Brunel’s Great Western to be recreated in working dry dock

The world’s first transatlantic ocean liner is set to be recreated and homed inside a working Bristol dockyard as the centrepiece of a new tourist attraction.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel built two famous liners in Bristol’s docks: the SS Great Britain and the PS Great Western.

Both were prototypes for all ships and liners that followed, transforming the speed, scale and reliability of global travel and transportation.

Now the civil engineer’s paddle steamer built in 1838, the Great Western, will be replicated in the Albion Dockyard – a stone’s throw from its sister’s resting place, the Great Britain.

The rebuilt, full-size Great Western, launched eight years before the Great Britain, will sit in the southern portion of the dry dock

So far backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Albion Dockyard Project will completely transform the Grade-II listed working dry dock, turning it into “a world-class maritime attraction”.

The £20m plans will see the waterway on Spike Island become one of the country’s “first voluntary marine nature reserves”, with historian and broadcaster Professor David Olusoga its patron.

The dock itself, which sits on the harbour, will be conserved, maintaining a working dry dock and reinstating the original clock tower. On one end will lie the rebuilt Great Western, with one side of the vessel exposed so visitors can see its inner workings.

“The new addition will not only create a striking visual presence evoking the city’s role in pioneering global ocean travel, but will share stories of migration, with inclusion and access a priority, connecting historic stories with contemporary experiences,” said a spokesperson.

I got to explore the Albion Dockyard yesterday, which is set to be totally transformed in the coming years. Thanks for showing me the ropes @SSGreatBritain! ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/r9M52g4olr

— Betty Woolerton (@bettywoolerton) June 8, 2022

The project forms one of the biggest tourism investments for years in the city, effectively doubling the size of the current SS Great Britain visitor attraction.

Matthew Tanner, chief executive of the SS Great Britain Trust, added: “Today, the trust is setting out plans for a world class heritage experience that will protect and transform the Albion Dockyard while providing far-reaching benefits for the harbour and the whole region, growing the tourism economy and maritime and shipbuilding industries.

“We’re delighted that we’ve received support thanks to National Lottery players that will make a massive difference for the whole of the West of England region and everyone who lives there, conserving vital maritime heritage and investing in the futures of our young people.”

Matthew Tanner is chief executive of the SS Great Britain Trust

Dug in 1820, Albion Dockyard was created by Charles Hill and James Hilhouse who built many ships on the site until the city’s docks were closed to commercial traffic in 1977.

It was taken on by David Abels’ shipbuilders in 1980 who built small ships in the dock.

When David Abels retired in 2016 it was left empty, but the SS Great Britain Trust took it on and set up the Albion Dock Company – reinstating ship repair and shipbuilding in 2018. Currently undergoing maintenance there until September is the Fridtjof Nansen.

The new attraction should be open by 2027.

Brunel built the giant paddle steamer as the first purpose-built ship designed to carry passengers across the Atlantic

The Great Western will be recreated in the working Albion Dockyard

A partnership between the SS Great Britain Trust and Bristol City Council saw shipbuilding, repair and maintenance taking place at Albion Dock in 2018

The Fridtjof Nansen moved from Germany to the Albion Dock to undergo a refit throughout the spring

All photos: Betty Woolerton

Read more: Thekla moves to Albion Dry Dock for £1m refurbishment

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