0:00:06 > 0:00:09A century ago, one of the largest sea battles in history
0:00:09 > 0:00:11began in the North Sea.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14It was May 1916, at the height of the First World War,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and the two most powerful navies in the world,
0:00:17 > 0:00:21Britain and Germany, faced off just off the coast of Denmark.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31It was to be the only full-scale clash of battleships
0:00:31 > 0:00:32in the entire war.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36It lasted just 12 hours.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39But the sheer scale of the encounter was unimaginable.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47250 warships and over 100,000 sailors engaged in the battle.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49It was called the Battle of Jutland
0:00:49 > 0:00:54and here in Belfast is the last remaining warship of that fight -
0:00:54 > 0:00:55HMS Caroline.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Although she survived this legendary showdown,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04HMS Caroline has recently been engaged
0:01:04 > 0:01:06in a different kind of battle -
0:01:06 > 0:01:08to avoid being sent to the scrap-yard.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12But now her future's been secured.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Over the last four years an army of engineers, specialists
0:01:16 > 0:01:19and craftsmen have been working against the clock to turn
0:01:19 > 0:01:22HMS Caroline into a floating museum,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26in time for the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Jutland,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29on May 31st 2016.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Ever since she arrived here at Alexandra Dock in 1924,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00HMS Caroline has remained a still and silent fixture,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04largely overlooked by the Belfast public.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Very few realised that what they were looking at is a unique
0:02:10 > 0:02:12piece of naval history.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14From the very beginning, she was special.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21In her day, HMS Caroline was at the forefront of naval engineering.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25She was designed to slice through the battering waves of the North Sea
0:02:25 > 0:02:27at unprecedented speeds.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29She could steam at over 28 knots,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33making her one of the fastest ships in the entire Grand Fleet.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Her state-of-the-art design was in demand.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38As war loomed in Europe in early 1914,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41the naval arms race with Germany accelerated.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Britain needed a ship like Caroline and they needed her quick.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55And that is precisely what they got.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Her keel was laid at Birkenhead's Cammell Laird shipyard
0:02:58 > 0:03:01on 28th January 1914.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Just eight months later, she was ready for launch.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10That's more than a month quicker than most ships in her class.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23But 100 years later, it's going to take another major
0:03:23 > 0:03:28feat of engineering to restore HMS Caroline to her former glory.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32And we're going to be there for every step in the process.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35I'm going to be getting my hands dirty
0:03:35 > 0:03:38to understand what it takes to bring a warship back to life
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and fit for the 21st century.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42While I'll be diving into the history of this incredible ship
0:03:42 > 0:03:46and examining her heroic day at the Battle of Jutland.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Together, we're going to pay service to one of the greatest
0:03:48 > 0:03:51ships in Belfast's history.
0:03:53 > 0:03:58The story of this historic vessel's restoration begins in 2011,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00not here at Alexandra Dock,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02but less than two miles away,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05in the heart of Belfast's Cathedral Quarter.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12This is where HMS Caroline's military career officially ended.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16When she was decommissioned in 2011, it wasn't in Portsmouth,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19it was right here at St Anne's Cathedral.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27At the time she was the second-oldest ship in active service.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30What few people knew is that apart from her starring role
0:04:30 > 0:04:32in the Battle of Jutland,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35most of Caroline's career was spent as a training ship
0:04:35 > 0:04:39here in Belfast for Northern Irish recruits entering the Royal Navy.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45But once she was decommissioned, Caroline's fate was uncertain.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49There was talk of towing her back to Portsmouth and restoring her there.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Or of scrapping her.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55The National Museum of the Royal Navy,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57backed by the Northern Irish Government,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01launched a campaign for funding and for a change of ownership
0:05:01 > 0:05:05to keep her in Belfast and restore her here.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07But as the debate dwindled on,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11the effects of another brutal winter took their toll on Caroline.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Her days looked numbered.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19When you look at Caroline from here,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21it's easy to imagine her cutting through the waves in a battle.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23She was built for war...
0:05:24 > 0:05:28..and in early 1914 it looked as if she was going to get it.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Germany's shipbuilding industry had been
0:05:33 > 0:05:36hard at work during the early years of the 20th century.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38For nearly a decade,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42a naval arms race between Germany and Britain had raged.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Naval tactics and technology were evolving consistently
0:05:47 > 0:05:51in the ten years or so before the start of the First World War.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54And the Imperial German Navy had begun to realise
0:05:54 > 0:05:58that they could not out-build Great Britain
0:05:58 > 0:06:01in terms of battleships and battle cruisers.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04So the Imperial German Navy said,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07"We'll build torpedo-boat destroyers,"
0:06:07 > 0:06:08and that's where Caroline came in.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11She was specifically built to screen
0:06:11 > 0:06:14the battle cruisers and the battleships of the Grand Fleet
0:06:14 > 0:06:16from torpedo-boat destroyers.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Britain may have ruled the waves for 100 years,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27but Germany was eager to compete.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31A confrontation would signal which power was now the greatest.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37In a deliberate plot to lure the British Fleet out into open waters,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39where they'd be most vulnerable,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Germany moved her fleet up to Jutland,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45off the Danish Coast, on 31st May 1916.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49The British Grand Fleet followed.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52The stage was set for the biggest naval action,
0:06:52 > 0:06:53and only fleet action,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56since the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09As the debate over her future dragged on,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13time was running out for the rapidly deteriorating warship.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19While Caroline's only ship-keeper, Billy Hughes,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22did everything he could to stop the decay,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Captain John Rees, the restoration-project chairman,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29was all too aware they were fighting a losing battle.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34What we have here is the effects of the corking failing,
0:07:34 > 0:07:39the wood expanding with the ingress of water.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42And this particular piece of iroko has now sprung.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46You can see that actually the doweling piece
0:07:46 > 0:07:48is no longer holding it in.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52And ultimately if these sections of the deck are not treated
0:07:52 > 0:07:54then the water will continue to penetrate,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56destroy larger areas of the wood,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59and penetrate and corrode the deck below,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03and water will ingress into the interior part of the ship.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11But then, in late 2013, after two years of debate
0:08:11 > 0:08:15and uncertainty about her future, there was a breakthrough.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17A small press conference on board the ship announced that
0:08:17 > 0:08:21HMS Caroline had a double cause for celebration.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25A transfer of ownership that ensured Caroline would stay in Belfast,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and a heritage funding package of almost £2 million.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Thank you for all coming here today.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33Special occasion. Marks two things.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37First of all, the official transfer of the ship
0:08:37 > 0:08:39to the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
0:08:39 > 0:08:40We now own it.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43And it is fortuitous that we could all be here today, because
