ShipSpotting.com Forum
Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: Jens Boldt on July 30, 2017, 06:01:24 PM
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Flying-P-Liner PEKING after 85 years finally returned home to Germany.
The 1911-built ship arrived this afternoon from New York at Brunsb
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Screenshot from the Cuxhaven-Webcam, I hope it's not copyright violation?
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Thanks for that, J
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While I am very pleased that the old PEKING has returned to her native Germany, I am still a bit sore that she was removed from my "back yard" at Upnor, on the River Medway, to New York, USA, a place with which, as far I know, she had no connection with in her working life.
From 1946 until 1975 she was a local landmark as the training ship ARETHUSA.
The history of the PEKING/ARETHUSA reinforces my disappointment with the powers-that-be in the UK in that they have abjectly failed to celebrate our so-called great maritime heritage with the preservationn of any really-significant British large merchant ship design such as a Fort, Park, Liberty Blue-Flue/Glen or SD14, not to mention any of the great pasesnger liners that have emerged from British shipyards
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No need to be sore, Bob. If she had stayed at Upnor she would have long gone by now. Look what a hash the locals made of the comparatively easy MEDWAY QUEEN. It was fortuitous that South Street Seaport wanted a ship at the time they did, and kept her alive until the time was ripe for her to return to her true home.
It's little to do with "powers-that-be" - most merchant ship preservations anywhere have been private ventures or trusts, with government support only through charitable tax breaks (though perhaps a more supportive stance from port authorities and the like in some places). As it happens though, Germany is an exception to this with more generous direct intervention. And in the UK there is, for obvious reasons, a much more generous support for the naval side of our maritime heritage.
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Indeed, the German government allowed
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Good to see her returning home. Must say that over the years Germany has collected an impressive collection of museum ships!