1878 British Obelisk Transport Barge

[Tapcho]

21st September 1877 barge Cleopatra was reported having left Alexandria and she was towed by steamtug Olga. The conwoy made some stops during their voyage but the troubles started when they arrived to the Bay of Biscay.

High seas and heavy weather and a mission gone bad. Storm hit them hard and caused the ballast of the barge to move and made her list. As a ballast the engineers used railway railbars (the 50 ton weight of the stone was in the center of the bagre so to get her more stable they added substantial weight below the waterline). Crew tried to balance the ship again and men entered the cargo area via the forward manhole. Tough jog and it failed. Eventually they had to cut the barge loose to save the tug. Before that tug Olga sent some men to the barge to help with the work. Men tried to reach the barge with a small row boat and they we're lost in that attempt.

The barge was salvaged by steamer Fitzmaurice the same day it was abandoned and about at the location it was left to float. And the next day the barge was towed to a nearby harbour Ferrol.Disaster was widely covered in british newspapers and the families of the missing sailors we're ranted free newspaper subscriptions so that they would be able to follow the events.

Read the story here with the original timeline accompanied with the tug log markings.

Next it's time for rigging and railings. And after that I move on building somekind of a stand for the models. More of that next weekend.

Tappi

[Tapcho]

Got some rigging done and added the stern railings. For the rigging line I stranded some thicker cord, moistened it with PVA glue and streched the strand to dry straight. I got a bit flat but at least it's flint free. For the railing I used laser cut paper railings in 1/250 scale. Didn't bother to color them becaus I think they'll blend in just fine. Tune in, more to come this evening.

Tappi

[Leif Ohlsson]

And it is all so tiny. Very pretty. How dramatic those old engravings are! - L.

[Tapcho]

Thanks Leif. Here are the final pictures of the little vessel. Rigging didn't go too well. Mast was flimsily attached and and the ropes aren't as tight as I've hoper for. Four day speed building is at it's end. Nice try, questionable results - but that's just my lifestory. ;-)

From the serene coastline of Northern Egypt to the busy banks of London Thames did this bagre carry a 50 ton stone called 'Cleopatras Needle' although the obelisk actually has nothing to do with Cloepatra. But that's an other stroy.

That's all folks, thanks for watching and joining.

Tappi

[Leif Ohlsson]

Nice to see your finishing touches, thank you!

Just an idea - what did you use for rigging - cotton thread, silk thread? Anything organic ought to shrink if you just wet it and let it dry again, paticularly if it is cotton. Might work, if you dare to try it.

If you used synthetic thread, I haven't any advice, since I have not dared try to heat it (with a solder iron or similar, from close by but not touching), like you do with monofilament thread (fishing wire, plastic).

I know how irritating these small things are. You just can't look away yourself, until after a long time. Chances are, though, that anybody else won't notice it much.

Have you got a book with all the fantastic illustrations, or are they really available on the net?

Leif

[Zathros]

I think the Egyptians want all the Lootback, just as the Greeks and every other country that the west looted. OF course, good argument could be made that this stuff would have all been destroyed (or not found at all) if it wasn't for the efforts of these people. I think of the Great Buddha's in Afghanistang that have been blown up for some reason which I won't mention.

It's too bad they didn't have some huge cans of "Great Stuff", that would have held that obelisk in place and gave some flotation too!

[rmks2000]

Very tidy build! Thanks for the thread. It made me go back to my pile of models and take another look at the Ross Winan yacht.

[Tapcho]

Thanks all. I know I could have been able to do the rigging better I just didn't have the time nor the attention needed. Maybe I get back to it sometime.
@ Leif - all the pictures I shared here can be found freely in the net. There are grat pictures on the erection of the piece - could be an intersting diorama idea itself.
@ fmks2000 - Ros Winans design are great. Someone should do a display of the barge Cleopatra and steamer Anglia, maybe dhanners does it. I'm tempted to try the Russian 'foating palace'.
@ Zathros - there are loots everywhere, one in Central Park too I believe. You yankees had a more straightforward attitude in transportation I must say - see the pic attached.

BR Tappi

[RdK]

Hi Tappi!

You took us with on an amazing trip in time, space and build! Really nice details on this beauty in that scale! Impressive!
The rigging is actually never as tight as many modelers do! Just come down here to downtown Helsinki and let us take a look at some of the boats in Pohjoisranta next to Katajanokka while enjoying a Glöggi... The ropes are actually curving down from their own weight. My favorite one is the "Helsinki Katrina"... one day, if I could somehow get some plans ...

Well done! And thanks again for all the background information!Very interesting!

Rgds,
Radek

[Zathros]

Tapcho, the pictures you have provided, all the historical richness, is probably the best aspect and in the best tradition of the hobby, which tome, is really the passing on of the world's heritage, in a very tactile way! You have done so magnificently!