0:08:43 > 0:08:46it is the 100th anniversary of the laying of the keel of Caroline
0:08:46 > 0:08:47in Birkenhead.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51We're very excited that she is staying,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and more than that, she has secured that amount of funding that will
0:08:54 > 0:08:56allow us to bring her back to life,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59so we're delighted that we've got to this day.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04This first tranche of funding wasn't enough to complete
0:09:04 > 0:09:07the restoration, but it would get the process started.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12The first priority is to have a look at her hull.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14In early May 2014,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18a team of divers braved the murky waters of the Alexandra Dock.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21They examined every inch of the hull,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and the waters surrounding the ship.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28No easy task when you're dealing with something over 420 feet long,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31weighing close to 4,000 tonnes.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I've done a few ships now
0:09:38 > 0:09:41and on this one especially it's got 30 years of marine growth on
0:09:41 > 0:09:44so as you can imagine the barnacles and whatnot are really thick,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47like, literally, you can put your fist through them
0:09:47 > 0:09:48and it just keeps going.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The reason for this detailed underwater survey
0:09:55 > 0:09:57is to prepare for one of the most challenging phases
0:09:57 > 0:09:59of the proposed restoration -
0:09:59 > 0:10:02moving the ship to a dry-dock facility,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06right beneath two of Belfast's most famous landmarks.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Belfast has a rich shipbuilding history.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15And there is no company here more famous than Harland & Wolff.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17They built the Titanic, of course.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20And today the company's giant cranes are the most iconic
0:10:20 > 0:10:21feature of the Belfast skyline.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27So the plan is to tow Caroline here
0:10:27 > 0:10:31so that vital work can be carried out on her hull.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33The first time she'll be taken out of Alexandra Dock
0:10:33 > 0:10:35in a quarter of a century.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40But first, an even more urgent priority is to tackle
0:10:40 > 0:10:42the rotting wooden deck.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46In charge of the project, ship-restoration expert Craig McCoo.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51My journey started 31 years ago as a labourer with the shipyard,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55helping the shipwright to repair the very decks we're standing on.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59I had a very chequered examination result
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and my father who was in the shipyard at the time
0:11:02 > 0:11:05decided to teach me a lesson,
0:11:05 > 0:11:06which sort of backfired,
0:11:06 > 0:11:11because it was an extremely enjoyable time in my life
0:11:11 > 0:11:15before I decided to go back and pass those exams.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Since the start of the project we have taken up the rotten decks.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24We've got the new wood ready to put down.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29We've got the portholes. 117 portholes have to come off,
0:11:29 > 0:11:34replace the broken glass, get them polished up and get them back in.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38The whole trick is to get the fabric of the ship back to
0:11:38 > 0:11:40where it was in 1915 when it was built.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49The £2 million heritage money was a lifeline that would cover
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Caroline's most basic repairs,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53and prevent further deterioration.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56What was really needed was a huge injection of cash
0:11:56 > 0:12:01to completely overhaul and restore Caroline to her former glory.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06You've done a bit of Grattan's-catalogue modelling or something, I can tell.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10And then in October 2014, amid a flurry of media attention,
0:12:10 > 0:12:15Captain Rees and the team announced they'd received a £12 million grant,
0:12:15 > 0:12:20the Heritage Lottery Fund's single largest award to Northern Ireland ever.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Well, the money will now allow us
0:12:22 > 0:12:26to do a major conservation programme on the entirety of the ship.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30To know now that we can carry on literally full steam ahead
0:12:30 > 0:12:33with the conservation and interpretation of Caroline
0:12:33 > 0:12:34is wonderful news.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39With all the funding in place,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43the plan now is to turn HMS Caroline into a museum
0:12:43 > 0:12:46in time for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49on 31st May 2016.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52That's just 19 months away.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00As anyone who's worked on massive engineering projects before knows,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04the best-case scenario is always tempered by reality.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06And it rarely goes according to plan.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08And the team's racing against the clock.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12They've got some really tight deadlines.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18As project manager for the entire Caroline restoration,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20it's Jonathan Porter's responsibility
0:13:20 > 0:13:21to see the job through.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26What part of the project or job scares you the most?
0:13:26 > 0:13:27The time.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32The time is the issue for us and we have absolutely no spare time left.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34How are you going to overcome this lack of time?
0:13:34 > 0:13:36We're looking now at getting contractors started
0:13:36 > 0:13:39before the previous contractor's finished.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41And that's more like a relay, with the different teams,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- as in they're overlapping? - Well, exactly.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46In a relay you pass the baton from one runner to another,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49whereas in this case the second runner will start running
0:13:49 > 0:13:51before the baton is passed.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52It sounds a bit more complicated,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54but how many teams have you got in action
0:13:54 > 0:13:56over the course of this project?
0:13:56 > 0:14:01Yeah, we have six different contracts in place at the same time.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So, yeah, there'll be a lot of people working on the ship,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06a lot of bodies,
0:14:06 > 0:14:08and they've all got their own agendas to get their own bit done.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11We're really looking forward to seeing the final job.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13And anything I can do to help along the way as well,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15I'll get stuck in, cos I love what you're doing.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18- I think I'll take your phone number! - THEY LAUGH
0:14:18 > 0:14:23Demolition, but without ruining history. That sounds quite tough.
0:14:23 > 0:14:24- But I'll give it a go.- Good!
0:14:26 > 0:14:29When the Fleet sailed out from Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands
0:14:29 > 0:14:33toward Jutland, it was under the command of Admiral John Jellicoe,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36who knew that the stakes were incredibly high.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Churchill once said of Jellicoe
0:14:40 > 0:14:43that he was the only person who could lose the war in a day.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48And by that he meant that Great Britain had established a principle
0:14:48 > 0:14:49of command of the sea.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52The reason why Jutland was so important
0:14:52 > 0:14:58is that what the Germans wanted to do was to try and achieve parity.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03And for that they had to sink a large number of the British fleet.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08HMS Caroline was a crucial part of the British defence strategy.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10She was engineered to be different.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14And her secret weapon can still be seen today in the heart of the ship.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20What is so special about this are the Parsons steam turbines.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24They're the only ones in situ anywhere in the world,
0:15:24 > 0:15:28and these steam turbines, along with burning oil, not coal,
0:15:28 > 0:15:34was a revolution, certainly in 1914.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39And the combination of this technological innovation
0:15:39 > 0:15:42really made her the greyhound of the ocean.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47This was a Formula One racing car of the Grand Fleet.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54These vast turbines are the jewels in Caroline's crown.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58They are what made her one of the fastest war ships of her day,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02with a top speed of 28.5 knots.
0:16:04 > 0:16:11Typically, she had to be quick enough to run down on torpedo-boat destroyers, who could go faster.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16When she'd spotted the capital units of the High Seas Fleet
0:16:16 > 0:16:19she also had to be fast enough to run back
0:16:19 > 0:16:23and then pass the messages to the Grand Fleet.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30HMS Caroline is a ship steeped in history.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Her long and varied career poses a challenge for Jef Maytom,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Director of Interpretation for the restoration of Caroline.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Now, how do you choose the date in HMS Caroline's history
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and say, "That's how we want to restore her"?
