May 2025

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May has been all action as we worked to maximise our time in dry dock. After the high-pressure jetwash the essential NDT test of the hull produced favourable results with attention only being required in an area of the counter adjacent to the rudder stock which needed platework repairs. A hole was cut in the port side of the hull below the water line; a boss was welded into position and a new phosphor bronze valves and thick wall piping installed in the Engine Room for our new high-level condenser suction. New anodes were also welded into position on the hull followed by painting with a Hempel Marine paint system. By 15th May, all work was completed, the dock was flooded and breasted alongside the tug Svitzer Trident, we left Cammell Lairds to cross the river to our regular berth in Sandon Dock. We then started to return all the various equipment and contents we had removed three weeks previous to the vessel prior to the visit from the Boiler Inspector for the dry examination. No problems being encountered in the examination, it was time to close up the smokebox doors – an arduous task needing plenty bodies and muscle – followed by the re-fitting of the fire bars. This required two men in each furnace as well as a human chain to get the bars in the correct order from the stack behind the funnel, down through the Boiler Room skylight to the stokehold floor and in through the firehole doors. After much jiggling with crowbars, the bars were in place. Whilst all this went on Andy continued undisturbed cutting, shaping and installing protective cladding sheets to the boiler lagging. The faces of our four Boiler Room pressure and vacuum gauges had become somewhat stained and marked over the years and thanks to a very generous donation from a supporter, new replica WVV Lidgerwood faces were manufactured. These were fitted and the gauges overhauled and calibrated by Messrs Instruments and Gauges of Banks, Southport. They now look very fine indeed back in place on the main engine. On Deck, in addition the usual painting jobs, the fire hose and deck wash assembly which was suffering from corrosion has been removed. Upon close inspection it was decided that this should be replaced in its entirety and new stainless-steel components obtained which are now in the process of fitting. With grateful thanks once again to Messrs Cammell Laird and Svitzer for their help and support in our dry-docking venture, we now are moving towards the live steam test in the presence of the Boiler Inspector.

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