Dear All,
It is a while now since any news regarding the progress of the restoration of the 1903 built Steam Tug-Tender "Daniel Adamson" was posted here. Back in 2004, initial news about her imminent scrapping was posted here and on a few other web sites and the great response resulted in the current society being formed which now owns the vessel and is making great progress towards the goal of seeing this historic vessel operate once again. Latest Media release is as follows:

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMIDIATE RELEASE
RESTORATION OF 1903 BUILT STEAM TUG-TENDER “DANIEL ADAMSON” COMES A STEP CLOSER THANKS TO FIRST ROUND PASS FROM HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND.
Liverpool 14th January 2010
Britain's last steam tug tender, Daniel Adamson, has got the crucial go-ahead to operate from Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal.
Previously the province of 3,000 passenger mega liners like Queen Mary 2 and Crown Princess, the 106-year-old Daniel Adamson can carry just 100 passengers. This is a major turning point for the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society (DAPS) charity.

DAPS recently passed the initial stage towards getting an £830,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and can now develop its grant application for the final second stage with the assistance of HLF's mentoring scheme. If successful, the HLF grant will cover much of the tug tender's restoration, including vital boiler refurbishment, plus educational outreach programmes. The HLF previously awarded two project planning grants in 2006 and 2008.

It is hoped Daniel Adamson will undergo trials next year and return to her former stamping grounds of the River Mersey, Weaver Navigation and Manchester Ship Canal in 2012. Last year this Edwardian tug-tender was believed to be the only ship in the Heritage Open Days scheme and was visited by scores of people at Sandon Dock, Liverpool. Daniel Adamson started life as a ferry and barge towing tug between Ellesmere Port and Liverpool Pier Head, before sale to Manchester Ship Canal Co in 1924 for use as a traffic tug and eventually as a luxury directors' inspection ship.

DAPS has also received an £8,500 grant from Prism and £10,000 from the Pilgrim Trust, which both aid heritage and museum projects. This will go towards the restoration of the engine room and its two steam compound engines built by John Jones of Liverpool, in 1903.

Dan Cross, DAPS chairman who succeeded Tony Hirst in September 2009, says: "The Society is extremely grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for its continued support. HLF's also very kindly offered two specialist mentors to assist DAPS with the Stage Two application. While finalising the application this year, we will seek match funding of £150,000. Likewise, we're thrilled Liverpool City Council will allow Daniel Adamson to use Liverpool Cruise Terminal for our passengers. It's another vital piece in a jigsaw to get Daniel Adamson steaming again.
Keith Blundell, Liverpool City Council Head of Tourism, says: "We are delighted to help the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society with its voyages. It was always in the business plan that leisure craft could use the cruise terminal, so it's great we can help to bring back this very historic Mersey ship into public service."
Martin Heighton, National Historic Ships advisory committee director, says: "I'm so pleased at this outcome as we gave initial advice to DAPS about HLF which they acted on. This is an excellent project undertaken by first-rate people on a ship which is of the utmost national importance. Not only is this Britain's last steam tug-tender, but its two-deck art deco-style passenger saloon was built as a mini-copy of the first Queen Mary liner's interior in 1936. As we have no classic ocean liners left, this combination makes Daniel Adamson priceless." ENDS



Attached photograph is supplied courtesy of Colin Lane/ Liverpool Daily Post & Echo and should be credited as such.
Caption info (also embedded in file info):
The Daniel Adamson has been given permission to berth at the Cruise Terminal pictured with a scale model of the Daniel Adamson are: LtoR...Keith Blundell (head of tourism at Liverpool City Council) Dan Cross (Chair of Daniel Adamson Preservation Society) & Stuart Wood (former Mersey River Pilot and DAPS operations Director)
For Media Relations enquiries please contact Peter Elson on -07717 733 257 Or e-mail him at : media@danieladamson.co.uk
For other enquiries please contact the Chairman, Dan Cross on 07979 865 391 or e-mail him at: chairman@danieladamson.co.uk
For Membership enquiries please contact John Broomby, Membership Secretary on: 0161-969-2903 or e-mail membership@danieladamson.co.uk Membership enquiries can also be sent to him at: 28 Brookfield Drive, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 6QR

Note to editors:

• Daniel Adamson is Britain's only steam-powered, coal-fired tug-tender. The ship was built as Ralph Brocklebank, by the Tranmere Bay Development Co, at Birkenhead, Wirral in 1903.

• With two sister ships, the tug-tender ran a passenger ferry and barge towing service for her owners, the Shropshire Union Railway & Canal Co, from its Ellesmere Port terminus to Manchester Dock, Liverpool.

• In 1924 the ship was sold to the Manchester Ship Canal Co.

• In 1936 a lavish art deco style double-deck saloon was fitted by John Brown & Co, Clyde side, and, although badly water damaged, will be restored to its original state. She was at this time, re-named in honour of the first Chairman of the Ship Canal Co.

• The MSC laid-up Daniel Adamson in 1984 after the boiler required repair work and the vessel was moved to Ellesmere Port Boat Museum.

• However, when MSC decided to scrap the vessel after vandalism problems, the current trust was formed and bought the ship for £1 in 2004.

• Daniel Adamson is scheduled to be returned to working order in 2011.

• Following successful trials, Daniel Adamson will start carrying the public in 2012 for trips on the River Mersey, River Weaver and Manchester Ship Canal.

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