0:16:47 > 0:16:48It's a key question.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53And a lot of time is spent thinking which places we should keep
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and which we should change, or put back.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58For example, the drill hall,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00or what we now call the drill hall,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04that was built as a gunnery school in 1924,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06that was a gunnery school, and four of Caroline's guns were put
0:17:06 > 0:17:10in the corner of that space, and that was used for teaching.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We have no intention of removing that.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15We have to take into consideration the story we're trying to tell.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17The Jutland story is a strong story.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20That is the spine of the story and hanging off that
0:17:20 > 0:17:22are all these other little changes
0:17:22 > 0:17:24and training she's done over the years.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Before any serious restoration work can begin,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34one big problem urgently needs to be addressed.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37The ship is riddled with asbestos.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Shipbuilders of the early 20th century loved asbestos
0:17:43 > 0:17:45because of its incredible physical properties.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Not only is it flame-resistant,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50but it absorbed sound, which in a ship like Caroline
0:17:50 > 0:17:53makes all the difference when you're on the open seas,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and the engines are roaring down below.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01For the sailors who worked Caroline's mighty engines,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04noise was an occupational hazard.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05But for all her crew,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09it was those all-important fire and heat resistant properties
0:18:09 > 0:18:12that made asbestos a vital component of the ship.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Out at sea, laden with cordite and other explosive materials,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20a fire on board would have been disastrous.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Under enemy attack, like she was at Jutland,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26asbestos could literally save lives.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Today we know that far from being a life-saver,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38asbestos is a very dangerous substance
0:18:38 > 0:18:41giving off lethal, cancer-causing fibres.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42For Caroline, that means
0:18:42 > 0:18:44nearly a century after the asbestos was put in
0:18:44 > 0:18:47it's time to remove it, or make it safe.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Fortunately, the team has been given a head start.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55The Ministry of Defence already dealt with
0:18:55 > 0:18:58the worst of the asbestos while the ship was still in active service.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04We took hundreds of samples from different areas of the ship.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08And the discovery was that she's not actually in too bad a condition
0:19:08 > 0:19:10as far as asbestos is concerned.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13There are some areas that we have found asbestos,
0:19:13 > 0:19:18in the engine room, within the actual Parsons turbine engines,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21as it was used to help insulate,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and we've found it behind some of the wall panelling,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27so we're working with specialist contractors to do that.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32- So, you have a gasket here, on the flange.- Yeah.- Right.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35The man in charge of that specialist team is Peter Carberry.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38He's been in the asbestos business for 20 years.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40But while carrying out the survey,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43he discovers something that surprises even him.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49We did find a particularly rare type of asbestos called anthophyllite.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51I have some of it here. It's this.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56- Wow.- And you can see it's fluffy but very lethal.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00And I think it was probably used because it might
0:20:00 > 0:20:05absorb shock waves, or explosions, better than the other types.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08And I suppose even though it's a horrible material,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- it is part of the history of this restoration, really.- Exactly.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Peter's task is probably the longest-running single challenge
0:20:19 > 0:20:21of the entire refit.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24His team will be on the ship for four months,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26searching for, and either treating or removing,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29every last trace of deadly asbestos.
0:20:33 > 0:20:34For over a century,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37sailors walked these corridors while serving in the Royal Navy.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41That's an awful lot of stories, and that's an awful lot of history.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48In the months and weeks before the Battle of Jutland,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52life for the 289 crew stationed on HMS Caroline
0:20:52 > 0:20:55could be tough and uncomfortable.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Their day-to-day regime included regular patrols in the North Sea.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03And the ship had the reputation of always being on the move.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05So life would have been busy.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10The sailors did their own laundry in the communal wash stations,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13helped with the preparation of their meals,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16and when the men weren't carrying out drills,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18there was time for a bit of fun.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23HMS Caroline was affectionately known as Carrie,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25and the crew often had "Carrie-Ons",
0:21:25 > 0:21:29and entertained themselves by singing and dressing up,
0:21:29 > 0:21:30sometimes as women.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35On 31st May 1916,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38all the training and preparation of Caroline's crew
0:21:38 > 0:21:40would be put to the test,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42as she was called into battle.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46The Battle of Jutland lasted just 12 hours.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Yet Caroline was involved in two major incidents,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51one in which she could have been sunk,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and the other where she tried to do the sinking.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Three hours into the battle,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Caroline narrowly avoided being hit,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02with torpedoes running past either side of her.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Just hours later, she was in action again.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09But this time she turned the tables,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11firing three torpedoes at a German vessel.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Diaries of the men on board Caroline at Jutland reveal what happened next.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20By all the rules of gunnery, the next broadside should have
0:22:20 > 0:22:23finished our career, but our guardian angel
0:22:23 > 0:22:27was still protecting us, for the next broadside missed us,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29the shells screamed over our heads.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Guns were hurling 15" shells into opposing fleets
0:22:35 > 0:22:37with roars and flashes,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40as if scores of thunderstorms had met and got angry.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43The sea, which before had been calm,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46became churned into waves and foam,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49caused by the speed and movements of scores of ships.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Of course, that was 100 years ago,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05and there's no-one alive today who can tell us
0:23:05 > 0:23:08actually what it was like to be there at Jutland.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10However, we do have a first-hand account.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Incredibly, we've found a copy of a home recording
0:23:16 > 0:23:23made in 1971 of Caroline's chief gunner at Jutland, James Weddick.
0:23:23 > 0:23:24He was born in Limerick,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and his naval career began at the tender age of 15,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31back in the 19th century.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12The recording really hammers home the reality of
0:24:12 > 0:24:16what Caroline's young sailors faced at the Battle of Jutland,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and afterwards, when she served in the East Indies,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23before she came out of active service, moved to Belfast,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and was modified to serve as a training vessel in 1939.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Broadly after the Second World War,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35this area was enclosed by a rather unlovely structure
0:24:35 > 0:24:42and was used as the .22 rifle range by the Royal Naval Reserve.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45As you can see now, it's a bit of a lay-apart store.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52The team has decided to restore the port waist to its original glory,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55which means the rifle range has got to go.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58It's a big job.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01First, welders must cut away the solid-steel structure.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Then they need to attach metal anchor points
0:25:06 > 0:25:08so they can individually lift
0:25:08 > 0:25:12each huge and heavy slab by crane onto dry land.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Once the decision's been made to get rid of the newer partitions,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24it's time for the real action to begin.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Demolition.
0:25:25 > 0:25:26Now, it won't take the team long,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29so I'm going to see if I can go give them a hand.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Spence, what's the plan? What's going on here?
0:25:38 > 0:25:39The aim in this area
0:25:39 > 0:25:43is to strip back to the original features of the ship
0:25:43 > 0:25:46that were present when it was built in the early 1900s.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Cool. I'm ready to help. Can I join in?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- Of course you can. - All right, let's go!
