Getting Technical

In a project with many design challenges and engineering solutions – we highlight just one of the key events leading up towards launch and all the steps to reaching a final destination.

It started back in the early days of the redesign of the vessel, when we realised that this amazing open space known as the ‘Monkey Island’ in front of the wheelhouse, or bridge, had real potential. Unused and unloved, it’s a crew-only access part of the ferry’s working past which was used to access the mast and its winch mechanism. Boring some might say?

With the vessel set to point southwards in Canning Dock, it offered what could be a great vantage point with views into Liverpool ONE and Royal Albert Dock and was accessible from the Upper Deck walkway, at the front of the Promenade Bar.

It was decided to run a glass balustrade around the outside radius of this open deck, to provide a clear wind-break and open it up as another Sun Deck for guests to wind down, relax and pull up a deck chair in good weather.

Installation was a challenge – we worked with local company GR Glazing to design out a panelling arrangement with a bright chrome handrail, to curve the glass around the front of the rounded deck.

This would require preparation metalworking to create a steel u-channel to carry the glass panels and lots of rust prevention treatment. In addition, the old deck screed was either broken up, stuck hard or semi-loose and waterlogged – so we needed to break this back with jack-hammer style ‘kango’ chisels and reveal the steel beneath

Once the surface was lifted, we spent time grinding back the deck to be able to mec prep and apply rust prevention treatment to protect its condition.

Having pulled off the hard material covering the steel, during the Summer of 2022 with record 35-degree temperatures, the heat of the midday sun caused the carefully completed paintwork in the ceiling below to completely fail, peel and bake off. Nightmare!

We looked for a temporary solution to covering the decks again, eventually opting for a resin-bound rubberised material used in playground flooring – this was porous and able to allow any rainwater to drain out into gulleys and run off.

Back to the glass installation – GR Glazing arrived with the huge, awkward and extremely heavy panels. They handballed aboard and lifted up to the Wheelhouse Deck. What an effort.

With the newly protected area enclosed at great effort and expense, we moved back onto other work. As part of performing development tasks needed to document conformity with planning and legislative requriements, we invited Phil Dean from WFST to come and survey the vessel to produce a fire strategy.

It’s fair to say, the fire inspector’s job is one that’s up there with the greatest importance, but it’s also a role which often uncovers deal-breaking, non-negotiables that hadn’t previously been considered and this was one of those moments.

With a scratch of his chin, pacing out steps from the end of the Monkey Island to the nearest means of escape, he said “hmmm… that’s 18 metres”.

No way, what’s coming next?

“Well, in order to allow people access up to the area, they need a means of escape within 14 metres. Just shy.”

“Is there another route I haven’t seen?”… no.

“Can you install a staircase down to the bow?”… maybe.

Designs, designs, designs

The Challenge:

1. We need to install a staircase from Upper to Main Deck
2. We also need to install a gangway which is able to raise or fall by +/- 2m in height if the dockwater increases or decreases, lifting or lowering vertically
3. We need to place the cut for the gangway, in exactly the right position in the portside bulwark to enable it to land right between two specific bollards on Strand Street, over 6 miles away at the vessel’s eventual destination – it must also be exactly level on a moving ship that is not ballasted, or it will not contact the quayside correctly
4. The aluminium gangway will need to be cut down from 8m to 6m so that it doesn’t come out too far at Canning Dock and fall into the public footpath
5. The staircase cannot conflict with access hatches in the Main Deck
6. To get the correct datum for a level deck and stairwell treads, we must ballast the vessel evenly with water in the ex fuel tanks and apply a lanolin treatment as a rusting inhibitor
7. If any of this is wrong and the access is interrupted, the vessel will only be able to take less than 100 guests instead of 540 – costing a huge amount to install and crucially, restricting the planned operation

Call in the Professionals:

1. Our first port of call was Interior Designer and AutoCAD proficionado, Edwin Pickett. As a very knowledgeable, excellent designer and owner of his own boats – we asked if he had any idea what we should do given all his excellent input throughout the project
2. Previously, we’d had the vessel 3D laser scanned by Christians Ltd – in addition to scanning the quayside at Canning Dock to give an exact plan of the vessel in situ at its destination. This would prove invaluable.
3. Having scoped out the height of the walkway in relation to the deck beneath, Edwin quickly realised that a helical staircase would not be possible
4. We concluded that a curved staircase, running in line with the radius of the bow would be possible – but that it would definitely need a Structural Engineer and fabrication partner to support
5. In comes local experts Vulcan Metal Fabrication, who worked with us on gangways – and their introduction to Mr Arthur Blaylock. This staunch, straightforward engineer came to site, scribbled and debated – and came back with a design to accommodate all the complex needs briefed to him. What an star he is!
6. We obtained a plan to install a raised deck level to carry the gangway – and fabrication drawings for a curved staircase
7. The raised deck would be welded onto a framework structure, which is bolted to the deck below. It would be trimmed on site to follow the curvature of the floor camber and the upward rake of the deck as it rises to the prow
8. The location drawings are used to pick the exact spot for the cut in the side of the ship – and fabrication is commenced.

Arthur Blaylock – fabrication drawing

Pot luck in Turkey?

Now this piece may feel long and labourious, but nothing in comparison to the effort needed to get this job done. Head-scratching moments of confusion and random ideas at night, we’ve had the lot.

With a struggle finding the welder/metalworker tradespeople to book to install the staircase, it would take a stroke of luck on a last-minute family getaway to Turkey for Phil to meet Barry, the Glaswegian ship-builder we needed to complete.

With a break in his diary, the stars aligned and he took the trip during Half Term Holidays with his family, to work the week in Liverpool. We immediately mobilised, smashing out the Iroko timber deck boards on the Upper Deck walkway.

Barry came to site and quickly worked to install the deck level with our on-board welder Sam.

Gangway Cut to Bulwark – raised deck outrigger installed

Working late

With the prep work done, time came for the crane. After a slightly late arrival (putting us under some additional unexpected pressure), the staircase was hoisted into position, so that a template for cutting out the landing could be completed.

Barry and the team worked to cut away the steel deck, before raising the staircase back into the opening and with some gentle persuasion, fixing it in the correct position. They welded the staircase into place, well into the night on a Friday evening and finished up after 9pm.

What’s next?

Well, repair works, adjusting the stairs to the correct position, flooring and nosings, reinstating handrails and deckboards – and installing a deck ramp to ensure wheelchair accessibility.

Oh, plus towing the vessel to Canning Dock to see whether everything lines up as we’ve planned! God speed.