When PS Medway Queen went to Ramsgate in 2021 for hull maintenance, it was known that one of the paddle-box facias was in poor condition.

In the position where Medway Queen is moored little direct sun falls on the starboard side and it doesn’t dry out properly between wet days – with the inevitable result for any timber. The port side suffers much less as it is in direct sunlight whenever that is available. EAPL removed the fascia and returned it when the ship came back to Gillingham, early in 2022. Refurbishment by Medway Queen Preservation Society volunteers was approved by the Board soon afterwards and, fortunately, they were able to obtain timber at a reduced price for the work, although it was still a considerable amount. Rebuilding the starboard paddle box fascia became a major project for their wood working team.

The volunteers started by producing a “lofted” full size drawing of the fascia from the old assembly and then began creating the necessary parts to produce the “fan” around the central crest, which has also been recreated. From the lofted drawing, templates and jigs were prepared for individual components which could then be cut and shaped as required. A revised assembly method has been devised to allow replacement of components in the future instead of always having to recreate the complete assembly.

The project was led by Ron V. with Bob W, Paul T and Bob D. It has been noted that the crest on both paddle boxes faces left, while those on the funnel face forward. Old photos confirm that this has always been the case.

Once the main components had been created, they were assembled with strengthening steel plates added to the top and bottom of each “spoke” in the fan. The detail routing of these spokes was applied after assembly. The collars that fit the holes of the large spokes had been saved from the previous fascia and these were fitted into the new assembly. Finally, the beading for the top edge was steam formed using the steam chest constructed to bend the timber for handrails when the ship was on the Ramsgate slipway. Primer, undercoat, and topcoats of paint were applied and then gold paint to pick out some of the details.

The paddle wheel fascia was fitted on 10 May after exhaustive planning and risk assessment, to take account of handling a heavy component on the pier and over water. The ship needed to be riding at the optimum height for the operation so careful timing was required. The date was chosen as it had a low tide on a morning when the crew were available. Lowering the cover into place was easier and safer than trying to lift it. The fascia was strapped to a boom on the forklift and taken out of the yard across the road to the Medway Queen. Having positioned the fascia, two of the crew crawled across the paddle wheel from the inside to bolt it into place.

You can visit and tour PS Medway Queen at Gillingham Pier on most Saturdays from 11am to 4pm (last admission 3pm). Come and see how the project is progressing; better still, offer your services or other support to speed things up! Details on www.medwayqueen.co.uk.

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