The deck of the historic SS Great Britain in Bristol, UK is being replaced with Accoya. The first decking boards made from Accoya were placed on the 4th December. Expected to take 32 weeks in total, the project will see 6,050 metres of timber being fitted. The boards will weather to a stunning silver colour recreating the original colour of the deck.
The new decking will help preserve the deck of the ship and the original ironwork that sits underneath. Alongside the vital conservation work, the project will enable wheelchair and step-free access to every area of the ship.
Designed by Brunel, the SS Great Britain is a museum ship and former passenger steamship that was advanced for her time. She was the largest passenger ship in the world from 1845 to 1854, sailing around the world 32 times. The ship has been a visitor attraction since its return to Bristol in 1970.
The conservation project is being carried out by the SS Great Britain Trust, funded by Arts Council England through the Museum Estate & Development Fund (MEND). The decking is being supplied by Robbins Timber.
Mike Lewis, Technical Sales Manager UK, Accsys Technologies, said: “We’re honoured that Accoya has been chosen for such a prestigious and well loved project. With over 150,000 visitors annually, the Trust needed a material that is extremely stable and hard wearing, whilst maintaining an authentic look and feel. Accoya’s durability and stability make it an ideal fit for this purpose. It’s resistance to shrinkage and swelling will protect the iron hull from water damage and minimise maintenance for the Trust. It gives us great pleasure to know that, with Accoya’s 50 year warranty, this new deck will be enjoyed by generations to come.”