A step in the right direction.

29,03,25 | Uncategorized

Once the new ladder ironwork has had the mounts fixed in place, the ladders will go away to have a three-part protective finish applied using the same technology that protects wind farm platforms.

In the meantime, two more ironwork jobs remain. The repair of damaged handrails and the replacement of mooring rings on the Old Quay itself.

The replacement handrail posts are currently with Canon’s Town based Pencarn Forge who are awaiting the delivery of a small batch of wrought iron bar with which to complete the missing handrail sections, including new curled ends that match the others for the Red Lion Slip section.

21,03,25 | Uncategorized

Pre-installation of new steel ladders.

With the corroded or broken ladders now safely removed and the old fixings cleaned off, the quay stones were marked out ready for positioning the new ladders. Pilot holes were drilled to position the ladder handrail bases.

Built at the ocal workshop of JT Fabrications, the new ladders have been designed to meet the current ladder spcifications for ports and harbours while making access to and from the decks of historic wrking vessels as easy as possible.

With the idea that the majotity of vessles maing use of the old quay will be historic fishing vessels, the ladders have been designed to allow easy access when boarding or disembarking. Luggers like the Barnabas and Happy Return offer trips to paying members of all ages and experience so the new ladders were built to best accommodate their needs.

Each of the ladders had to be temporairly fixed in place in order to position the quay side fixing plates which will hold them off the quay after the final fitting. Stainless bolts embedded in epoxy resin were used to fit those plates in place. The ladder rungs have to be a minimum of 200mm away from the facing stonework.

Cornwall is renowned the world over for its legendary hard-rock mining engineers. Working on an 11th Century stone quay proves no exception, they knew what they were using back then when all those years ago they built a harbour destined to last a thousand years and more!

Once all the ladders have been fitted in place and the mounting plates aligned they will all be rermoved and sent away for surface finishing. This will be a three-coat system – the same used to protect the steel base pedastels that support winfarm turbines at sea.

There are still plenty of jobs to be completed by volunteers, especially the removal of decades old undergrowth and rubble.

You can join the team every Saturday between 10am and 2pm in helping out with this invaulauble work to bring the old quay back into use.

It’s time for the stonework!

It’s time for the stonework!

04,03,25 | Uncategorized

Now that Spring is sprung and the weather hopefully getting warmer by the day there are a range of tasks that all need volunteers to help see the work continue to progress:
You can join in the fun from 10am every Saturday morning. Hand tools, protective gloves and gear are available.
The list of tasks is as follows:

Finish off the weeding and ivy removal to the Access slip, the Red Lion slip and the top of the parapet wall. .

Start filling in the gaps between the stones on the top of parapet wall with small pebbles (now on site) in readiness for the pointing.

Chip out the old pointing on the vertical face of the upper section of the parapet wall.

Power wash off the grass and mud on the surface at the end of the quay. (I hope to borrow the harbour’s more powerful pressure washer this weekend)

Choosing, measuring and recording the new sizes and locations for the replacement granite staples at the end of the quay.

Removing the corroded railing posts and handrail on the Red Lion slip for Pencarn Forge to repair. (here we need any vessels that are tied to the handrail posts to tie up elsewhere first).