HMS Caroline Project Update
In a most interesting address to the Club Jonathan Porter, Project Leader, The Strategic Investment Board, described how HMS Caroline, the last surviving WW1 battleship from the Grand Fleet which fought at the 1916 Battle of Jutland and which is berthed at Alexandra Dock, is being transformed into a floating museum to be opened to the public in June 2016 in time for the commemorations of the centenary of the Battle of Jutland.
Caroline, now part of the National Historic Fleet is owned by the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Built in 1914 - there is no other ship of Caroline's type and period surviving anywhere else in the world.
Having completed last May the safeguarding of the ship from water ingress the restoration will be in three parts. Phase 1 involves the transformation of the ship itself removing asbestos, providing access, installing AV hardware and software and fitting out the exhibition areas due to be completed by May 16. Phase 2 involves the dry docking of the ship for conservation work to the hull which is scheduled for completion November 16. Phase 3 involves the provision of a visitor centre onshore using Pumphouse blocks 1-3. This is currently behind schedule because of a delay with the leases so temporary buildings will be used until its completion.
When all complete, visitors will be able 7 days a week to explore HMS Caroline and embark on a journey through 100 years of Naval history, through the personal stories of the people who were part of her life.. Entry will be through a joint entrance in the Pumphouse following through to exhibition interpretative centre which will link the heritage of HMS Caroline with its immediate maritime context - the Alexandra Dock, Pump-House itself and Thompson Dock and then onto the ship herself finding out about her story throughout her history. On board an AV display in the Drill Hall will recount the Battle of Jutland. Visitors will travel through the ship, like the Titanic exhibition, following a planned route experiencing the interactive exhibits along the way. A link bridge will provide 360o access and a gantry will allow views of the original turbo engine – the last engine of this type in existence.
HMS Caroline was an incredible ship for her time and is largely unchanged from the day she was constructed with 85% of her original construction, which adds to her significance. With a very slim shape she was built for speed and with a top speed of 29.5 knots was faster than most of today's vessels. Experts working on her have removed 27 layers of paint from the engine and sliced through more layers to find her original colour at the time of the Battle of Jutland, particularly significant as there were no colour cameras at that time! They have also found that every nut is labelled and the rifle range has been removed from the starboard side.
The £14.5million restoration project is being jointly funded 80% by Heritage Lottery Fund and 20% from the Executive (DETI).