Richard Halton from the Medway Queen Preservation Society shares details of their next visit to the Isle of Wight in May. Ed
Sadly, we are still a long way from being able to bring the ship to revisit her old home on the Isle of Wight, but the next best thing is for her representatives to take part in events on the Island.
Over the years we have tried to do that from time to time, to look up old friends of the ship and to bring the latest news of her restoration, but it is a few years now since we were last able to do that.
Clubhouse, restaurant and nightclub
Medway Queen served as a clubhouse, restaurant and nightclub at what is now Island Harbour Marina from 1966 to 1974.
She was moved back to Kent for restoration in 1984 and is now moored at Gillingham Pier, near Chatham.
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
This time we will take part in the model railway exhibition at Havenstreet on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway on Saturday and Sunday 13th and 14th May.
Author Richard Halton will be on hand to sell signed copies of his “PS Ryde” book and his four “Medway Queen” books, including “The Medway Queen Club” published to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the club.
This book contains first-hand accounts with illustrations of that period in the ship’s history.
Share your memories
Richard is also interested in talking to anyone with information or memories of the two paddle excursion steamers purchased by Red Funnel from the Medway company in 1949.
They started life as minesweepers in World War One, served as excursion ships between the wars, swept the seas again in the Second War and returned to excursion service afterwards.
Red Funnel used them for a few years from 1949 as PS Lorna Doone and PS Solent Queen. In both cases they replaced older ships of the same names.
Get in touch
If you are unable to attend the event Richard can be contacted by email: [email protected].
“The Garden Railway”
The Medway Queen stand at the exhibition will be accompanied by “The Garden Railway” using N gauge trains and large scale figures to depict a 7¼ inch gauge miniature railway.
The stand will have details of work being undertaken on the ship, full details of society membership (of course) and ranges of railway books and model accessories for sale to raise funds towards the continuing work on the ship.
Stop for a chat
If you remember the “Medway Queen Club” stop by for a chat, if you don’t remember it, we’ll happily fill that gap in your knowledge of Island history.
More details of the society and the ship’s history on the Website.
Image: © Martin Goodhew