0:26:06 > 0:26:08I'm winning, I think.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11The problem is these are hard conditions
0:26:11 > 0:26:13but everyone in here's doing a good job.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Only thing I'm a bit embarrassed about is these guys are making me look bad,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18so...better get back to work.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Meanwhile, back at the project's headquarters,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Jef makes a surprise discovery.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36An old newspaper, dating back more than half a century!
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Now, someone's put this on our desk,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42so we're not entirely sure where they've got it from.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46It's the Northern Whig, a local Belfast paper, isn't it?
0:26:46 > 0:26:49There we are, June 29th 1951.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52I suspect it would have come from behind partitioning
0:26:52 > 0:26:54put in in the '50s.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57I bet it's in the...
0:26:57 > 0:27:00I wonder if it's where they cut through the disabled heads,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03- in that battery room.- Maybe, that's where they've been working.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05CONTRACTOR: Or maybe captain's pantry.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09That actually has all the wood shavings still in the floor space,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12so, you know, out of sight, out of mind.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16I think what's significant about the date is it coincides with
0:27:16 > 0:27:18the big Harland & Wolff fit-out,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21which we've got plans for, so '51, '52.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22Ha, fantastic!
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Another way of bringing the role of the ship in the Battle of Jutland
0:27:28 > 0:27:33into focus is to view the ship from where the captain would have stood.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37For that, you have to climb to one of the highest areas of the ship.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41- Captain's sea cabin. - Wow.- Chart room.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- Yeah.- But we're going further up.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45- Up here.- Great.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'I don't know exactly where Jef is taking me,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50'but he promises it will blow me away!'
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- Wow! Ooh! - THEY CHUCKLE
0:27:54 > 0:27:56So was this the crow's nest?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Well, in a sense.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01This, actually, it's one of the most important spaces on the ship.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04This is where Caroline was commanded from,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07so you have to imagine the captain, Captain Crooke, stood here,
0:28:07 > 0:28:12the officer of the watch, canvas on these rails here,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14simple glass windscreen above that, and that's it.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Quite exposed, though, to the...
0:28:16 > 0:28:19- Completely exposed.- So good old-fashioned British weather.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Put on your duffle coat and stand here in the British weather,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25but it's here he would have stood and commanded Caroline.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Compass binnacle, centrally here.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Various voice pipes, because below here we've got
0:28:30 > 0:28:33the helmsman, or coxswain, he's steering the ship.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34So it's, like, two degrees starboard...
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Yep, all those commands, and either side we've got engine-room
0:28:38 > 0:28:41telegraphers who are running the machines, ding, ding, ding...
0:28:41 > 0:28:43- Going back to the engines. - Back to the engine room.- Wow.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46So all the commands from here to steer the ship.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49What if they couldn't hear? If they were shouting down, it was too windy?
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Well, they'd thought of that one.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Just here was a little brass grating
0:28:53 > 0:28:55and they could shout down there.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59So if all else fails, on your knees, shout down there, full steam ahead.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Simple as that.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03This is the archaeology, up here as well.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06This decking, this teak decking,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08it was hidden beneath a layer of bitumen.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11- So you've actually stripped it back? - That's been stripped.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14There was a steel structure came off the top, heavy steel structure,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17took off the bitumen, and we found this original planking.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- It's in great condition as well. - Fantastic condition.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22I have to say, it's quite sad,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24but I think this is probably one of my most favourite features
0:29:24 > 0:29:27that I've seen on the entire ship.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30It's lovely to find this evidence. We've lost the front, sadly.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Someone's hacked that off, but this is just fantastic,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37and every reason to believe that it was on the ship at Jutland.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39So they actually would have stood here.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41They actually stood here,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43and commanded the ship and looked out
0:29:43 > 0:29:45- and saw the Battle of Jutland.- Gosh.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47- So it's a fantastic space.- Yeah.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52When Caroline was built in 1914,
0:29:52 > 0:29:56steel warships had only been around for half a century.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Steel offered greater strength and protection,
0:29:59 > 0:30:01but also brought some new problems
0:30:01 > 0:30:04that required a bit of creative thinking.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09This is Caroline's navigation bridge.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11This is where the helmsman would be behind the wheel
0:30:11 > 0:30:13taking orders from the commander up above.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16One of the key pieces of equipment here was, of course,
0:30:16 > 0:30:17the ship's compass.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22But because it relies on the earth's magnetic field,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25the compass wouldn't work in a structure made of steel.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27So the solution was simple.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30Build the entire thing out of a non-magnetic metal.
0:30:30 > 0:30:35This structure is made entirely from brass!
0:30:36 > 0:30:40The brass exposed by the restoration process provides
0:30:40 > 0:30:42another clue to the ship's past.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46When Caroline was designed, before the First World War,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49her bridge originally had six glass windows.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54When it became clear that she was going to battle for real,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56four of these six vulnerable weak spots
0:30:56 > 0:30:59were covered up with brass plates, like this one.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02It meant poorer visibility, but greater protection,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05and it may well have been one of the reasons that Caroline
0:31:05 > 0:31:07survived the Battle of Jutland.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15But she was one of the lucky ones.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Six hours into the battle, night was beginning to fall,
0:31:19 > 0:31:21and visibility was poor.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Yet both the fleets continued to engage.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27The casualties were numerous on both sides
0:31:27 > 0:31:31and as night closed in the British withdrew to devise a new plan.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35The British fleet planned to manoeuvre into a position of attack
0:31:35 > 0:31:38by first light, and cut the German fleet off from the port.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41But under cover of darkness the Germans attacked the light forces
0:31:41 > 0:31:44that made up the British rear guard and broke their way through.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47By catching the British off-guard,
0:31:47 > 0:31:51the German fleet sneaked past and headed home.
0:31:51 > 0:31:52The battle was over.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55It would take days for both sides to take stock of their losses,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58and, crucially, to determine who had won.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07For her new role as a 21st-century floating museum,
0:32:07 > 0:32:10it's vital that Caroline is accessible to everyone.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14But she was built with vertical ladders, cramped spaces
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and narrow doorways.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Clearly, some drastic changes are needed.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22So what the guys are doing is actually widening
0:32:22 > 0:32:24some of these doorways below decks.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26And that's because obviously 100 years ago
0:32:26 > 0:32:29able-bodied seamen could easily navigate the ship.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33But now we want everyone to be able to enjoy HMS Caroline.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36So, by making them a little bit wider, cutting through the steel,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39it's going to be perfectly suitable for disabled access.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Widening a few doorframes is one thing,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46but what about something a lot more substantial?
0:32:48 > 0:32:50To allow for maximum public access,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53the team also plan to install several lift shafts.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Definitely not a feature she'd have had in her Jutland days.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59But how do you do that
0:32:59 > 0:33:03without ruining 100 years' worth of architectural heritage?
