A&P Falmouth to Extend SS Shieldhall’s Life

A&P Falmouth, the internationally-renowned ship repair company and part of A&P Group, has won a major contract with the historic steamship SS Shieldhall, based in Southampton.

The contract highlights the company’s long-term partnering relationship with the SS Shieldhall – the largest steamship of her type in Europe.

The contract will see A&P Falmouth undertaking major hull repair and modification work in dry dock, extending the life of the steamship for another 25 years. Work will take place in April 2014 and is being funded by a £1.4 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

A heritage cargo-passenger ship, included in the National Historic Fleet, Shieldhall was built and launched on the Clyde in 1955, to a classic pre-WW2 design. She had a long and successful first career with Glasgow Corporation – year round, carrying treated sludge out to sea and, in the summer, taking passengers on pleasure trips.

Bought in 1977 by Southern Water she was finally withdrawn from commercial service in 1985 – but saved and purchased for £20,000 in 1988 by the charity that still operates her now.

Today the 2,000 tonne Shieldhall is a unique seagoing ‘time capsule’. She provides a working example of steamship machinery both above and below deck, typical of the cargo and passenger ships that plied the oceans of the world between the 1870s and 1960s, after which they became all but extinct.

Whilst other heritage ships are held permanently in dry dock, Shieldhall remains active, with a cruise programme that allows passengers to access the engine room with its two impressive 800HP steam engines at work and the bridge, complete with traditional instruments and gleaming brasswork.

The hull repairs to be undertaken by A&P will mean Shieldhall will gain a fully certified UK Class III Certificate enabling her to take a ‘conservation in action’ message beyond her Solent base.

Peter Child, Managing Director of A&P Falmouth, said: “This is a significant contract for us and we are delighted to working with Shieldhall once again. She has strong ties with Falmouth and we are pleased to celebrate the continuing success of the partnership and Shieldhall’s confidence in A&P Falmouth to carry out the work.

“Once again we have proved we provide excellent value for money and a high standard of workmanship. We look forward to continuing this relationship and welcoming Shieldhall and the team to Falmouth.”

[mappress]
Press Release, December 17, 2013