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Olympic Water Chariots


Chertsey

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Has anyone seen one of these yet?

I'd heard a rumour and recently Diamond Geezer has written about them here and here.

 

I am fascinated not only by how anyone is going to make this profitable, but also who is running them? Who is building them? And will there be enough suitably qualified people to steer them? And having seen the photos, who is going to be seen dead in one?

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I am fascinated not only by how anyone is going to make this profitable.

 

70 passengers paying an eyewatering 20 quid each will soon mount up. Then, apparently you can charge huge amounts to ferry the corporate fat cats and VIPs.

 

 

 

 

 

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Has anyone seen one of these yet?

I'd heard a rumour and recently Diamond Geezer has written about them here and here.

 

I am fascinated not only by how anyone is going to make this profitable, but also who is running them? Who is building them? And will there be enough suitably qualified people to steer them? And having seen the photos, who is going to be seen dead in one?

 

I heard Colecraft was making the shells, Ist one part fitted by Blue water boats until the wiring spec was altered for passenger vessel??? adding thousands to the build. It was sent somewhere in Essex for completion

 

Apparently 30 being built.

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Has anyone seen one of these yet?

I'd heard a rumour and recently Diamond Geezer has written about them here and here.

 

I am fascinated not only by how anyone is going to make this profitable, but also who is running them? Who is building them? And will there be enough suitably qualified people to steer them? And having seen the photos, who is going to be seen dead in one?

 

It looks like another PR weapon in the war to be able to promote the 2012 Olympics as 'green' with much less emphasis on personal transport and more on public.

 

I would have thought there are much more efficient ways to move 70 people up the river mind.

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I know the 2012 Olympics is (are?) getting a lot of stick from a lot of people but I was looking this morning at an image gallery of venues on BBC news website and I think the venues are inspired; a mixture of permanent buildings and structures for which future use has been considered, temporary buildings which look good but will go after the games and at great locations around London that will be adapted for the duration of the events. None of the venues are flashy or ostentatious but are examples of good design. Existing venues around the country will also be used.

 

I think it is a great response to the last games in China which were right over the top.

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I know the 2012 Olympics is (are?) getting a lot of stick from a lot of people but I was looking this morning at an image gallery of venues on BBC news website and I think the venues are inspired; a mixture of permanent buildings and structures for which future use has been considered, temporary buildings which look good but will go after the games and at great locations around London that will be adapted for the duration of the events. None of the venues are flashy or ostentatious but are examples of good design. Existing venues around the country will also be used.

 

I think it is a great response to the last games in China which were right over the top.

Lets just hope they don't end up like many of the Athens sites

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Looks like a commercial disaster about to happen! 26 of them at, say, £120k each - thats £3,120k (£3.12m), infrastructure could easily take that to £3.5m. There is not even the remotest chance of generating that return over and above the direct operating cost. So who is funding this obvious commercial wreck? I guess it is us tax payers, no commercial lender would touch it.

 

Some time in 2014 all 26 derelict hulks will come onto the market. Aided by the sudden flooding of the market, they should fetch, £30k, £40k?

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This link says 26 being built ?

 

Presumably that means well in excess of 26 people will need the necessary certification to drive these passenger vessels, so I suppose there is a degree of job creation there.

 

Can't quite see the demand for that number of boats or steerers once it's all over though!

 

35 minutes to do a trip that is maybe 2.5 miles, with at least one intermediate stop ? That's got to be more than the speed limit for that navigation, surely ?

 

Better not tell Graham, or he'll be on about potential bank erosion!

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Looks like a commercial disaster about to happen! 26 of them at, say, £120k each - thats £3,120k (£3.12m), infrastructure could easily take that to £3.5m. There is not even the remotest chance of generating that return over and above the direct operating cost. So who is funding this obvious commercial wreck? I guess it is us tax payers, no commercial lender would touch it.

 

Some time in 2014 all 26 derelict hulks will come onto the market. Aided by the sudden flooding of the market, they should fetch, £30k, £40k?

 

I think you will find it is a private company so no tax payer will not pick up the bill.

 

 

Presumably that means well in excess of 26 people will need the necessary certification to drive these passenger vessels, so I suppose there is a degree of job creation there.

 

Can't quite see the demand for that number of boats or steerers once it's all over though!

 

 

 

London Olympics Water Chariots: Calling All Former Royal Marines!

Peter Coleman is finding it difficult to fill his positions and is desperate to have former Royal

Marines on this scheme. So please do read on:

If you are interested you may find that there is a wonderful job opportunity with the London

Olympics for you. London’s overloaded road, rail and underground network has lead to an

opportunity for alternative modes of transport to spring up. One recent addition is the use of

canal boats to transport people around the city, and to and from the Olympic stadiums during

the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Water Chariots intend to employ able bodied injured and

disabled service men and women and retrain them in this exciting new profession as MCA Boat

Masters. They will go on to skipper canal boats between Limehouse Basin and Strafford, and

Tottenham and Stratford in London. These are hourly paid position with hours to reflect the

individual’s needs and abilities ranging from a few hours to full time hours. We have specially

adapted boats that are easy to operate. There is no experience required and full training will

be provided. This position will involve working directly with the public and is a great

opportunity to develop many skills and gain nationally recognised qualifications. It's been said

of boating that: "It is one of the most pleasurable jobs in the world!" If you are interested then the contact is a Peter Coleman on: 07967 680539 or e-mail:

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  • 1 month later...

Looks serious then ...

 

Injured marines command 2012 boats Press Association

 

Royal Marines injured in Afghanistan are to be introduced to new boats they will use to ferry visitors around the London Olympics site next year. The servicemen will take command of the 28 vessels along east London's waterways during the 2012 Games before the craft are donated to them to set up pleasure cruising enterprises.

 

Water Chariots, a company run by Peter Coleman, the father of a wounded Marine, has bought the canal boats in advance of the huge demand the Olympics will bring. They will be navigated around the complex channels of the Bow Back Rivers, which meander around the Stratford area. This river system has more length than the Norfolk Broads and has been used to transport building materials to the Olympics project. It is hoped the regeneration of the waterways will attract tourists, visitors and local people to travel around by boat. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has built a lock specifically to help with river travel up to the Olympic Park.

 

Water Chariots will run services from Limehouse Basin or Tottenham Hale to the Games site, which will take 30 minutes from Limehouse and 50 minutes from Tottenham.

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  • 11 months later...

"Events beyond our control" . Is that WC spin for lack of paying passengers?

 

Didn't the chap from them answer some questions on here a couple of weeks back about a canoe centre and concerns that the money for the canoe centre was used to put a bus stop in for them.

Yes over in the virtual pub

 

Edit *=&%ing predictive text

Edited by PiRSqwared
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http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=49373&st=60

 

 

they were saying this two weeks ago

 

 

'Post Olympics we will be operating a scheduled service along the River Lee that will be affordable to all.'

 

 

Looks like Lady Muck will be able to use the lock landing after all! (Unless thats where the unused water chariots have been tied up!)

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