The "Cutty Sark" is on fire!

[Capn_Enigma]

London's Cutty Sark On Fire

The preserved 19th-century ship the Cutty Sark is on fire, London Fire Brigade has confirmed.

It is said to be 100% alight and eight fire engines are at the scene in Greenwich, south-east London.

Greenwich town centre is closed to traffic and the Docklands Light Railway will also close because of a police cordon, Scotland Yard said.

Local residents were also expected to be evacuated shortly.

The ship, one of the capital's best-loved tourist attractions, is currently closed to the public for extensive renovation work. It was due to reopen in 2009.

For more, see here.

[Capn_Enigma]

Ship is 100 % ablaze.

[callenish gunner]

that's a bloody shame she 's a fine vessle i have been aboard many times hope they can save her !!!!

[doctor syn]

Looks like the upperworks are completely gone....hull exterior still there..Police treating as suspicious(BBC 2 minutes ago)...very fond memories of school trips to her & the Maritime Museum,Double Bugger!

Steve

[Salty]

hoping for the best for her

[William Brand]

The first model ship I ever owned was a wooden model of the Cutty Sark.

[doctor syn]

Evidently a lot of her had been removed for restoration..keeping my fingers crossed!

Steve

[Coastie04]

Such a sad sight. However, at least the fire's out and much of the ship had been removed. I'm sure they'll put her to rights soon. I just hope the glass and wood in the cabin was saved!

Coastie

[Tudor MercWench Smith]

pinced this article from BBC news online

"Blaze ravages historic Cutty Sark

A fire which swept through the famous 19th Century ship Cutty Sark may have been started deliberately, police say.

The vessel, which was undergoing a £25m restoration, is kept in a dry dock at Greenwich in south-east London.

Police are analysing CCTV images which are thought to show people in the area shortly before the fire started.

A Cutty Sark Trust spokesman said much of the ship had been removed for restoration and the damage could have been worse.

Half the planking and the masts had been taken away as part of the project.

See which parts of the ship were damaged

Chris Livett, chairman of Cutty Sark Enterprises which is repairing the clipper, said at the scene: "From where I stand there is not a huge amount of damage to the planking that was left on.

"There are pockets of charred planking and some have gone, but it doesn't look as bad as first envisaged."

In Pictures: Cutty Sark fire

'History itself has been lost'

The chief executive of the charitable Cutty Sark Trust, Richard Doughty, said: "What is special about Cutty Sark is the timbers, the iron frames that went to the South China Seas, and to think that that is threatened in any way is unbelievable, it's an unimaginable shock."

Following an inspection of the site on Monday afternoon, Mr Doughty said: "Buckling of the hull remains a big fear but until we do the measurements we are not going to know.

"With my naked eye, as far as I have been able to see, the structure of the ship seems to be intact."

Insp Bruce Middlemiss said detectives were looking into the possibility that the fire had been started deliberately.

Special history

Firefighters were called to the scene at 0445 BST and the flames were put out by 0700 BST.

An area around the 138-year-old tea clipper had to be evacuated during the blaze.

"The cause of the fire is now under investigation by London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police," a London Fire Brigade spokesman said.

A number of witnesses have already come forward and the police are urging anyone else who may have been in the area to contact them.

A silver car was seen leaving the scene but police said there is nothing at this stage to link it to the fire.

CUTTY SARK

Built in 1869 at Dumbarton on the River Clyde

Designed by Hercules Linton

First voyage February 1870

210ft (64m) long

Main mast stood 152ft (46.3m) above the deck

Has had 15 million visitors

Preserved as a tribute to merchant navy workers

Send us your comments

Greenwich Council leader councillor Chris Roberts said: "This is a devastating blow for what is a truly iconic symbol of Greenwich across the world.

"The Cutty Sark has a unique and special history, which helps to draw millions of visitors to Greenwich every year."

The Cutty Sark left London on her maiden voyage on 16 February 1870, sailing around The Cape of Good Hope to Shanghai in three-and-a-half months.