0:33:05 > 0:33:09This is just one of a thousand headaches facing the project's
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Director of Interpretation, Jef.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16We're in the lower deck. These were officers' cabins.
0:33:16 > 0:33:22But this is a space that we want to compromise by putting a lift.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25I mean, a historic ship is a tremendous challenge.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28It has many periods, many phases, there's original fabric,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31there's things that have been added and taken away.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34But to simply say we will turn it back to a certain thing,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37that doesn't necessarily make it accessible for the public,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41so a key part of what we do is to open up the ship
0:33:41 > 0:33:45so the public can actually access her safely.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48So if we put a lift here,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51we will have to compromise some of these major beams,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53and that is historic intervention.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55When we take that out,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58we will preserve it,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01so that if at a future date there was a different plan, different scheme,
0:34:01 > 0:34:05and someone said "We don't need a lift any more,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07"we want to put that beam back,"
0:34:07 > 0:34:09theoretically that can all be put back
0:34:09 > 0:34:11and the ship returned to its original state.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18It's now August 2015,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21and the asbestos team are about to begin work on
0:34:21 > 0:34:25Caroline's four mighty Parsons turbines.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27The engine room will be out of bounds
0:34:27 > 0:34:29until this hazardous job is finished.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34The areas are monitored by CCTV.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37We've got four cameras on in there,
0:34:37 > 0:34:38and you can see the guys,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40and we know what they're doing.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41We're able to monitor them.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44Is it slow? How many guys do you have in there at a time?
0:34:44 > 0:34:46There's ten men in there.
0:34:46 > 0:34:47They're in there seven days a week.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Doing that sort of work in these awkward conditions, I mean,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52have you got specialist tools and equipment?
0:34:52 > 0:34:57- No.- No?- No. It's all hand tools, scrapers, wire brush.
0:34:57 > 0:35:02Power tools will release more fibres than wire brush and all that.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05- A lot of elbow grease in there. - A lot of elbow grease.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09The asbestos team has to work
0:35:09 > 0:35:13in dark, difficult and cramped conditions,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16not dissimilar to the men who worked in the engine room a century ago.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22It's now just six months before the ship has to be completed,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and one thing is becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Instead of being towed off to Harland & Wolff
0:35:29 > 0:35:30like we expected,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Caroline is still right here in Alexandra Dock.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40So, Jonathon, since I saw you last time, how have you been getting on?
0:35:40 > 0:35:45We've had some challenges in terms of getting lease agreements
0:35:45 > 0:35:47signed for the Alexandra Dock
0:35:47 > 0:35:51and for the pump house, which will be the visitors' centre.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54That's obviously the bureaucracy associated with
0:35:54 > 0:35:55getting these things across the line
0:35:55 > 0:35:58and the legal process is taking a little bit longer.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Is that a diplomatic way of saying you're not where you wanted to be?
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Well, yes, it's a diplomatic way of saying that.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08We're basically unpacking the project in three separate phases now.
0:36:08 > 0:36:09Phase one is the ship.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14Phase two is the dry docking, to do some repair works to the hull,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17and phase three is the pump house and visitors' centre.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22So, phase one, the ship, will be 100% complete come May.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26With just six months until the Jutland centenary,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28looking around the ship as she is today
0:36:28 > 0:36:31makes completing even phase one, the ship itself,
0:36:31 > 0:36:36in time for the opening seem like an impossibly daunting task.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Are you confident the next time I come back that you're still
0:36:39 > 0:36:41going to be on schedule?
0:36:41 > 0:36:43That depends when you come back.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- HE LAUGHS - How long do you need?
0:36:45 > 0:36:49No, we're on programme to complete in May 2016,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52and we will be complete in May 2016, the ship works.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Well, I'm sure I'll be along to help at that point, I hope so.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58- I hope so too.- Yeah, well, good luck.- Good on you, thank you.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04By late October, the asbestos-removal team have completed
0:37:04 > 0:37:06their work in the engine room,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08and the engines have been cleaned,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11another highly specialised and time-consuming task.
0:37:12 > 0:37:13Oh, wow.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18I've been waiting for ages to come and have a look down here.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20- I just can't get over how enormous it is.- Yes.
0:37:20 > 0:37:25Also a lot of metal and engine and turbine for your money, isn't there?
0:37:25 > 0:37:26There is.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Cleaning this, I mean, what exactly did you have to do?
0:37:30 > 0:37:35There was probably 20 or 30 layers of paint on these turbines.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Now, we didn't think we were going to get them back to the standard that they're at.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43They probably haven't been in such good condition for 100 years.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45That's quite a restoration, isn't it?
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- Yes, they've done a really good job. - Yeah, and just looking around,
0:37:49 > 0:37:51some of this wouldn't have been seen for quite some time.
0:37:51 > 0:37:52No.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57The likes of these markings here wouldn't have been seen...
0:37:57 > 0:37:59I suppose maybe even from the day it was painted.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03And one thing that really did surprise us
0:38:03 > 0:38:07was all these bolts here, individually marked.
0:38:07 > 0:38:08Oh, yeah.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13- Why was that, then? - If there was an issue with the bolt,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15they would know exactly where to go.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19What, say, if there was... in battle there was some confusion,
0:38:19 > 0:38:21then they would be able to spot the dodgy one.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Turbine 1, bolt number 10.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26And how much of a major step towards completion
0:38:26 > 0:38:28is getting this bit finished?
0:38:28 > 0:38:30It's critical. It's absolutely critical.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33This is going to be the main attraction on the ship,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35and it has to be made safe.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39I know you've got to make it look a little bit smarter for visitors,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42but...it's awe-inspiring.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45- I quite like it like this. - Yeah, yeah.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50A major part of turning Caroline into a museum
0:38:50 > 0:38:53is replacing parts of her that don't exist any more.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58Prop master Brendan Power has been tasked with the daunting challenge
0:38:58 > 0:39:00of recreating the eight 4" guns
0:39:00 > 0:39:05and the two 6" guns that made up her impressive armament at Jutland.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09- Hi, Brendan. How are you doing? - Hi, James, good to see you.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11- So this must be the 6" gun? - This is the 6" gun.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- It's enormous, look at it. - This one's a lovely one, yeah.
0:39:14 > 0:39:15Oh, wow.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17It's going to be here for hundreds of years, as well,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20so you must see a lot of... I'm looking around and I'm seeing a lot of kit
0:39:20 > 0:39:23that's going to be seen by the public for years to come.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26- Yeah, hopefully, yeah. - Can you give me a bit of a tour?
0:39:26 > 0:39:29- Yeah, sure.- I feel like this is sort of the coolest part.- No problem.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31These are obviously the 4" guns.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Same again. They've got specific places on the boat for these.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39- We're making safes over there. - I can see a fireplace down the end.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42And we're making it look realistic as we can.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Talking about that,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48I'm not too hot at metalwork but I'm all right with a paintbrush
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- if there's anything I can do.- Yeah, I'll get you working straight away.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53- What about doing a shell or something?- Yeah, no problem.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Yeah, come and have a look, yeah, sure.
