Editor's Pick
Bristol’s Albion Dockyard is following in the footsteps of Britain’s great shipbuilding industry, using an interesting mix of old and new techniques to rebuild the Medway Queen, an amazing historic ship.
Over the last few months, good progress has been made with the restoration, including the completion of all construction work in the engine room area. This required shot-blasting and painting and then the installation of, the original main cylinder block, the condenser, the Edward’s air pump, the hotwell tank, all of the “A” frames and the connecting rods that connect the cylinder block to the A frames.
Deck planking (much of it original) has been laid on the forward main deck and work continues in the boiler room area. Most riveting has been done hydraulically but in awkward corners of the boiler and engine rooms a considerable amount of riveting by the more traditional pneumatic hammer method was required. Soon the boiler room will be shot blasted and painted.
Hull plating around the stern is now well underway, again requiring riveting by traditional methods which is slower than the hydraulic method and requires a higher level of skill. It is, however, satisfyingly noisier!
The very necessary remedial work to restore bearing surfaces on the crankshaft has been completed, and that too has now been installed. On 30 October the crankshaft was lifted into place and neatly lowered through the engine room hatch into position in its bearings on the “A” frames. This potentially complex operation was carried out smoothly, the team’s skill making it look deceptively easy.
The apprentice workforce on Gillingham Pier has erected steel fenders to prevent the paddle boxes riding up on the pier at high tide. Speed bumps have been installed along the pier access road at Gillingham which will prove to be a major safety benefit once the ship returns and the workforce has to cross from the workshop to the ship.
The team has been producing a significant amount of sub-assemblies for installation in the hull in Bristol. These include fresh water and sewerage tanks, watertight doors and fabricated fender rubbing strips. The saloon windows are now complete. Oak timber has been delivered for the bow rudder and work will soon start on shaping it, although delivery of some machined metal parts is not yet complete.
Lend a helping hand
If you are interested in helping as a volunteer, making a cash donation or donating tools please please email mq.reading@ntlworld.com.
About the Medway Queen
Built in 1924, the paddle driven steamship is UK's last surviving estuary paddle steamer. She was one of the "little ships of Dunkirk", making a record 7 trips and rescuing 7000 men in the evacuation of Dunkirk.
Presently deconstructed, the steamer is the subject of a £1.8 million National Lottery Heritage Memorial Fund grant to restore her hull, but further funds need to be raised to restore the rest of the ship to her full operational condition.