HMS Warrior's figurehead goes north for restoration in 1985
HMS Warrior’s two-and-a-half ton figurehead left Portsmouth to be fitted to the giant Victorian ironclad which would be a feature of the Portsmouth Naval Base maritime heritage complex.
The stern-faced Roman warrior, minus its sword, looked quite undignified as it was lifted by crane on to a low-loader for the journey to Hartlepool, where Warrior was being restored at a cost of £5m.
Watched by the lord mayor, John Marshall, and by Maldwin Drummond, chairman of the Ships’ Preservation Trust, the Roman warrior set off on the long road to the north-east.
Work on the restoration had been in progress for four-and-a-half years.
Mr Drummond said: ‘The restoration on Warrior is coming along marvellously.’