Restoration of Aft end of HMS Cavalier 2007-2009

In November 2007 work commenced.  The first area to receive attention was 2 deck with badly corroded deckhead over the washroom flat being replaced.  The following two photographs show work underway (views of same area taken from 2 deck and above)

    

At the same time work was underway in the washrooms and WCs.  The latter involved the removal of pans, cleaning rusty decks and repainting them.  Six WCs were gutted with partitions taken down to create two new larger WCs and a compartment to house water boilers and tanks.  The original Heads were restored along with two of the original WCs.  This ensured it remained possible to see how Cavalier was fitted in RN service.

         

Pictured above:  'New' WC compartment being fitted out,  Original WC restored and Restored Washroom.

Once the rusted deckhead above the washroom flat had been replaced, the area could be restored.  The following photos show work in hand and completed.

    

Work on 3 deck mess rooms took many months to complete and the following two pictures show the Chief PO's mess.

    

As well as the restoration of many of the original mess decks,  new facilities were provided to enable youth groups (such as Sea Cadets) to receive training and lectures aboard HMS Cavalier and to sleep aboard overnight.  This entailed creating a new mess deck to serve as a 'classroom' as well as the installation of a disabled suite and fisabled lift between 2 qand 3 decks.  A new fore to aft stairway also had to be accomoodated to meet fire regulations.  The new facilities have proved incredibly popular with regular bookings being made.  The following photographs show work underway to provide the new classroom and the end result.

The final work undertaken on 3 deck was the renovation of the aft starboard and port side seamens mess decks.  These have been fully refitted to provide overnight accommodation for members of various youth groups who are staying aboard with the bulkhead between the two, permitting male and female guests to stay.  This is complemented by the refitting of two separate washrooms on 2 deck and the refitting of junior officers cabins, the ERA's and CPO's messes which provide accommodation as necessary, including for adult intructors and leaders.

The next photograph shows the port side aft seamens mess with a view past the sliding door to the starboard side mess. The  picture is a 'composite' of a number of photographs so perspective is a little distorted but it provides an interesting view taken from the aft port corner of the mess deck.