24th October 2024 • The HERALD • Page 33 v F @heraldpublishing v Internal & External Decorating Wallpapering & Dustless Sanding FULLY INSURED PROFESSIONAL PAINTER & DECORATOR MARK 1 PROPERTY MAINTENANCE M.D.S. DIGITAL INSTALLS/SERVICE • DIGITAL AERIALS/FREEVIEW • SKY DIGITAL/FREESAT DIGITAL • EXTRA TELEVISION POINTS • TELEPHONE LINES/POINTS • TELEVISION SYSTEMS SETUP/TUNED • WALL MOUNTED TV’S QUALIFIED, FAST FRIENDLY SERVICE FREE SURVEYS/QUOTES BEAULIEU: 01590 611011 MOBILE: 07717 194441 ELECTRICIAN/HANDYMAN FULLY QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN (30YRS EXPERIENCE) • Mains Upgrades • Testing • Extra/Replacement Points/Lights • Outside Lighting • Sockets • Ponds • BT/TV Points • Ethernet Points • CCTV • Fire/Intruder Alarms • Basic Plumbing Repairs • Outside Taps • Showers • Heating Problems • Blinds/Poles Fixed • Flatpacks • Loft Work Boarding, Tidying etc ALL OTHER DOMESTIC WORK CONSIDERED Call Mick on 07738 166453 or email: michaelshelley80@googlemail.com MASTER CHIMNEY SWEEP Clean Professional Service Brush & Vacuum Sweep, Power Sweeping • open fires • rayburners • agas • stoves • biomass boilers • nest removals • cctv inspection of appliances & flues 07963 039013 Discount for OAP’s & Blue Light Card Holders HOTSPUR IV – GERRY BUILT A full decade has passed since Hotspur IV made her nal Hythe Ferry crossing from Southampton and subsequently withdrawn and laid up in 2014. Arguably the most popular vessel to have plied the passage, she entered service in 1947, serving for 67 years. Hotspur IV has meant much to very many of both, Waterside residents and visitors alike. Working three or four hours per day for about one year, 74 years old Hythe resident Gerry Du ett has built a 1:24 scale model of Hotspur IV. e model is highly detailed, to the level of having a toilet inside the penny-in-the-slot on-board facility. Gerry explains why he took on the task, “I decided to build the Hotspur IV, as it was the longest serving ferry and I had travelled on it many times”. Gerry undertook a period of research beforehand. Gerry says of this, “Plans sent to me by Alan Titheridge were a great help in establishing hull proportions but the upperworks had gone through many changes over the years. I found an online video taken by a passenger during the 1980s showing some of the deck fittings plus having bought Alan’s book “Hythe’s Hotspurs” there were several useful pictures from the 1970s”. Describing the construction, Gerry says “The hull is built of 6mm ply frames with 6 x 1.5mm lime planking. The deck is 8 x 1mm lime, stained and matt varnished. The superstructure is made of 3mm ply with windows made from microscope slides. Material for the rear deck canopy was difficult to find, eventually sourced from a model supplier in Germany. The figures were bought on eBay”. e boat is “fitted with radio control and twin 6-volt motors plus full lighting, although the radio control and batteries have been removed for display purposes.” Gerry’s stunning model is at present on display at Hythe library. Hotspur IV is currently moored on the River Itchen, o ered for sale. She has had her engines and many other ttings removed, including her ship’s wheel which was recently sold at auction. The Watercress Line Heritage Railway partners with Treloar School for ‘Let Me In’ Accessibility Programme e Watercress Line Heritage Railway recently hosted seven students from Treloar School as part of their ‘Let Me In’ programme, which focuses on improving accessibility in public spaces. During their visit, the students assessed accessibility features at the railway station and reviewed the design plans for the forthcoming First-Class Accessible Dining Carriage. is collaboration gave Treloar students, who have direct experience with accessibility challenges, the opportunity to provide valuable feedback. e students evaluated station access points, facilities, and were able to experience and comment upon the layout of the new carriage, which is still in the design phase. e Watercress Line carriage workshop team marked out the layout of the proposed dining carriage in masking tape on the oor of their workshop facilities at Ropley, Hampshire. e students were given rare access behind the scenes to test the layout and give their comments and feedback to the team. eir insights will be crucial in re ning the nal design to ensure the carriage meets high accessibility standards. “We are immensely grateful to Treloar School and its students for sharing their expertise with us,” said Rebecca Dalley, CEO at e Watercress Line Heritage Railway. “Their feedback is invaluable, they were really fun and engaging to work with, and we look forward to incorporating their feedback to make The Watercress Line more inclusive for all.” e students’ feedback is now under review, and e Watercress Line Heritage Railway is eager to implement the suggested improvements, both at the station and in the design of the First-Class Dining Carriage. This partnership is part of the railway’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the heritage experience for all visitors, regardless of mobility needs. Treloar pupils visit The Watercress Line (Photo credit: Stephen Morley)
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