The Official Medway Queen Shipyard Blog

Herew we see two examples of shell plate rivetting under the boiler room, from inside and out, and also shell plates drilled and ready, need to be taken off for painint on the inside before rivetting up. Great site for sure,

Herew we see the stern of the ship, with one more frame to go, a great moment for the build. Also the gantry crane which will endable two sets of rivet gear to be used.

On Monday of this week, witnessed on the new stern camera, the final section of the Medway Queen’s hull was placed in the Bristol Drydock. This now means that the full length of the Medway Queen can be seen from stem to stern with just a few more bulkheads remaining to be put in placed.

The last section was placed with the remainder of the keel section having been pre-built in the workshop due to the complicated shape of the stern.Other work continued in the yard with work on the engines and condenser. An additional ‘iron-hand’ for riveting has been manufactured by the yard to allow two work gangs to simultaneously work on the boat. It is hoped soon that actual shell plating will commence after several weeks of discussion and testing to ensure the correct finished result is achieved.

Here we see the latest pictures of the ship and the work to the engine block. We see the strong beam, the cylinder block being bored, and the progress at the stern of the ship.

Here we see frame 30, and on the deck plates marked the cut out for the paddle shafts.

Here we see the latest shots from the yard, the last bulkhead at frame six, the first test shell plate rivet, a great stern shot of the ship really coming along now and one of the turn of the bilge.

Boiler room frame in position in the dock

Work is steadily progressing in Bristol with all but 2 boiler room frames being erected in the dock, holes marked, drilled and then removed.

Additional boiler room framework

Now that the bulkheads have been marked and drilled they will be degreased with detergent before painting and reassembly.

THE ENGINES
Work continues with the engines simultaneaously with work on the hull. The cylinder block is being leveled and bolted on the workshop floor to support it while it is machined ensuring the best finish possible in the bores.

Work is also currently being carried out on the A frames.
 
The “strong beam” to which the A frames bolt is being made.  This beam is really important structurally, as it takes the reciprociating forces from the engine, transmits the thrust of the paddles to the ship, and is at a position of critical longitudinal strength.

Here we see the shell plate butt straps and the port bunker frames.

Here we see frames 35 and 36 in place, these are the base for the supports for the crank shaft, also shot from the stern of the ship showing the blocks going into place to support the structure.

Frame 35 and 36

Stern view