16 December 2004

AMSTERDAM — An old Boeing 747 is to embark on its final journey on Thursday night — a spectacular voyage through the canals of Amsterdam.

The 747 Classic will travel by boat on its way to the Aviodrome aviation museum in Lelystad, north-west of Amsterdam.

Named after the pioneer French aviator, the Louis Bleriot was bought by the museum from Dutch airline KLM for the bargain price of one euro.

The museum (http://www.aviodrome.nl/) is seeking public donations to cover the EUR 600,000 cost of moving the 12m-high jet and placing it on display in the theme park at Lelystad airfield.

People who donate EUR 25 or more will be entered into a competition. The grand prize is a trip to the Boeing factory in the US city of Settle. 

The Beriot's wings have been removed for its final journey that begins at 11pm on Thursday night. From Schiphol, the plane will go through the Nieuwe Meer and then pass along Sloterkade, Schinkelkade, the Baarsjesweg and the Geuzenkade.

The boats carrying the plane will then go through the Schinkel, before travelling along the Kostverlorenvaart, the Singelgracht (along the Nassaukade) and the Westerkanaal (along the Houtsmankade).

It will then go through the Oude Houthaven and enter the IJ on its way to Lelystad.

It is expected the 180 ton jumbo will have passed under the railway bridge in Amsterdam at 2am as it makes the painfully slow journey past the Gooise bridge (A6) and the Stichtse bridge (A27) to get to the canal lock at Nijkerk by 7am on Friday.

Sometime between 8am and 10am the plane will arrive at Harderwijk. Massive cranes will be used at the harbour there to lift the 747 onto a special transport to complete the journey by road to Lelystad.

The jumbo will take to the road at 11pm on Friday and get to the theme park in Lelystad sometime early on Saturday morning.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news