The Zohan

Just had a call from a mate who was working at the NMM, He was working on an event there when the fire alarms sounded around 16:30hrs Tuesday.

Not a false alarm, the real thing, started near the goods lift in the conference side and spread to the stores where they keep a lot of the rare and precious bikes, my mate and others there helped push a lot of the bikes out of harms way but looks like they may have lost upto 300 bikes, fortunately no-one was killed which is a good thing.

What a damn shame. Worked up there many times and often been around the Museum.

Cannot find any info on the news.

[Edited by Paul Habgood - 9/17/2003 11:22:31 AM]

*Sonic*

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/w...ds/3115430.stm

Was on the news yesterday

not good

flat4

and it's all down to a careless smoker

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Very sad I am amazed to see that they hope to restore some of them though that will take forever

unclebuck

What a catastrophe. Brings a tear to my eye.



Can't describe what I would like see done to the to$$er responsible.[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Alot of the bike there are like hens teeth. Hope they managed to save the good'uns. Damn shame, as its probably one of the most comprehensive bike museums around

edited: to say alot of the bikes are like hens teeth...not some!

[Edited by ALi-B - 9/17/2003 11:47:17 AM]

pbee

no sprinkler system !!!!!, how can a building that size with flamable fluids stored be able to get away with not having a sprinkler system

ZIPPY

Ohh well think of the restoration projects that will happen soon.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Just to think my dad was thinking of getting his last of the line brand new never ran Norton Commando 850 displayed there. But he never did as they already had 2 there.

Glad it never went.

My favorite bike there has to be the modded HRD Vincent Lightning. I'd give anything for that bike, hope its ok

plenty of banter going on at realclassic.co.uk

edited...wrong url

[Edited by ALi-B - 9/17/2003 12:18:07 PM]

Duck_Pond

I drove past the fire just after it'd started - saw the fire engines heading round the island towards it. It initially looked like it was from behind the museum - possibly from the dump there. Was shocked when we looked up the drive and saw the building on fire.

When it was confirmed on the news later, we were all gutted. And none of us could believe that a building like that, with such valuable contents wasn't fitted with a decent sprinkler system.

Is it true that something like 650 bikes have been lost? Terrible.

The Zohan

Just saw the piccies on the news, sad

Leslie

Its a real heartbreaker that one. I had so many of the older bikes myself. My favourite was the Vincent "White Shadow". It was a Rapide with the Black Shadow engine and close ratio gearbox. I bought it s/hand from Comerfords. Got it up to 135 mph on the Fairmile with my girl on the pillion. It was still accelerating but I had to slow down for Cobham. Great days!

Les