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Birkenhead Maritime Museum U-Boat
Teacher
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Member Since: April 05, 2003
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Posted: Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 12:15 PM UTC
See? It just shows you. .....don't delay, do it today! Birkenhead, for those of you in parts of the World unfamiliar with this part, is across the River Mersey from Liverpool. For some time they've had an excellent maritime museum, and amongst it's exhibits includes a German WWII U-Boat. I've often thought of going to visit it, but as is all to-often the case, since it's only down the road, I've put it off time after time.
Now it's closing, and I've missed my chance. The Museum is going into liquidation, the collection is to be dispersed. There's a lesson to be learned there!

Vinnie
bison44
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Manitoba, Canada
Member Since: August 27, 2002
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Posted: Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 02:02 PM UTC
Hi Vinnie: There was a thread earlier about this. I think there was some speculation on where alot of the museum pieces might end up, sorry I don't have a link, you can probably search for it and find it. Hopefully all the pieces will find homes in other museums and it will be a good excuse to go visit them eh? Cheers!
Fordboy
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Auckland, New Zealand
Member Since: July 13, 2004
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Posted: Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 05:51 PM UTC
Hi Vinnie

I am sorry to hear you did not get a chance to check out the U Boat from what I have heard and seen via the Internet its very very worthwhile.

This was recently posted at the u-boatwaffe site:


Quoted Text

The Historic Warships Collection at Birkenhead is closing & U-534 may have to leave its present birth. From a radio broadcast I believe that its owned by a Danish organisation & is presently on loan.

See BBC News item below (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4343272.stm):-

"Hopes sink for future of U-boat

The German U-boat has been at Birkenhead for nine years
The future of one of Merseyside's most popular maritime attractions is in doubt because its home is needed for a car park.
The Historic Warships Collection at Birkenhead has to relocate because flats are being developed nearby.

Most of the collection can be moved, but there is no room for the biggest attraction - the only World War II German U boat recovered from the sea.

The boat is one of only one of four left in the world.

The old grain warehouses near the boat are being redeveloped into flats, with the berth area becoming a car park.


The area will be a car park when the warehouses are redeveloped

The warships' trust says losing the U-boat, which has been there for nine years, puts a question mark over its whole future.

Wally Bennett, of the warships' trust, said: "We have been informed that the U-boat will not be accommodated and as a consequence, that will impact on our income and the future sustainability of the trust."

Wirral Council leases the land for the trust from the Mersey Docks Company and has found a new home for the other vessels just along the dock.

All the ships have to be moved by February next year."

Please sign the petition to save the U-534 and the other Warship Preservation Trust Ships

Please consider signing, even if you do not live in the UK. The U-534 wreck is a tourist attraction, so I'm sure that support from people in other countries will be of value.

link to petition : http://mylostoppos.com/petition/forms/form1.html


I hope this adds to the discussion.

Regards

Sean
Drader
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Wales, United Kingdom
Member Since: July 20, 2004
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Posted: Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 09:33 PM UTC
Car park takes the place of heritage - not for the first time either
 _GOTOTOP