Visitors to the world’s most famous historic warship will be able to see her innards as the £42m restoration of HMS Victory moves into its next stage.
For the first time, Nelson’s flagship at Trafalgar will be entirely undercover – hidden behind scaffolding and tarpaulin which allows conservation experts to work on the 260-year-old vessel unimpeded by the elements.
Walkways and galleries built into the scaffold structure will give visitors an unprecedented view of the ship – especially the bow and stern which are the focal points of the next phase of conservation – and the work under way to preserve her.
The new scaffolding will include two new viewing platforms at the stern alongside fresh perspectives from the existing Victory Live: The Big Repair viewing points.
New displays in the museum will also help visitors understand the layers of the ship and how the team are repairing her.
Visitors will also be able to take part in immersive demonstrations and workshops showcasing traditional shipbuilding skills.
“For the first time, visitors will have an uninterrupted view into the inner workings of the ship and the hugely impressive engineering and skilled work that goes into that,” explained Andrew Baines of the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
“We’re going to reveal parts of Victory that were last seen by the 18th Century shipwrights who built her. It feels like we’re shaking hands with that team from across the centuries.”
Last year, shipwrights focused on replacing large sections of rotten timber frames on the starboard side of the ship.
In August, they installed the 100th new futtock, the curved wooden ‘ribs’ which form Victory’s frame. The final futtocks are now being installed to replace the remaining rotten wood on the starboard side.
‘Replanking’ the hull will begin shortly, rebuilding Victory’s outer ‘skin’, while managing its ongoing internal repairs.
To allow the ship to be fully encased in her scaffold shell, her remaining masts will be removed.
“Removing the masts is a huge job and a vital part of the project plan. We plan to do it all over one night, using very specialist equipment and knowledge, so there’s a lot of pressure to get it right first time,” Andrew added.
“This is a once-in-a-generation conservation effort. The scale of this work means people are unlikely to see HMS Victory opened like this again for decades.”