Cutty Sark burns down!

Woke up this morning to read that Cutty Sark has burnt down!

I was going to go to a talk at the National Maritime Museum this morning, but that has understandably been postponed.

The Cutty Sark was mid-way through a big restoration project, and so half of the timbers (and the masts) had been removed from site, but the fire that swept through the rest looks enormous. Latest news is saying that the police are treating the fire as ’suspicious’.

Sounds like the ship will be re-buildable though, as the ‘wrought iron frame’ looks to be intact. However, it’ll cost considerably more money and time (the ship was due to re-open in 2009). And I imagine that the original/replica composition will be changed slightly.

Thoughts go out to the museum colleagues who have been working on the project – I can’t imagine what it feels like to see all your work go up in smoke like that…

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