London Dockland Museum.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Chaps. Just visited the London Docklands Museum.

Great museum, very interesting (history of London mostly centering on use of the river and the formation and continuing development of the docks) and a fair few boat models to boot.

Great model of an East India company ship, cargo, of 30 guns, cut away on one side to show the stowage and so forth.

Loads of boats in and around the docks for the perusal of, and going on the DLR is a right larf.

The architecture of the docks a stunning, and there is loads of old stuff to be seen lurking on the waters edge.

We had a pleasant pint, walked across…sorry, UNDER the river and back in the tunnel, and I was dead suprised to see the cat river ferries speed away from Greenwich to the flood barrier…didnt realise they were so fast. I only ever see them in the centre of London and they pootle along there.

Free to get in, take a packed lunch and your Oyster card.. a cheap day out.

Also, walked around the Cutty Sark, in her new glass bustle. Shame the glass is not at gound level, the ship looks a bit odd, sat on a massive wave? You can peer into the wave and see the shops underneath ok. The hull APPEARS to have been plated with BRASS, it didnt look like copper to me, or is it Yellow copper?? I must have a surf in a minute to find out. Thinking about this, a copper bottom would dull, go a very dark brown and then, possibly, green..or not, under glass, and thus not look as attractive. Besides which it`s not got to be watertight any more eh!

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Ashley

The hull plating is Muntz Metal which was cheaper than pure copper and oddly enough was the 'secret' that gave the british navy the edge during the mid 1800s.

Paul

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

This will save you having to look it up.

Muntz metal is a brass alloy invented in the 19th century. A combination of copper and zinc, it was cheaper than traditional copper and began finding uses in many industries, notably shipping. Its light weight and durability has made it one of the most popular alloys in history.

Muntz metal was developed as an alternative to expensive, heavy copper. It is comprised of about 60 percent copper and about 40 percent zinc, with a small amount of iron. The finished product actually is considered a form of brass, but it has maintained its name of Muntz metal.

George Fredrick Muntz invented the copper zinc hybrid in 1832 in Birmingham, England. Muntz moved his operations to an ironworks and began producing the metal after it became popular for a variety of shipping purposes. At that time, it cost two-thirds as much as copper but proved to be just as strong and reliable. His company produced several thousand tons of Muntz metal during its peak in the 1840s. His patent expired in 1846, and the alloy began being produced by a variety of competitors.

There are some handy links to explain the more difficult bits.

 

Edited By The Fat Controller on 30/04/2012 12:44:43

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Paul. As I said, Brass ! Already looked it up on Wiki, as per your quote I think.

But thanks nonetheless,

Ashley

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