A battle against time

A battle against time. . , Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory is the world’s oldest commissioned warship and famous for playing a crucial role at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, a naval battle which contributed to the defeat of Napoleon in 1815. , , The ship is currently undergoing an extensive multi-million pound conservation programme to defend her against the ravages of time. And so begins a new battle . . . , , The conservation project encompasses £27 million of work to be completed over the next 15 years. All the external hull planking will be replaced and the historic fabric of the ship will be stabilized with a state-of-the-art support system. , , Every mast will be repaired for the first time in 125 years. The upper sections of all three masts have already been removed. This includes 20 miles of associated rigging and 768 wooden blocks, some of which are 100 years old. , , ( photo captions ) , Above: A specialist team of riggers working on Victory’s mizzen mast. , Above right: Rotten hull planking has been removed from Victory’s bow, revealing the ship’s frames. , Right: We have made HMS Victory weathertight by sealing the joints in the upper deck planking , a process known as caulking.