0:39:56 > 0:40:02This is Michael, he's painting up the shells that would go with
0:40:02 > 0:40:05the guns that we've been looking at.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09- Am I allowed to have a go?- I'm sure Michael wouldn't mind that at all.
0:40:09 > 0:40:10So, this is all...
0:40:10 > 0:40:13I'm seeing these plans here, this is actual original-based stuff.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17That's the photo reference that we got with these shells.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19So, just like colouring it in.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23It's mad the amount of detail you must have to do on every single one.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25It's very time-consuming.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Oh, cool.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31It's quite crazy seeing how long every single element
0:40:31 > 0:40:32of this project takes.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- Am I doing all right?- Yeah, that's the best one you've done.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Can I take it off?
0:40:43 > 0:40:47- That's not bad.- Not bad! 6" gun.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49Cool.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54Well, look. I'm going to leave it to the professionals. Cheers, mate.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58There's so much going on, isn't there? You've got a massive job.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06Then I get a call from Jef, who has found something intriguing
0:41:06 > 0:41:10in the room where Caroline's real shells were stored.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11Down into the belly of the beast.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Jef is taking me three decks down into what was once
0:41:16 > 0:41:18the ship's magazine.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23So is this where the shells would have been kept?
0:41:23 > 0:41:25It is where shells would have been kept.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27When Caroline was built,
0:41:27 > 0:41:34this was part of a larger space, the 4" magazine for the 4" guns on the fo'c'sle.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37Here would have been a notice that would have listed
0:41:37 > 0:41:41the contents of the shell room and they've painted round these notices.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Meanwhile, and you imagine you're going to climb the ladder,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46and to steady yourself, put your hand back
0:41:46 > 0:41:49- on the edge of that notice.- Yeah, with my slightly greasy...
0:41:49 > 0:41:53So, and you can see, on the corner bit of timber...
0:41:53 > 0:41:56So those are hundred-year-old mucky fingerprints?
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- Yeah. Hundred-year mucky fingerprints.- Wow.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01When the lagging was first taken out
0:42:01 > 0:42:04they thought, "We've discovered 1914 handprints."
0:42:04 > 0:42:07If you start to look at the plans of when she went for refit,
0:42:07 > 0:42:12in 1919, she was sent out to the East Indies, much hotter climate.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And clearly they're getting concerned about the heat,
0:42:15 > 0:42:16the new level of heat.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19So they decide - this is what we think -
0:42:19 > 0:42:23they lag the magazine against the heat of the East Indies.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26When they put the lagging in, all that was preserved.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28It's a bit like an archaeology dig.
0:42:28 > 0:42:34But instead of mud and dinosaur bones, you're talking to me about...
0:42:34 > 0:42:37- Grease, brass and steel.- And paint.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41No, it is completely archaeological.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44- They tell several stories. - They tell several.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Active service, Caroline was adapted for the West Indies.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50And you can gauge all of that from a piece of wood and some...
0:42:50 > 0:42:51We can gauge all that.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Above our heads, I spotted one feature that seems completely
0:42:56 > 0:42:59out of place in the magazine of a historical warship.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Was it a shower room at some point as well?
0:43:03 > 0:43:04LAUGHTER
0:43:04 > 0:43:05No, not at all.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Yes, they're shower heads,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09yes, it is a water system,
0:43:09 > 0:43:11but the last thing you want in a magazine is a fire.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Ships at Jutland were lost...they were hit and lost within 30 seconds,
0:43:16 > 0:43:20thousands of men killed, because sparks came down,
0:43:20 > 0:43:23caught fire the magazines and the ship blew up.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26This is an emergency flooding system.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29If you were in charge of this magazine, and sparks came down,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32you could flood this magazine.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34But if you look at the cogs here...
0:43:35 > 0:43:39..they connect to a rod and a wheel that goes up through the decks.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41So it's possible to do exactly the same,
0:43:41 > 0:43:44flood this magazine from above.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Were there any cases of that, say, at the Battle of Jutland?
0:43:47 > 0:43:50There is a case where an injured officer,
0:43:50 > 0:43:52his legs have been blown away,
0:43:52 > 0:43:56the last thing he does is order the magazine beneath him to be flooded.
0:43:56 > 0:43:57That actually saved the ship.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Other ships at Jutland were blown to smithereens.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06The 12 intense hours of battle took its toll on both sides.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09A total of 14 British ships were sunk at Jutland,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12and took the lives of over 6,000 men.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17German losses were less, with 11 vessels and 2,500 men.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23In fact, reports from German newspapers
0:44:23 > 0:44:24just two days after the battle
0:44:24 > 0:44:27claimed they'd defeated the Grand Fleet.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29The British population were shocked,
0:44:29 > 0:44:33and Jellicoe was criticised for allowing the Germans to escape.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36But by the 7th of June
0:44:36 > 0:44:38details of the German casualties became clearer
0:44:38 > 0:44:42and they realised they couldn't sustain such losses in the future.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44Thus they ended their forays into the North Sea,
0:44:44 > 0:44:46which was a victory for the British.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54In fact, both sides claimed victory at the Battle of Jutland,
0:44:54 > 0:44:56and it's still a topic of debate to this day.
0:44:58 > 0:44:59But one thing was clear.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02It changed naval tactics,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05bringing the end to full-scale battleship warfare
0:45:05 > 0:45:06in the First World War.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14It's now March 2016,
0:45:14 > 0:45:17and there are only two months to go until the opening.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20It might look quiet on the outside,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24but under the protective covers the contractors are busier than ever.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28Almost every area on the ship is currently being worked on
0:45:28 > 0:45:30as they push towards the finish line.
0:45:38 > 0:45:39It's the final countdown.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42We have seven weeks to go, now, until 31st May.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50It's a hive of activity out there.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53The volume of contractors we have on board at the minute,
0:45:53 > 0:45:54we have three separate teams.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58We're doing the last pieces of installation of furniture
0:45:58 > 0:46:02at the moment, and the final painting. The decking's going down,
0:46:02 > 0:46:05and we've all the internal fit-out happening as well,
0:46:05 > 0:46:08in terms of light fittings, alarm systems, fire safety.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14We've made quite a bit of progress in the last month alone.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18I'm a little bit more comfortable now in terms of
0:46:18 > 0:46:20being able to have all of the works completed.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25I mean, that was the key risk to the entire project,
0:46:25 > 0:46:27that we wouldn't get it done in time.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34We're not there yet, but we're on track and we're on programme,
0:46:34 > 0:46:36which is good news for me.
0:46:48 > 0:46:49For the last two years,
0:46:49 > 0:46:51the team have been working furiously towards a deadline,
0:46:51 > 0:46:53and now it looks like it's within reach.
