now it could be a problem after my attemps to retreive some J K N class destroyer plans.... and failed knowing that they do have them.

Hey ho, any further info.photos will be very appreciated.

Many thanks

Roger

Hi Roger, this is a scan from a book which was dedicated to the life and ship models of Norman Ough ISBN Number 9781473879478 - Seaforth Publishing. I know Norman Ough's plans do sometimes come up on EBay - so keep an eye open on there. David MacGregor by the way had the rights for Norman's plans.

So, let us try putting the scan on

here goes

John

Edited By John W E on 08/04/2022 18:02:41

Thank you John, the 'plan' is coming together

Just remembered I've got that book!

Edited By Roger Clark on 08/04/2022 19:31:21

Well today was a productive day, I emailed the SS Great Britain Trust and Victoria sent me david-macgregor-ship-plans-collection-july-2013.pdf from which I was able to find a couple of plans, one 1:12 scale stable by Norman Ough and one fragile but annotated by David MacGregor, I also found some photos that will help plus a link to a 1:12th scale live steam one which will help me with layout.

So I'll have plenty to go on.

Regards

Roger

Further to the post by John W E, attached is the article from the October 1959 Model Maker magazine. The plan with the article is the same as the one John has already posted.

I knew the late Alan Brown (ABCO), he was a founding member of Bury Metro Marine Modelling Society. Alan started ABCO, when he lost his job in the town's Transparent Paper Mills (now closed down). There was an item in the local newspaper about "the man who turned his hobby into a job" (or similar wording). Alan moved after working from home, into a workshop within an old mill in another district of the town, where I once visited him. 

Edited By Tony Hadley on 09/04/2022 21:08:50