Famed Medway steamship to re-open to visitors following hull restoration

Hull repainting works were recently completed on a 1924-built paddle steamship currently serving as a floating museum on the River Medway in the UK.

The Medway Queen Preservation Society (MQPS) said Medway Queen was towed to its home berth at Gillingam Pier earlier this month following the extensive repainting and restoration of its hull at EAPL Ramsgate, a process that began in the summer of 2021.

The MQPS Board also decided to get other work done while the ship was in Ramsgate. Besides the hull repaint, the paddle wheels and underside of the sponsons were cleaned and painted, new hardwood top-rails were created and steam-formed for installation on the promenade deck, the saloon windows were given fresh varnishing, and the starboard paddle box fascia was renovated.

The goal is to make Medway Queen open once again to visitors on Saturdays from 11:00 to 16:00 (last admissions at 15:00) beginning in February, with the exact date of the re-opening to be announced.

The MQPS is also inviting parties who are interested in contributing to the restoration project to visit www.medwayqueen.co.uk for more details.