29th August 2012
"HARBOUR STEAM" success!
The Steam Museum Trust held its first full scale event over the August bank holiday weekend in support of the Ramsgate Maritime Museum.
"HARBOUR STEAM" proved a huge success, with many more people than expected visiting Pier Yard to view the festivities which included visiting steam boats, a vintage fun fair, steam and vintage road vehicles, maritime working displays, and the resident steam tug CERVIA's 1,000 H.P. triple expansion steam engine running under steam. All this was backed up by many other activities in and around the excellent Clock House museum in conjunction with the arts activites of the "Summer Squall" festival. The combined events attracted record crowds of an estimated nearly 20,000 people to the town.
Many residents commented that the weekend was reminiscent of the vanished atmosphere of the 1950's, bringing a diverse crowd of people young and old to the Royal Harbour in numbers unseen for very many years. Let's hope this is a positive start to the reinvigoration of the Museum and its surrounds, and for bigger and better events to follow...
From Cllr Clive Hart - Leader of Thanet District Council:
"Congratulations to the Steam Museum Trust and their partners who have provided local residents and visitors with the excellent Harbour Steam Bank Holiday event in Ramsgate. It has been simply wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves in such a beautiful setting".
14th August 2012
Steam engines, locomotives and organs are being prepared for "HARBOUR STEAM" at Ramsgate Harbour 26th & 27th August...
Lots of busy preparations are underway at both Preston and Ramsgate for the "HARBOUR STEAM" event taking place in two weeks time, on 26th &27th August. Today, boiler steam tests were carried out on serveral machines, as the above photos show, including a Cagney 15" gauge railway locomotive which hails all the way from a New Zealand theme park and hasn't been run in some 50 years! These, plus lots of other interesting machines, boats and cars, etc will be visiting the Clock House at Ramsgate over the weekend. Tomorrow, the testing of steam tug Cervia's engine will begin at Ramsgate, -this huge 1,000 H.P. triple expansion steam engine hasn't been in steam since 2000...
The Steam Museum Trust is staging the first August Bank Holiday weekend public event in the beautiful setting of Britain's only Royal Harbour on 26th & 27th August. Attractions will include visiting steam and classic vessels, a vintage fun fair, visiting traction engines and a steam wagon, vintage cars and motorcycles and a passenger carrying railway, etc.
Some of the historic vessels will be open to the public and it will be possible to view the enjoy sight of a 1,000 H.P. triple expansion marine engine running in the steam tug CERVIA.
The recently reopened Ramsgate Maritime Museum will be hosting this special event throught the two days, in conjunction with the established 'SUMMER SQUALL' arts festival which features LIVE MUSIC, DANCING and THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES, plus other art displays and craft stalls.
Lots of harbourside restaurants, bars and cafe's and ample car parking.
* FREE ADMISSION to event *
Open each day 10 am - 6 pm
Local artist Andrew Greatrix painting NOW at the Clock House...
Come and see renowned local artist Andrew Greatrix working in the new Gallery Room of the RMM, painting and showing his collection of martime works, including many vessels currently at Ramsgate. Andrew can be found painting live in the Gallery and he enjoys talking to members of the public about his techniques and styles of painting. So please do visit!
See Andrew on YouTube 
31st July 2012
Childrens Bookclub at the Museum
Recently in July the Museum hosted a Children's Storytelling Session. These are run by Emily Parrish from Scandalmongers Theatre Company, who hold many storytelling eventsthroughout the summer. The sessions are free to children of 4 - 11 years with an accompanying adult, and demonstrate the museum working in the community. Workshops are funded by Kent County Council.
7th July 2012
Please Note: STEAM TUG 'CERVIA' will now be open every weekend from
21st July to the 5th September 11am to 5pm.
Admission is: £2.50 Adults, £1.00 Children under ten.
5th July 2012
"Last Thursday 28th June, I was invited as guest speaker to give a lecture on steam tug Cervia to the Hilderstone radio club. This was partly in response to various members of the club who have greatly assisted us in the restoration of our radio receivers and transmitters, some 25 members were present and, from the many handshakes I received afterwards, I believe it to have been interesting and informative. We expect Cervia's restored radio to be fully functional by the end of July, and the club has indicated that they would like to carry out a broadcast day in the near future..."