She made eight journeys to China as part of the tea trade until steam ships replaced sail on the high seas.

The ship was later used for training naval cadets during World War II, and in 1951 was moored in London for the Festival of Britain.

Shortly afterwards, she was acquired by the Cutty Sark Society.

The ship was undergoing conservation work because sea salt had accelerated the corrosion of her iron framework.

Dr Eric Kentley, curatorial consultant to the Cutty Sark Trust, said of the ship: "It can be saved. It's certainly not completely devastated.

"We will put her back together - but it's going to take much, much longer and a lot more money than we originally thought."

Visit London's chief executive James Bidwell said: "The ship's need for vital conservation has put it in the public eye recently and we can only hope that this terrible fire will redouble all our efforts to preserve this wonderful part of London's heritage."

The Duke of Edinburgh is due to visit the Cutty Sark on Tuesday. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell inspected the remains on Monday afternoon.

The Cutty Sark Trust is appealing for funds to help repair the fire damage and complete the restoration."

[Tudor MercWench Smith]

And to think, I went to go see it in march and couldn't cause it was closed for restoration . . .

"the Cutty Sark Trust is appealing for funds to help repair the fire damage and complete the restoration"

~I say we take up a collection!

[capnwilliam]

If they catch the scoundrel(s) who started the fire: I say they raise money toward restoration efforts by charging people to flog 'em: a dollar (or pound sterling) a lash!

Capt. William

[JohnnyTarr]

I would say a new display from the yardarm is in order.

[Coastie04]

I would say a new display from the yardarm is in order.

And, since they said the masts had been taken out for the restoration, the display wouldn't have to wait until the ship's put back to rights! They could charge admission to that and raise money to restore her.

On another note, if anyone doesn't understand the pure beauty of this vessel, go the the pyracy gallery and search for "Cutty Sark". There's a few pictures I took of her during my visit in 2003 or so.

Coastie

[LadyBarbossa]

Aye... Tis a grand pity about the Cutty Sark. Always sad to hear legendary vessels take such a nasty beating.

~Lady B

[Scrounger]

CALLING ALL PIRATES THE WORLD OVER

As You Know The famous tea clipper the Cutty Sark was burnt out by person or persons unknown Captain Jack Vincent and I are looking for all the help we can get from all pirates all over the world to help get her back ship shape,it is going to cost millions of pounds but any help would be gratefully accepted.

Don't let this ship die an ignominious death at the hands of some low life scumbag who thinks he is being clever, Answer this post with ideas on how we can raise the vast amounts that are going to be needed, maybe it will be down to putting on shows or just asking as many people to dig deep into there pockets.

THIS SHIP MUST BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.

Don't let her down. c/o Captain Jack Vincent.Contact Jack At http://www.myspace.com/captainjv or captainjack@sea-thieves.com http://www.sea-thieves.com/

[Coastie04]

Here's the official Cutty Sark support page:

http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/index.cfm?fa=c...pdtwvowobgzrrrg

They're pleading for even small donations, as they tend to add up to big bucks over time. Just remember, the USS Constitution was restored in 1927-1930 after a huge voluntary donation campaign. School children donated $148,000.00 (much of that in pennies). So, $5 here, $10 there from all her supporters will go a long way to bringing this ship back to her full glory. I've already donated...have you?

Coastie

[Coastie04]

For those of you not following this story closely, here's some pictures of the Cutty Sark. Just in the last day or so pictures of the inside have emerged.

Although it looks bad, it's definitely recoverable. The planks that are missing were removed before the fire as part of the restoration. Definitely not nearly as bad as I expected after seeing pictures like this:

[Capn_Enigma]

The planks are not the problem. It's the same as with a car: If the frame has had it, then it's sayonara, no matter how good the outer appearance may be.

And my guess is that some parts of the Cutty Sark's frame had temperatures near or in excess of 1000 degrees centigrade, which suffices to soften up the crystalline structure of steel.

