1. The case for preservation

The fate of the former HMS Kellington depends on the strength of her case for preservation. In looking at the rarity of the ship, only 9 are remaining[1]and out of those nine only three are in English waters (See table below).

Ships Name	Notes
HMS Bronington	Up until Feb 6^th 2006 The HMS Bronington was a museum ship at the “Historic Warship Trust” Birkenhead. The latest reports of her was she was having problems with her decking, Today it is believed she is in a danger of sinking.
HMS Chediston	The HMS Chediston was the former HMS Curlew. She is currently in private hands in Tasmania and is used as a accommodation ship for students.
HMS Dunkerton	Formerly the SAS Pretoria, It has now been converted into a diving supply vessel in South Africa. The ship has been stripped down at the aft sections and is currently named the Madiba
SAS Durban	The Durban like the Bronington is a museum ship in Durban, Last reports where that she was in reasonable condition but was to undergo a few minor repairs.
HMS Iveston	Like the Kellington, the Iveston was passed on to the sea cadets. Still been used today as a unit training ship and stationed in the non-tidal Tilbury docks. Unlike the Kellington, she is still in use today.
HMS Jackton	Formerly the HMS Teal she was heavily converted in to a seagoing training vessel for the East University at Kyrenia in N.Cyprus. The ship has been altered to a great extent from a ton class to a floating hostel. It is used for maritime training and hospitality training, as well as a accommodation ship afloat for students.
HMS Kellington	Owned by the Sea Cadets of Stockton. Awaiting a decision to see if she will be restored or scrapped.
HMS Packington	Later to become SAS Walvisbaai, she is now privately owned and berthed in Malta. She has been used in several films
HMS Wilton	The Wilton is the headquarters of the Essex Yacht Club and is berthed at Lee in Essex. Although of the appearance of a ton class from the outside the inners have been stripped out completely.

The three remaining ton-class left in England are all in a precarious position and the Kellington and Bronington are both in danger of been scraped. On looking into the ships, as far as we can foresee the Kellington is the only one, which stands a chance of been saved and restored. This will lead to the only working Ton-Class in the UK today.

From the table above it also has to be noted that the Kellington is one of only 6 Ton Class that actually resemble a ton class. The job of restoration with this in mind is easier. The Kellington has had very little work done to her since her major re-fit and no structural modifications done since she was handed over by the MOD to the sea Cadets. The last major work carried out on the ship was to the hull of the ship, which had its cascover renewed before she was brought up the river. The Cascover (nylon cloth sheathing. glued with resorcinol glue, used as a worm defence and long-term protection.) Cascover is highly thought to add years of life to wooden hulled ships and boats. Due to the ship been landlocked now it is not able to check the integrity of the hull below water line, but it is believed to be in good condition. This adds to the facts it is a good example to restore the rest of the ship.

The Kellington is over 50 years old and eligible for inclusion in the Historic ship register. This does not mean a guarantee of help in the form of grants from the lottery commission (and as we intend to use the ship this makes it not eligible). It does however give the ship a certain status in which she becomes a listed historical ship. We have tried to get her registered but this is only allowed by the owners so our submitted request was refused.

[1] Source “Ton Class Association”

1. Prospects for preservation

The preservation of the Kellington is desirable in principle. But in reality can it be achieved? According to most people, associations, authority figures and to a extent the owners it is a challenge to say the least. But all concede that if nothing is done fast the ship will be scrapped by Stockton Council and the Water Authority.

The costs of preservation is one of the main highlighted areas of the project, This can be looked at in two ways. First if the ship was to stay berthed at Stockton it was found that the cost would be £200,000 for the restoration of the ship to a standard where she would be able to used as a public exhibit. The training side of the ship would require a further £20,000 adaptations to the ship and the computer equipment at a cost of £150,000. This would give a estimated cost of £370,000.

The estimated costs of removing the Kellington from Stockton to a local ship yard would add a further £130,000 lifting costs, £25,000 tugging and transport costs, £35,000 for a specially built re-usable cage for the lift, and docking fees of an estimated £171,500. Plus insurance costs. If the ship had to be barged up the river to the local ship yard a further cost of the project would be in the area of £20,000.

To operate the Kellington as a visitors centre only, is estimated at a cost of between £100,000 to £250,000 a year. As a training ship (static), the cost would reasonably rise to an estimated £150,000 to £300,000 a year.

The maintenance cost of the ship can be kept to a minimum by the use of Trainee Engineers to which such a project can be beneficial for.

The whole preservation of the Kellington and its viability rests on its future use. As a tourist attraction or static museum, it would be very difficult if not impossible to justify the amount of money needed to restore and fully maintain the ship as a static attraction of any sort. But as a training ship the costs can be justified in the income the ship can obtain through its different areas of training. This income is again a lot higher if the ship is used as a mobile training ship and not static. As well as a regular income from trainees it would also offer more potential jobs for the area including a full crew while at sea.

It does however have to be noted that the Kellington has not got a good record in the use as a training ship, This is noted in its history throughout this report. But the ship was not intended to be run as a business but a headquarters for the local sea cadets. As a training ship it should also be noted that if the ship was remain a static training ship, she will have more competition in the area than she will have as a mobile training ship. Been the first such ship to offer full computer maritime training on board a full working ship, she will be able to travel to anywhere the need arises. This benefits many places where training is often held many miles from there place of work or home. The ship as well as training would also be available to attend any function where naval ships appear.

If the ship is to be used as a sea going ship it must also have a long term or permanent berth. We have looked into a number of possible berths for the ship ranging from local to far afield. In looking for the berth we have taken into consideration that it has to be both local, so it is accessible by local people who will be given work and training apprenticeships. In addition, that it is appropriate in a way that it will fit in and be in a position to sail as needed with the least obstruction.

One of the disadvantages of it becoming a mobile training ship is that any local Authority is unlikely to help in any financial way towards the running costs or berthage of the ship. This is the main reason we have chose the simulation equipment as the ship will be fully self supporting after the initial costs of restoration are completed.

In view of all the places we have looked into we feel the obvious place for such a home for the ship would be the new development currently under discussion in Whitby between ourselves and a local charitable organization. As well as a training ship, while not in use the ship will be available for the public to view and will form part of the local maritime history project. This will also allow the ship to be partially used as a museum ship giving a second income. The Kellington will also become part of other ships forming the full and final finished project at Whitby.

As stated earlier the restoration of the ship will require a large amount of money in order to start the project. We will be very unlikely to be able to fund this with any grants from local authority or government departments. The whole project rests on the success of been able to obtain backing for the project outside the government sector and more towards the private sector.

In the first instance, we looked at keeping the Kellington at Stockton to use as a static training ship and museum ship. Although this did not agree with our intentions for the Kellington or any other ship we restore and run , it was soon made very clear by Stockton council and the Water Authority that the ship had to be removed permanently from its position so any form of restoration project would not be granted. This caused a major problem as the Kellington, since shortly after her arrival has been land locked by the Tees Barrage. The Navigational river has also been raised given a less air draught under the new and old bridges than was original available when the ship was brought up the river.

We have found ways to remove the Kellington from it’s present position in order to restore the ship to either its original condition, or to a condition that resembles a ton class with added benefits for the proposed use as a full training ship. This can be done with a considerable amount of above water line been dismantled and carried by road or Barge to one of the yards prepared to do the work. The ships hull will then be towed to the Barrage and a heavy lift out of the water and replacing her back in where we can navigate her round the lock into the river below the Barrage. This is the easier of the two options available as the second option will require three heavy lifts from the river to a suitable place to inspect and repair the hull of any damage.