Welcome to the
Vale of Glamorgan Council

Merchant Seamen MemorialMerchant Navy memorial restoration

 

Start Date:

12 December 2011

 

Duration:

20 weeks approx.

 

Details of restoration:

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has commissioned a specialist company to renovate the 15-year-old Portland stone structure.

 

The contractor, Cardiff-based Dawson Stone Masonry, is to take the statue apart, after which it will be shipped off to a Cardiff stonemason’s yard, to dry out.

 

A concrete core, which will be left behind in front of the civic offices, is to be fenced off for safety reasons.

 

The work is to cost around £47,000, excluding fees and is likely to take around 20 weeks.

 

Slight modifications to the monument will be made to allow rain to run off and metal hooks added as a means of anchoring wreaths to the structure.

 

Plaques which list the names of merchant seamen from the Vale who were killed during conflict will be replaced by stainless steel versions, updated to include around 100 people.

 

 

Scaffolding is erected around the Merchant Navy memorial

 

 

Day one:

Monday 12 December 2011

Apple scaffolding erect scaffolding around the Merchant Navy memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The globe, section 1 of the memorial, is removedDay two:

Wednesday 14 December 2011

 

Section one - The globe

  • 08:30am - Harness is attached to the globe (Section one) at the top of the memorial.

 

  • 09:15am - Drilling commences to loosen the globe from the lower section.

 

  • 09:40am - Globe has been released and is lifted off the column and on to a flat bed lorry ready for transport.

 

 

 

 

 

Section two is removed

 

 

 

Section two - Globe support

  • 09:50am - Work begins on Section two. The section is secured in a harness and lifted on to the flat bed lorry using a crane ready for transport later in the day.

 

 

 

 

Section three - Main column

Work on section three begins- Main column of memorial

  • 10:08am - Men assess work to be done on the removal of the main column (Section 3). The main column is to be removed in three pieces.
  • 11:05am - A third of the main column (Section 3:1) is angle grinded around to release and then raised slightly to attach a secure harness to lift.
  • 13:03pm - The removal of the entire central column (Section three) is completed.

 

Removal of section four is completedSection four - The plinth

  • 13:42pm - plinth (Section four) has been cut into quarters and the first section is removed.

  • 14:02pm - Removal of all four pieces of Section four is complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section five is removed
 

Section five

 

  • 14:05pm  - Work begins on section five
  • 14:15pm - Harness and cushioning are attached to the section to protect it whilst lifting.
  • 14:40pm - Section five is hoisted in to the air slowly to ensure the section stays straight to pass through the gap in the scaffolding above.
  • 14:45pm -  Section five is loaded on to the lorry ready for transportation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section six

 

  • Section six is loosened ready for lifting14:45pm - Work begins on the removal of section six
  • 14:45pm - Four holes are drilled into section six and attachments to connect the crane are bolted to it.
  • 14:50pm - The section is sliced into two halves, then around the lower edge to release it from the section below.
  • 15:15pm - The removal of section six and work on day two is completed.

 

 

MORE PICTURES AS WE TAKE THEM... STAY TUNED

 

 

Part 1 - the removal of the top 'globe'.

 

 

Part 2 - removal of the globe support

 

Vale of Glamorgan Council, Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry CF63 4RU, Tel: (01446) 700111