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Description
The 'Newcastle' Light Cargo/Passenger Ferry.

Designed for Steel River Transport, by Ares Heavy Industries, to service High-Orbit Station supply routes.

An all cargo version was built for the Station/Midway Longhaul contract that Steel River had aquired just prior to the inevitable outbreak of the third water war.The 'Newcastle' and her sister ships were rapidly converted to tracker-mine sweepers and militatry transports. All but 3 of the ships survived the war intact but by then had become virtually obsolete. Left in the breaking pens these classic vessels would have completely vanished from the vast canvas of space. Fortunately, Steel River kept 2 of the class on the Longhaul run where after years of slow, punishing, but very cheap, service they were purchased by the 'Rocket Engine Preserveation Society'

Although, strictly speaking the 'Newcastle' is not a pure rocket vessel, rather an early hybrid Rocket/Pulse compromise. The Society took both ships apart to rebuild one near-perfect example of a long forgotten era, when Rocket Propulsion still ruled the Solar System, (but Pulse was closing in)

REPS Information

Image supplied by the Rocket Engine Preservation Society.
For viewing purposes, the original shielding has been removed, a section has been replaced with EHD ClearFibre.
The 'Newcastle' is on permanent display at the REPS's pens at H-O/S 312 Mars'
Admission is free, but a small donation would be gratefully appreciated.

Description
The 'Newcastle' Light Cargo/Passenger Ferry.

Designed for Steel River Transport, by Ares Heavy Industries, to service High-Orbit Station supply routes.

An all cargo version was built for the Station/Midway Longhaul contract that Steel River had aquired just prior to the inevitable outbreak of the third water war.The 'Newcastle' and her sister ships were rapidly converted to tracker-mine sweepers and militatry transports. All but 3 of the ships survived the war intact but by then had become virtually obsolete. Left in the breaking pens these classic vessels would have completely vanished from the vast canvas of space. Fortunately, Steel River kept 2 of the class on the Longhaul run where after years of slow, punishing, but very cheap, service they were purchased by the 'Rocket Engine Preserveation Society'

Although, strictly speaking the 'Newcastle' is not a pure rocket vessel, rather an early hybrid Rocket/Pulse compromise. The Society took both ships apart to rebuild one near-perfect example of a long forgotten era, when Rocket Propulsion still ruled the Solar System, (but Pulse was closing in)

REPS Information

Image supplied by the Rocket Engine Preservation Society.
For viewing purposes, the original shielding has been removed, a section has been replaced with EHD ClearFibre.
The 'Newcastle' is on permanent display at the REPS's pens at H-O/S 312 Mars'
Admission is free, but a small donation would be gratefully appreciated.