[Coastie04]

The planks are not the problem. It's the same as with a car: If the frame has had it, then it's sayonara, no matter how good the outer appearance may be.

If it was a working ship, I'd agree with you. However, as a historical artifact, the planks are just as important. Sure, they can be replaced, but then it would loose some of the historic value. Historic ships are often 'rated' on how original they are. So in that, there was still a lot of history lost from the planks. I did hear that there was a little frame buckling, but not sure as to the extent or how easily it can be replaced. Even if the metal's softer after the fire, it shouldn't matter, since the vessel doesn't need to maintain as much structural integrity out of the water.

Coastie

[Coastie04]

I found this story online recently and thought it appropriate. It's a great read, and anyone who's ever fallen in love with a ship can relate to it.

CUTTY SARK MUST SAIL AGAIN

By Captain Robert Wyld The Last Person To Take The Clipper'S Helm On The Open Seas 28/05/2007

I HELD tightly to the helm as the Cutty Sark, her magnificent sails stretched taut, powered through the waves with astonishing ease.

But my thrill at steering one of the world's greatest ships was tempered with sadness as this would be her final voyage.

Just 15 years old, I was the last person ever to take the wheel of one of the jewels in our maritime heritage - and I'll never forget it.

Advertisement

Two days later Cutty Sark was tied up, never to sail again, and was later taken out of the water for good to the dismay of anyone who ever saw her sail.

Nearly 40 years later I visited Cutty Sark at her dry dock in Greenwich, and I felt the same mix of emotions.

She looked magnificent, beautifully restored to her former glory. But it was a sad sight to see the ship I had witnessed slicing like a knife through the sea, motionless and imprisoned in concrete.

From that moment on I always believed it was wrong to take Cutty Sark out of her context, the water and the wind, and leave her stranded on dry ground.

If only those who come to admire her could have seen her in her natural environment, as I did, 70 years ago, ploughing through the sea with the wind in her sails.

It was the Cutty Sark's beauty, design and speed which made her a marvel around the world - so how could she be appreciated out of the water?

That is why I believe those restoring her should have a radical rethink following the fire that gutted her a week ago today.

Why not give Cutty Sark the respect she deserves by getting her sailing? Let's make her a treasure of the sea again, not just a motionless museum piece

I signed up for the merchant navy aged 14, inspired by Cutty Sark's adventures on the high seas, her record-breaking trip around the Cape of Good Hope and her heroics in the race to bring tea from China.

A year later I was one of 12 cadets chosen to bring Cutty Sark from where she was docked in Falmouth, Cornwall, to Greenhithe, Kent.

I was so excited that I didn't sleep during our boat trip down there, and ended up helping the skipper by steering the tug during the night.

Arriving in Falmouth we transferred our hammocks to Cutty Sark's hold. Because of my eagerness to navigate on our way down, I was - to my surprise - picked to steer her back to Greenhithe.

The harbour was thronged with yachts and small boats as we left, everyone was cheering and waving. As we passed the Royal Cornish Yacht Club they fired a 21-gun farewell salute.

But disaster nearly struck as our commander, Captain Steele, answered by firing a cannon on deck. The wind caught the muzzle flame and blew it back to the other charges on deck, setting them off in a massive explosion.

The next I knew Captain Steele was running around the deck, his clothes on fire. My trousers had been scorched in the explosion, but I never let go of the helm. Steele, who spent six weeks in hospital, wrote in my report book: "Did bravely remain at his post during an explosion on Cutty Sark."

As we entered the waters of the English Channel we set the main topsails so we could catch the wind coming from behind us. The ship was already in a much poorer state than during her glory days when she managed to overtake steamships on route to collect wool from Australia.

But even now she powered through the water with the majestic ease she had become famous for.

Everything was fairly primitive aboard. The toilet was a rough seat with a lead pipe going straight into the sea. No problem, but at times a surge of cold sea water would suddenly come back up the pipe, taking you by surprise.

