Volunteers working the Ramsey Pier project have issued an urgent appeal for skilled carpenters.

Progress on the restoration of Queen’s Pier is continuing apace.

Since work was allowed to resume after the Covid-19 lockdown on April 24, all the decking has been laid on bay one and the handrails refitted.

plaque

There was a milestone for the pier trust at the end of August when the first of the sponsors’ plaques were fixed in position.

The corroded ironwork in bay three was swapped for new steel at the beginning of August.

Project manager Stuart McKenzie said: ’We have entered the final phase of work on bay 1.

’In the meantime work is concentrating on the joinery for bays 2 and 3.

’There are 11, 25 foot beams which are fitted at right angles to the steel girders in each bay and fixed to them with large stainless steel studs.

’This requires careful alignment by a number of volunteers because the beams weigh several hundred pounds.

’However, the beams have not only to be correctly positioned on the girders they have to maintain the levels for the railway tracks.’

Stuart said this task is almost complete on bay 2 and one gang will continue with the beams for bay 3 while another gang will focus on fitting the network of stringers and railway track on bay 2.

Once that’s complete, they volunteers will be able to lay the decking planks, coping beams and waling boards which support the stanchions and hand rails.

Stuart said: ’This is why we have put out a plea for anybody with joinery or carpentry skills to come and give us a few hours assistance so that we can utilise the weather window before storms set in late autumn.’

Anybody who can help either after work or at the weekend is being asked to telephone 477062 or email [email protected]