With Teague and Delves-Broughton ‘retiring’ at the end of 1911, the development of tethered hydroplanes passed to the next generation of competitors that was to include one of the longer racing careers in the sports history. G.D. Noble from Bristol, along with his brother S.S. Noble was the first to take on the mantle of record breaker. Right:The first of ten Bulrush boats.

The Noble brothers started running boats in 1911 and achieved a unique mark by having no less than 4 boats win awards in the 1913 Model Engineer Speedboat Competition, with Bulrush taking the outright record from Herbert Teague and ‘Incubus’ at 22.77 mph. George Noble continued to run boats competitively through to the 1950s and was closely involved with the Bristol Society of Model Engineers almost from its formation in 1909. For their own centenary, the Society is producing a detailed history, and given Noble’s close involvement with both the Bristol Society and the Model Power Boat Club is ideally placed to illustrate George’s 40+ year’s contribution to tethered hydroplane racing.
Right: Noble brother's other boats in 1913 ME Competition, Limpet, Savage and Tiddlywink II.

A sister Minnie, followed in 1884 and a brother, Lewis in 1886 after which the family moved to 35 Gertrude Street Chelsea. Another brother Archie arrived in 1899. Even after his education at Clock House School Chelsea, and a course in electricity at South Western Polytechnic, Herbert had little idea what he wanted to do, initially working in a publishing office. He then moved to engineering and instrument making with Elliot Bros of St Martins Lane, where he spent the next three years. Another move took him to Nalder Bros & Thompson for a short while doing experimental and development work on electrical instruments. It was while he was at Nalders that he was to meet his future wife who was also employed there. Groves was obviously finding it difficult to find a position that suited him as he moved on again to the ‘Solenoid Engineering Company’ as manager of the engineering department, where he stayed for 2 ½ years.

Groves family photo taken in 1911. Back row: Lewis, Herbert and father Harry.
Middle row: Mother Frances and Archie.
Front row: Minnie and Herbert's wife Florence

Although he is best known for his pioneering work on flash steam plants for model aeroplanes, he developed a lifelong interest in ‘model aeronautics’, model engineering and steam power. Looking back, the use of steam plants in model aircraft may sound a trifle strange, but 100 years ago, the internal combustion engine was in its infancy and steam had been used as a power source in both full sized and model aeroplanes for a considerable while (with little success it has to be said). By 1908, when the exploits of Herbert Teague and Vernon Delves-Broughton and their flash steam hydroplanes were publicised, Groves was already well advanced on his own ultra lightweight flash steam plant. On January 1^st 1909 the Kite and Model Aeroplane Association, which later became the SMAE, was formed with Herbert Groves as one of its founder members. In September of the same year he married Florence Mary Stevens, moving to 18, Westerdale Road in Greenwich.

Following the move south of the river, Groves was soon back at work on the steam plant for his model aeroplane, which he completed in September 1911. The aeroplane flew successfully on just its second outing. In 1912, Model Engineer reported that he had perfected the plant and had achieved flights with the canard pusher monoplane of ‘approximately 30secs, attaining 100ft altitude using 2ozs of water evaporated by 3/4oz of benzoline’. The steam plant with its horizontally opposed twin cylinder motor weighed just 1½ lbs.

It would seem that at the same time he was undertaking this ground breaking achievement with the aeroplane, he was spurred on to create a similar plant suitable for a tethered hydroplane. The ‘Groves Miniature Hydroplane’ was constructed during 1911for the proposed 24" class and again described in Model Engineer during 1912.
The hull was similar to many of the period being built almost entirely from metal sheet, either Russian Iron or tinplate. The front of the boat to the step, and the rear half were formed to the required shape before being riveted together. The front coaming was also shaped and riveted on, while the transom and frames are wood.