Pompon Rouge - Could Wincham have been preserved like this?

Photographs © John H. Luxton 2009

Many Merseyside people beyond those with a direct interest in ships and ship preservation were shocked by the wanton destruction of the preserved Weaver Packet WINCHAM during spring 2009.

The scrapping of the historic WINCHAM occurred following the discovery of hull defects during routine maintenance.

On August 26 your webmaster visited the excellent Maritime Museum at the Port of Rouen on the River Seine. At the museum is a preserved example of a Seine motor barge the POMPON ROUGE dating from 1949. The vessel was fully restored a few years ago and is now firmly on dry land, its hold given over to museum exhibition space. Visitors can also inspect the wheelhouse and cosy crew quarters. Given that the POMPON ROUGE is somewhat bigger than the WINCHAM one wonders why this method of preservation could not have been adopted on Merseyside for the WINCHAM? There is plenty of available quay space around the Canning Dock area, If only there had been the will ......