0:46:53 > 0:46:55And we're getting a sneak preview of the inside
0:46:55 > 0:46:58before she's officially revealed to the public.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03Yeah, she looks all wrapped up like a Christmas present.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05It's like a secret!
0:47:06 > 0:47:10'Jonathan is showing us around and our very first stop is
0:47:10 > 0:47:12'the busiest area on the ship...'
0:47:13 > 0:47:14Oh, wow.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16'..where the team are laying the new deck.'
0:47:16 > 0:47:19- Amazing.- Look at all that, matey!
0:47:19 > 0:47:21How many people have you got doing the decking?
0:47:21 > 0:47:24There's about 50 joiners at the moment, working in four different areas on the ship,
0:47:24 > 0:47:28so we've got about 20 up here and 20 up at the back
0:47:28 > 0:47:30and the rest are on the two waists.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32Can't get over how much activity is going on here.
0:47:32 > 0:47:37Yeah, well, once the guys finish the waists they'll then move to the aft.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40The aft will be finished, then the whole team will move to the fore.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Most of this timber will actually be installed
0:47:43 > 0:47:47by the end of next week and then everything else falls behind that.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50What about guns? This is where the guns are, where are they?
0:47:50 > 0:47:53Yeah, we're actually going to install the guns over here.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56It looks like you've still got a lot of things to put back on top
0:47:56 > 0:47:58when you eventually finish the decking.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01Exactly, well, this is an example of one of the gun plates.
0:48:01 > 0:48:02This is all original.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05Yeah, these are the original gun mounts for the 4" guns
0:48:05 > 0:48:07that would have been on the ship back in the day.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09When you actually get the deck finished
0:48:09 > 0:48:11and start putting the guns in, you start dressing it,
0:48:11 > 0:48:12it becomes a warship.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15Yeah, exactly, that's going to add the wow factor to the ship.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17At the moment we've got all the painting done,
0:48:17 > 0:48:19and we're finishing the decking.
0:48:19 > 0:48:21As soon as we add the guns, it's going to give it the X factor.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26With a surface area of 780 square feet,
0:48:26 > 0:48:2743 tonnes of wood,
0:48:27 > 0:48:31and a crew of 40 men working around the clock for six weeks,
0:48:31 > 0:48:35decking is the single biggest job left for the team.
0:48:35 > 0:48:36Only when it's finished
0:48:36 > 0:48:38can the scaffolding and large covers on the top
0:48:38 > 0:48:40finally be removed.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43It's been a while since I was last on board,
0:48:43 > 0:48:45and it's starting to look really impressive.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48The guys are going to be working hard to the very last second
0:48:48 > 0:48:50to get it finished in time.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56As I walk around the ship,
0:48:56 > 0:48:59it's hard not to be impressed by the dedication of the teams
0:48:59 > 0:49:02who've been working tirelessly day and night
0:49:02 > 0:49:05to get HMS Caroline ready to open to the public.
0:49:05 > 0:49:10The range of jobs being undertaken simultaneously is just mind-blowing.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13And one of the most simple-looking tasks
0:49:13 > 0:49:16is the traditional process called caulking.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18- Jason? Hiya, I'm James. - How are you doing?
0:49:18 > 0:49:20How are you doing? What's going on here?
0:49:20 > 0:49:22This looks like a massive job.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24Yes, it's massive.
0:49:24 > 0:49:25What's happening?
0:49:25 > 0:49:28We're caulking the decks, so we're sticking oakum,
0:49:28 > 0:49:30which is hemp impregnated with oils,
0:49:30 > 0:49:33in-between the seams to tighten all the planks up,
0:49:33 > 0:49:35take any movement out,
0:49:35 > 0:49:37then we'll put pitch over the top of it,
0:49:37 > 0:49:38which will make it watertight.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42Looks like a very manual... hard graft to get this done.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45- Is this something they would've done 100 years ago?- Exactly the same.
0:49:45 > 0:49:50The amount of decking I've seen on HMS Caroline is quite significant.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53- About 6,000 metres. Six kilometres?! Yes.- Whoa. How much have you done?
0:49:54 > 0:49:58Well, about 20 metres a day. Per group.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02- So you'll be finishing at Christmas time?- I think we've got a month.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06Right, OK, so with that deadline in mind, teach me how to help,
0:50:06 > 0:50:08and I'll have a go, that'd be great.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10- You start with a knife iron.- Yeah.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13And so you want to put the oakum into the seam.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19I'm just imagining the number of hammer blows
0:50:19 > 0:50:22to do the whole of HMS Caroline must be thousands.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24Thousands and thousands.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27- And then you get a fatter iron just to harden it up.- Right.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29And make it nice and tight in there.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34I think you're deliberately making this look easy.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37- Go on, then, let's have a go. - Have a go!
0:50:37 > 0:50:41- OK. So I'm on to the thinner one to tuck it in.- That's right, yep.
0:50:45 > 0:50:47Jason, this is pretty tough.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50I'm just looking at the amount of hammer blows to do all of this.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53So, I reckon I'll try and do at least, I don't know,
0:50:53 > 0:50:55- ten metres for you.- OK.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57- I'll regret that, won't I?- Race?
0:50:57 > 0:50:59Race?! I'm not going to race you, no way!
0:50:59 > 0:51:00THEY LAUGH
0:51:03 > 0:51:07Although there's still an enormous amount of work to do above deck,
0:51:07 > 0:51:10down below, many areas are finished.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13The old drill hall has been transformed into
0:51:13 > 0:51:15an audio-visual theatre.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17The public bathrooms installed.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20The original kitchens restored.
0:51:21 > 0:51:25And the private quarters of the officers are nearing completion.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30But there is one space in particular that we are very excited to see.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35This is the captain's flat we're entering into.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38This space here he actually shared with the chief surgeon
0:51:38 > 0:51:39and the chief engineer.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41You'll see that he has his own kitchen.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44- He's got his own kitchen? - Yeah, he's got his own kitchen.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47- So they've got pretty small cabins. - They've got pretty small cabins,
0:51:47 > 0:51:49but if you follow me, you can see the rest as they are.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51Wow! It's spacious, isn't it?
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Yeah, I mean, this is his actual living area, living quarters.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56Next door we've got his bedroom,
0:51:56 > 0:52:00and on ahead then there's his bathroom, with his own bathtub.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Captain's got a very luxurious space, hasn't he?
0:52:02 > 0:52:04It's a pretty nice little en-suite, actually.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06Yeah, he's got his own en-suite.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08Next-door is his dining room.
0:52:08 > 0:52:09Decent quality of life.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12Yeah, exactly. He is the captain of the ship
0:52:12 > 0:52:14so he does get the best accommodation.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Can we see how the rest of the shipmates lived?