RMM curator Mike Houckham.
5th July 2012
Preston Rally & East Kent Show
Organised by the Steam Museum Trust, last weekend's Preston Rally was a great success and Ramsgate Maritime Museum held a special mini exhibition at the show, attracting much interest and local support.
Contributions from bell ringing at St Mildred's Church helped raise £101, while a further £30 was generated from the sale of cupcakes made by one of our volunteers, Sue James. The cakes were specially made in steam tug Cervia's Watkins colours (Wm. Watkins & Co. who operated Cervia for much of her life).
Click here to read a local newpaper article published this week: 'This is Kent' Article...
19 June 2012
The Sea Scouts Tour
Steam Tug "Cervia"
The 1st St Peter's-in-Thanet Sea Scout Group line up for a photo on the aft deck of Steam Tug Cervia.
A view of Cervia showing some of the restoration progress to the port side of the steam tug.
The scouts are shown around Cervia's boiler room.
Mike Houckham explaining the workings of the steam tug.
Testing out the captain's cabin..
18 June 2012
Kent's Mayors Visit the Museum
Some of the various Mayors of Kent towns and the Chairman of KCC line up for a photo whilst visiting the RMM yesterday.
Yesterday, the 17th June, Richard King, Chairman of Kent County Council, various councillors and mayors from local Kent towns attended a gathering to inspect the newly re-opened Museum.. Apparently they were pleased and impressed with what they saw, including restoration progress with the Steam Tug "Cervia" and the new artist's studio (in the old "Gun Room") where a local maritime artist is busy painting scenes of Ramsgate and adding some new life to the museum. Various future plans for the improvement of the museum were discussed, and all is looking positive for the RMM..! Do keep an eye on the RMM website for updates on our many future plans and events.
14 June 2012
1885 Steam Yacht "Amazon" visits Ramsgate Harbour
S.Y. Amazon, moored alongside Harbour Street, Ramsgate, adding much style and grace to the marina.
The beautiful 1885 Steam Yacht Amazon on one of her many travels.
The beautiful steam yacht Amazon is currently visiting Ramsgate's Royal Harbour as the guest of the Maritime Museum. This stunningly elegant vessel was once the property of Arthur Lowe (Captain Mannering of Dad's Army fame) and she used to be aregular visitor to Ramsgate in the 1970's. Some may remember the many riotous parties held onbaord Amazon with some colourful characters including John Le Mesurier (who lived in Ramsgate) and other members of the Dad's Army cast. Amazon will be in Ramsgate until the end of June, so make sure to visit before then..!
4 June 2012
Motor Yacht "SUNDOWNER" attends the Jubilee Pageant
Sundowner at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on Sun 3rd June 2012
Sundowner, the Dunkirk little ship and famous resident of Ramsgate Harbour, attended the Thames Jubilee Pageant in style sailing with the flotilla from Putney Bridge to St Katherine Dock. Her crew survived the rain in high spirits and she is now back at her berth in Ramsgate.
May 5th 2012
MUSEUM REOPENED!
The Clock House at Ramsgate
Free Admission During May!
Open Every Weekend To October 2012
Open Tues - Sun From July 17th |
Ramsgate Museum has finally reopened.... As of May 5th 2012, and after 6 long years of negotiation with Thanet District Council (owners of Ramsgate Harbour), the Steam Museum Trust now has a lease on the Clock House building where it will operate the Ramsgate Maritime Museum.
The SMT intend to keep the museum open until September (with free admission during May), where upon a major reorganisation and improvement of the museum and diplays will commence.
We invite visitors and friends to please come and see the museum and give their thoughts as to how it can be improved and reinvigorated for the benefit of visitors and the town of Ramsgate..
This is the council's press release issued on April 13th:
Ramsgate Maritime Museum is run by the Steam Museum Trust Ltd.
UK registered charity No. 1129376
Registered with the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council No. 1424
Email the museum at [email protected] or Call us on 01843 570622
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