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Cutty Sark update

14 June 2007

Introduction

In the early hours of the morning on 21 May, a fire broke out in the lower deck of Cutty Sark at its conservation site in Greenwich, London. The ship was undergoing a major conservation project which was a quarter of the way through. The London Fire Brigade arrived at 4.45am and had put out the fire out by 06.28am.

Images beamed around the world suggested an icon of world heritage had gone forever. A month after the fire the picture is much clearer and much more positive.

Expert assessments have been conducted and show that the ship is recoverable and the overall project concept remains both viable and vibrant. The Cutty Sark team's resolve remains energetic and as highly committed as ever to achieving our vision.

Damage

To Cutty Sark

Given the dramatic images on TV of the ship on flames, it is astonishing that on inspection, less than 5% of the original fabric of the ship has been lost. Catastrophic damage was averted due to two reasons.

First, the London Fire Brigade did a superb job in tackling the blaze using nine appliances. It is beyond question that had they not done so, the ship would have been beyond recovery. Second, half the main deck and the planks down to the waterline had been already been removed, hence the ship was no longer a 'closed box' and the fire brigade's water jets could reach the heart of the fire.

Current assessment of damage:

Our expert project team of engineers, architects, surveyors, project managers and other specialist experts have met with the Cutty Sark Trust to conduct initial assessments and chart the recovery plan. The table below details our preliminary findings.

External planking

50% of planking had been removed prior to the fire, ie down to the waterline/lower hold area. Current estimate is 32 planks of the 261 planks left in situ show signs of charring and we expect all of them to be conserved and restored. However, none appear to be sufficiently damaged to warrant replacement.

Main deck

Of the 30% of original weather deck, 50% had been removed. Of the remainder, 15% is charred but recoverable and will be integrated into the reclaimed teak decking which has been sourced from a 19 th century Indian hospital scheduled for demolition.

Iron framework

No precise measurements undertaken yet, but visual inspection suggests that distortion will be of one or two millimetres only. Some bulwark and internal flat plates show signs of buckling but are not of major concern, some rivets have also popped. Critical factors in the recovery plan will be: to what extent the methodology of the proposed lift of the ship will need to be revisited; the difficulty with which the original planking can be replaced, and how the precise measurements on which the glass canopy will be based will have changed.

Iron framework metallurgy

No tests yet undertaken: there is a concern that the metal will have become more brittle1. Again, the impact is chiefly on the need for additional and more complex bracing for the lift.

Tween deck

Total loss – however, this was a 1920s replacement and not original. The impact on the project is an additional budget line for its replacement.

False lower deck

Total loss – not scheduled for replacement as not an original feature.

1 Heat can soften the iron if the temperature was sufficiently high for an extended period. The affected iron would appear to be in good condition but would not support any stress. Samples of the iron from different areas will be tested to see what changes, if any, have occurred (metallurgy, hardness etc.)

 
The ship's stability has been confirmed but thorough further assessment of this and the internal condition is hampered by the scene remaining as a crime site (see below).

In addition, the work on the fire damage must be carried out by specialist contractors as analysis of the debris confirms a lead content of nearly 10%. A containment structure is being erected over the entire site to ensure there is no risk to the public from airborne contaminants, and the removal of the debris must be carried out by specialist contractors.

As a result of the fire raging through some 80% of the ship, other non-original but material losses have been sustained: the protective wooden canopy (what the world saw ablaze); the electrolysis boxes installed to carry out the de-corrosion process, and all tools and equipment will be expensive items to replace.

Areas unaffected by the fire:

As the conservation process was already a quarter completed, the ship had been completely stripped out. The masts and spars, the deckhouses, the beautifully panelled master's saloon and the figurehead collection (the largest collection in the world) are all safely stored off-site. The bow end of the ship was largely unaffected with even the plastic webbing remaining intact.

The visitor centre

Opened on Easter weekend, the architect-designed pavilion visitor centre has suffered only superficial damage to its cover from falling fire debris. None of the artefacts inside have been affected. These include the original figurehead, parts of the Master's Saloon, and interactives relating to the conservation techniques.

We are unable to open the centre fully to the public due to health and safety concerns However, we have been able to open the front area free of charge to allow sales of merchandising, donations to be taken (£4,000 to date) and to update visitors on both the project and on the fire through film footage. We have had considerable gift in kind help from a film-maker and a plasma screen loan in making the last activity possible.

Insurance

The ship is insured as a matter of course, and as required by our major grant funder, the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are in full liaison with the insurance companies to ensure that correct claims procedures are followed. However, the implications of bringing the programme back on track will go considerably beyond fire damage repairs to the hull and insurance will not cover the total costs.

Cost

Until we have access to the site to undertake a full survey of the ship, we cannot make a realistic estimate of the additional cost to the project that the fire has caused. Our best estimate at present is a further £10m to meet the additional time, labour, materials and redesign.

To minimise escalating costs, the professional team and contractors are being stepped down with the exception of the construction managers, project managers and the interpretation team. Contracts are being let for the fire recovery project to the architects, engineers and project managers, the costs of which will be recovered via our insurance. Our own conservation workforce will be downsized to a core team who will focus on off-site plank consolidation and conservation of other materials from the ship. In this way, we can maintain our commitment to training and developing a centre of excellence.

Delay

Our preliminary soundings indicate that the project will probably take a year longer than planned. Our planned opening date will move back from the first half of 2009 to early 2010.

Investigation

Scotland Yard's Homicide and Serious Crimes Unit have been given responsibility for investigations with the site remaining a crime scene. They will be reviewing CCTV footage of the area, conducting house to house enquiries and interviewing contractors and other employees.

Next steps for the Conservation Team

The priorities in the recovery plan have been assessed as:

Key questions to be addressed by survey:

Key outcomes:

Fundraising and PR

The staggering amount of media coverage of the fire has been key to launching our fire recovery appeal. International and UK press and TV covered the incident during the first 48 hours with it leading on broadcast evening news on a number of channels in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Russia and the Netherlands. The resulting public response has led to over £525,000 of donations and pledges from over 1,500 people.

The Trust continues to pursue key partnerships in the media, relevant organisations and fundraising offers from individuals to maintain the momentum of support through sustained high public profile and penetration into important sectors such as the maritime industry. These include relationships with:

Conclusion

The latest information confirms the Cutty Sark Trust's intention and commitment to complete the original project. The time scale will be about a year longer and the cost will be significantly higher. We have received total support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and our major supporters and partners as well as thousands of new supporters.

Once again, we express our thanks to our key partners for their continued investment. This briefing aims at demonstrating how the Cutty Sark Trust is working harder than ever towards making the vision a reality by combining credible practical solutions with an inspirational vision of how to ensure a future for the world's most famous ship in the 21st century.

Richard Hamilton, Chairman, Cutty Sark Trust

Richard Doughty, Chief Executive, Cutty Sark Trust