Comments on The Greenwich Phantom: Cutty Sark Ballsup

Ha ha!It's so fun reading all your comments. But I...

2008-12-01T21:14:00.000Z

Ha ha!

It's so fun reading all your comments. But I guess I'm a bit late to reply but here goes:

I know for a fact that the hoover was left on and running for the whole weekend. It was a Makita and ran on 110Volts because that is the legal voltage on all building sites. But all the manufacturers make both voltages for the English market, especially Makita. Though, it should be said that Makita sub contract out their manufactutring to countries all over the world, so it could well have been made in Italy.

Also, the reason the the security guards didn't notice is because they didn't ever step foot on the ship. And they had no clue what the noise was and just didn't feel the urge to raise any alarm.

Also too, the right question to ask is: Why why WHY did they have no cctv and no sprinkler system installed??? Believe me, they didn't! (not a single camara was in operation)

And also ask: Why was there no inspection taken of the site at the close of work on the Friday??? Who was responsible for the site inspection? I should think, the main contractor and Site Agent: Heery International(AKA Balfour Beaty :-O).

Also, whilst we're here, the whole project is run like a sham. I'd be highly surprised if it is completed either on time or on budget... or to any standard which you or I might expect of such a high-profile "Conservation" project.

HA HA ha ha ha ha HA HA HAAAAA!

Considerably better off than a roasted one!! Serio...

2008-10-01T17:39:00.000+01:00

Considerably better off than a roasted one!! Seriously though, I doubt whether those who contributed millions to the conservation trust would be that happy about these funds going to the profits of the contractor responsible for burning down the Cutty Sark. The guards are only workaday, unskilled poorly paid immigrants with a jobsworth attitude. No responsible contactor would rely on them alone. they may be partly to blame but responsibilty must rest elsewhere. Anyway you think the fire was bad -wait til you see what these guys have lined up for that poor ship.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/04/05/sm_cuttysark05.xml

What's a "paid peanut"? I imagine they're better ...

2008-10-01T15:57:00.000+01:00

What's a "paid peanut"? I imagine they're better off than an unpaid one... (ho ho).
If a security guard can't do what they are paid to, then they are at fault - at least in part. How much (or little) they are paid is entirely irrelevant.

Its unfair to blame the security guards who are pa...

2008-10-01T10:43:00.000+01:00

Its unfair to blame the security guards who are paid peanuts. The ship is a national treasure and it appears that complancy was endemic amongst those responsible for its care. Surely CCTV cameras should have been in place on the site. The guards should have been required to swipe their entry cards at various points on the site to encourage them to inspect (the use of a log book is somewhat arcane). It also seems a bit ridiculous to leave the sprinkler system switched off. Responsibilty ought to lie with the building contractor and they should be fired immediately!

Does "left switched on" mean that it was actually ...

2008-10-01T01:07:00.000+01:00

Does "left switched on" mean that it was actually running, or does it mean it was switched on at the mains but not actually operational? I hate ambiguity!

Anyway, even though the whole thing smacks of "Windsor Castle burnt to the ground by light too near curtain", it is at least a relief to hear that the rumour I heard (that it was arson perpetrated by three idiots who thought that the Cutty Sark was a slave ship) isnt true.

Fire on world famous tea caddy caused by dodgy Ita...

2008-09-30T23:21:00.000+01:00

Fire on world famous tea caddy caused by dodgy Italian Hoover. At least it was more Dyson than arson!

(With apologies to the owners of the brand names).

I'm mystified by its being adapted for "lower UK v...

2008-09-30T22:18:00.000+01:00

I'm mystified by its being adapted for "lower UK voltage". Since we're 230/240V to Europe's 220V and the USA's 110V, lower than where??

There are several things wrong with the "Guard in ...

2008-09-30T19:22:00.000+01:00

There are several things wrong with the "Guard in the caff" story.
1 what caff is open late at night round here?
2 Wouldnt the caff gaffer get pissed off over some chap akip on his premises for hours?
Its a cover up for something I just cant decide who to slander first......

IF true, what a bloody shambles!!!

2008-09-30T19:16:00.001+01:00

IF true, what a bloody shambles!!!

Oooh arrh dave48, a bit o keel haulin I fancy for ...

2008-09-30T19:16:00.000+01:00

Oooh arrh dave48, a bit o keel haulin I fancy for the scurvy ridden dogs.

True, how can you NOT hear a vacuum cleaner runnin...

2008-09-30T17:40:00.001+01:00

True, how can you NOT hear a vacuum cleaner running.

I say make them walk the plank as a part of the opening ceremony.

I took it to mean that it was just plugged in for ...

2008-09-30T17:40:00.000+01:00

I took it to mean that it was just plugged in for 2 days.

As everyone over 70 knows, you should unplug your telly every night in case this kind of thing happens (but not your fridge or freezer).

If this bizarre explanation is true, I imagine that the contractor's insurance will have to cough up - I believe that legally builders have to maintain liability insurance, I imagine for exactly this type of thing.

Still not convinced myself. How can you not notice...

2008-09-30T17:16:00.000+01:00

Still not convinced myself. How can you not notice a vacuum cleaner sucking away for two days and an industrial one at that.I mean come on , is it normal to hear vacuums in the middle of the night on a building site? The Security guards must take some responsibility but I think there is still more to it. You might be a worrier Phantom but Im prone to a good "Funding account fraud conspiracy cockup" theory.