Cutty Sark was welcomed with a fanfare of bosuns' pipes when we arrived in the Thames Estuary - but it marked the end of her life as a working ship. For the next 16 years she would be tied up alongside the HMS Worcester - her anchor lowered and raised, her sails furled and unfurled - but never moving from the spot. She finally reached her dry-dock in Greenwich in 1954.

Then, last Monday morning, my brother called me where I now live in New Zealand telling me to brace myself for some bad news. "Who's died?" I asked. "This is just as bad," he replied.

He was right and I was devastated. Just to think that I had proudly steered that now charred hull through the sea broke my heart. The magnificent ship that had survived the worst nature could throw at it, had been reduced to cinders after being taken out of the water.

But now I believe that this disaster may be an opportunity to get Cutty Sark back in the water.

She could be transformed into a living museum that could travel around British ports and the world.

It would be more than fitting for a ship that became famous for darting around the globe to be crossing the seas again, showing off her beauty and sharing her history with people the world over, wherever she docks.

So many ships in far worse conditions have been successfully renovated, so why not the greatest of them all?

What better way to properly pay tribute to one of the world's most famous ships, and the fastest tea clipper the world has ever known?

Coastie

[Rabbitz]

Coastie,

If we did this....

http://www.australianheritagefleet.com.au/...aig/JCraig.html

Then it may be possible to realise the dream of Capt. Wyld.

(Although it ain't cheap - But what dream worth following is?)

Rabz

[Coastie04]

Rabbitz, it's a great dream, but really is nothing more than that for the Cutty Sark. I'd say that the primary difference is that the Cutty Sark is wood, where as the James Craig is iron/steel. In order to make the Cutty Sark seaworthy again, it would pretty much require a complete rebuild. If that were proposed, I'd rather see a replica built on her lines and sailed, rather than destroying the historical artifacts of the original timbers. However, that's just my opinion. Right now, I'm just hoping she gets restored as complete as possible and as soon as possible.

Coastie

[Captain Midnight]

Any word of progress being made towards the restoration?

[Lady Alyx]

Wow I did not hear of this..how horrible. It looks pretty devastated by the looks of those pics. How are they doing with the renovation?

Here is a pic of her Figurehead...it's awesome....just read up on the story of the name Cutty Sark and the Figurehead.

Figurehead

[Coastie04]

http://www.mby.com/auto/newsdesk/200705181...101mbynews.html

Cutty Sark restorers at London show

The British Marine Federation have pledged to help the Cutty Sark Trust with a formal agreement over three years.

The BMF and their boat show organising arm National Boat Shows will use the London Boat Show to help raise awareness and funds for the project to save the Cutty Sark following the fire that swept through the historic ship last month.

The agreement will last beyond the time when it is anticipated the Greenwich based Cutty Sark will re-open to the public in 2010.

In addition, the BMF will promote The Cutty Sark Trust to the industry and its 1,600 members.

It is anticipated that the Cutty Sark will have its own area at the London Boat Show at ExCeL and there will be regular presentations on screens to bring visitors up to date on the progress of its restoration.

The Cutty Sark Trust will also be working on elements of the conservation project at the show, bringing back to life actual original parts of the vessel.

The public will get a chance to see some of the techniques behind the mix of cutting-edge science and time-honoured craftsmanship that the project involves.

Fran Turner, Cutty Sark Development Director explains: "We are delighted to be partnering with the London Boat Show at ExCeL. This international event will provide a fantastic platform for us to engage with lovers of maritime life and history from all over the world and raise much needed funds to get the Cutty Sark ship shape once again."

Rob Stevens, Chief Executive of the British Marine Federation and National Boat Shows, comments: "The Cutty Sark is the epitome of the great age of sail and is a maritime icon. The fire on board was a significant blow for the millions of visitors who have seen the vessel at Greenwich and for this country's heritage as a whole. We are delighted to work in an exclusive industry partnership with The Cutty Sark Trust to help raise the money needed to preserve the ship through the London Boat Show at ExCeL and the Federation's members."

The London Boat Show runs from 11-20 January 2008.