0:52:17 > 0:52:20I'm curious if the crew got this much space.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23Yes, we'll go and show you where the junior rates lived.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25I could live there quite happily.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27- What, there?- Yeah.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34Our next stop will be the location of the public cafe
0:52:34 > 0:52:35once the ship's opened.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39It's the very same area that the crew on board HMS Caroline
0:52:39 > 0:52:41would have sat in at mealtimes.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45It's obviously the restaurant.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48Yeah, this is actually the junior rates' mess
0:52:48 > 0:52:50and we've reinterpreted it as that.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52So, you can see all the bench tables,
0:52:52 > 0:52:55and the idea was that all the tables were collapsible,
0:52:55 > 0:52:58so at night the tables would be folded down
0:52:58 > 0:53:01and they'd have slung hammocks to the hammock hooks in the ceiling.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03How many people?
0:53:03 > 0:53:07Well, you could have had up to 40 people using this space at night.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08These are really close together.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Sort of crammed in, like sardines, actually.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14It could have been less than a foot between you and your fellow officer.
0:53:14 > 0:53:15So, unbelievable.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19I'm trying to imagine this place with lots and lots of hammocks.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21- And all these people in there. - Very different to the captain's.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24Well, I mean, when you look at the officers' accommodation
0:53:24 > 0:53:26and compare it to the captain's accommodation,
0:53:26 > 0:53:27it's totally different.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29This is all but done, isn't it?
0:53:29 > 0:53:31Yeah, this area is complete,
0:53:31 > 0:53:36the end at the forward is basically for hammock and table storage,
0:53:36 > 0:53:39and we just have to basically do some set dressing in here.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41They've got their own individual lockers.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44Yeah, we've remanufactured the lockers
0:53:44 > 0:53:48to represent the lockers they would have had at the Battle of Jutland.
0:53:48 > 0:53:49So these are an exact replication.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53I can't imagine how it'd have been when it was hanging with hammocks.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56The idea, as well, of, like, 100 years after Jutland,
0:53:56 > 0:53:58having people back in here eating again,
0:53:58 > 0:54:01that buzz and that noise when visitors fill it. It'll be special.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05Yeah, what you see now is actually what it was like at Jutland.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08Before we got to start doing the refurbishment,
0:54:08 > 0:54:11it was all covered over with woodchip, wallpaper.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14We remember that! I remember knocking down some up on deck.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16We actually took a lot of stuff off the ship
0:54:16 > 0:54:20and revealed the true nature of the vessel.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Fabulous. It looks fabulous.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25I would like to see you get up in a hammock as well.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27LAUGHTER
0:54:27 > 0:54:29I'm not built for a hammock.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35My dad may not have been comfortable in a hammock,
0:54:35 > 0:54:37but I'm intrigued to know what it must have felt like
0:54:37 > 0:54:40for Caroline's junior mates to sleep shoulder to shoulder,
0:54:40 > 0:54:42crammed into the mess hall at night.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47For a junior rate, life at sea would have been at very close quarters,
0:54:47 > 0:54:50crammed into hammocks like these just a foot apart.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53There's definitely a lot more space in one of the personal cabins
0:54:53 > 0:54:56that the officers had, and I have to say, in high seas,
0:54:56 > 0:54:59I wouldn't like to be in one of these, rocking.
0:54:59 > 0:55:00But it is quite comfy.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09Finally, a moment I've personally been waiting for.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12Jonathan is taking me into the heart of the ship,
0:55:12 > 0:55:14to Caroline's engine room.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17The expertise that's gone into restoring
0:55:17 > 0:55:19these enormous engines is remarkable.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23These are the jewels in Caroline's crown,
0:55:23 > 0:55:26and for me, the most amazing part of the ship.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Jonathan, it's been a while since I've come down here,
0:55:31 > 0:55:33and the engine blocks are all still looking amazing,
0:55:33 > 0:55:35and this walkway's new. What's going to happen in here?
0:55:35 > 0:55:38What we're doing here is we're installing a walkway
0:55:38 > 0:55:41so that the visitors who come to visit the ship can actually get
0:55:41 > 0:55:44down here so that they can actually view the Parsons turbine engines
0:55:44 > 0:55:46that would have driven Caroline.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49The scale of the engines are enormous, they are super powerful.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51Are you going to finish them off, or is this it?
0:55:51 > 0:55:53What you see now is we've actually taken
0:55:53 > 0:55:5627 different layers of paint off the engines,
0:55:56 > 0:56:00and sort of revealed them now in the form that you see,
0:56:00 > 0:56:03and we're now going to Waxoyl the engines,
0:56:03 > 0:56:06and that'll be an ongoing conservation project.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08What's the experience going to be like for people
0:56:08 > 0:56:10when they actually come down here,
0:56:10 > 0:56:12how are you going to convey the power and the noise?
0:56:12 > 0:56:15The experience is going to be special.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19We're going to project images onto the engines and the condensers,
0:56:19 > 0:56:21as well as the sounds in the background,
0:56:21 > 0:56:22just to make it really atmospheric.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24You know, you're going to get
0:56:24 > 0:56:28that sort of dark, eerie, special... atmosphere down here.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30And with all the sounds playing in the background,
0:56:30 > 0:56:32it's really going to make the area feel special.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35Engine block. People don't want to see a paint job,
0:56:35 > 0:56:37- they want to see HMS Caroline's power.- Yeah.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40These are the only engines of this type left in the world,
0:56:40 > 0:56:43so, yeah, we want to show them off as best we can.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46I'm pretty aware that the walkway needs to be completed.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48Thanks for giving me the tour, but we should probably move on.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50- I think we should move on.- Yeah.
0:56:53 > 0:56:54Over the last 100 years,
0:56:54 > 0:56:59HMS Caroline has been on a long and ever-changing journey.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01She has faced many battles,
0:57:01 > 0:57:03many uncertainties about her future,
0:57:03 > 0:57:05but she has remained undefeated.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09Her transformation has been a fascinating
0:57:09 > 0:57:12and often very challenging process,
0:57:12 > 0:57:15and it's now almost complete.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17Her forgotten glory has been restored,
0:57:17 > 0:57:19and now her future is secure.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23After years of work on this century-old ship,
0:57:23 > 0:57:26it's going to be fantastic to see all of the elements come together,
0:57:26 > 0:57:30and to be revealed in an incredible attraction here in Belfast.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33HMS Caroline is going to be here for at least another 100 years!
0:57:34 > 0:57:38Yes, another amazing feat of shipbuilding for Belfast.
0:57:38 > 0:57:39Just three years ago,
0:57:39 > 0:57:42she was doomed, and set to leave this city for ever.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46Now she's primed to take her place in Belfast's historic naval tour.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48We've got Nomadic. We've got Titanic Belfast.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51But there's nothing in the world like HMS Caroline.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53The sole survivor of Jutland...
0:57:54 > 0:57:56..and now restored to her former glory!