It’s the tallest mast on the most famous and tallest ship in Bristol’s Floating Harbour but now bosses at the SS Great Britain have launched an appeal to replace it. The Topmast Number 2 on Brunel’s famous iron ship needs replacing urgently, say the trust in charge of the restored Victorian visitor attraction, and the work will cost around £65,000.
The SS Great Britain Trust has launched a fundraiser to find £15,000 of that from donations. The Trust said replacing the topmast will restore the rig to its former glory and ‘ensure that this significant part of our nation’s heritage remains shipshape and Bristol fashion for years to come’.
When the ship was salvaged and brought back to Bristol from the Falkland Islands in 1970, it had long since lost its masts, but they were recreated as part of the 1970s restoration. New masts were installed in 2007, and the Top Mast Number 2 is the one which is used for visitors to climb.
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“Topmast No 2. is the largest of the SS Great Britain’s six masts,” explained a spokesperson for the visitor attraction. “At over 18 metres in length, it is also the most complex and costly to replace. Crucially, it carries the topsail yard, as well as being positioned directly above the mainyard, which is used for the Go Aloft! mast and yard climbing experience.
“Each mast consists of a lower mast which supports a topmast above it. Originally these were of timber construction but in 2007 the Trust carried out essential maintenance and replaced the lower masts in steel, with the topmasts made of new solid timber.
“An inspection in 2017 revealed that topmasts 1, 4, 5 and 6 needed replacing after reaching the end of their expected service lives. After rigorous research into the best options and with generous support from the Trust’s members and supporters, these topmasts were replaced with specially designed, engineered timber hollow masts from Noble Masts, a local company based in Bristol. The new topmasts crucially have an expected service life of over 30 years.
“The remaining two solid timber topmasts have been continually monitored since 2017, and the most recent condition report has confirmed that Topmast No. 2 now needs to be replaced,” they added.
* To find out more about the SS Great Britain's appeal, click here.
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