Design, manufacture and installation of a new walkway for public access to HMS Victory Dry Dock (The Dry Dock Experience)
Customer: National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth
Year of contract: 2020
Value: £200,000
Site: Royal Navy Museum, Portsmouth
The Opportunity
Power System Services were awarded the contract to design manufacture and install a public access walkway beneath Nelsons and the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Victory!
Through public tendering PSS were awarded this prestigious project. The works involve a detailed 3D scan, design of the walkway and interfaces to the dry dock as well as the existing bridge. Included in this contract was the electrical and emergency lighting plus some interesting architectural detail requested by Historic England.
Power System Services were awarded this contract on the basis of our commercial offer being competitive, our completeness of submission and in particular the control of works in and around such a priceless and historic monument.
Additional Project Images
The Solution
The challenges faced during this project were significant not least protecting the historic monuments of the ship, HMS Victory and the dry dock which is also a listed monument. PSS carried out a 3D scan of the ship underside and dry dock to establish suitable fixing points and the geometry to which the structures needed to designed. This approach was the best way to survey the area and enabled visualisation of what we were proposing, based on the specification and scope issued. We were able to share our visions with the client to establish an agreed finalised solution.
Images illustrating 3D models overlaid onto the scan that were used for approval and detailing. Note supports align with stone joints as specified and structure made modular to ease fitting beneath the ship’s hull.
Fabrication drawings were produced from the 3D models and the modules produced, preassembled, coated to specification and delivered to site for our site team to carefully erect.
Clearly there were challenges constructing such a walkway beneath such a monument however our teams were commended on:
- Attention to safety
- Quality of workmanship
- Attention to detail and problem/ issue solving and attitude
- Site specific safety from the system considerations
- Prepared to work outside of usual working hours to accommodate others
- Timely execution of the works
- Cooperation with others on the restoration project and museum
- Care taken on site around and within such important national monuments
The project was concluded safely, to budget, on time and to the specified standards.
References are available on request.
