There are many photos of paintings, plans of her engines, biographies of the principals plus a rather accurate drawing.
The drawings are done by Dr. Ewan Corlett, Principal Architect to the Project and are dead accurate. Drawn at 1:48 scale (1/4" = one foot), Corlett has not only drawn one side of the ship, he has had presence of mind to also draw the other, plus deck. plus masting and sail plan. Plans of the engines can also be obtained at The Project. My set of drawings were free as I am a pal of the Project and a pal of Ewan and have a very persisting nature.
"The Iron Ship" by Ewan Corlett 1975
Moonraker Press
26 St. Margaret's Street
Bradford-on-Avon
Wiltshire
UK
SBN 239.00112.5
Corlett's account of saving the GB from the Falkland Islands in 1969/70 plus her history. Many fine line drawings.
Delightful pictorial book as the title suggests. Bags of photos, line drawings and paintings from her conception right up to her death at Milford Haven.
I think the GP Project may have all these works and may even have drawings of
the Great Western. I think the:
The Science Museum
Exhibition Road
South Kensington, London
UK
may have a set of GW drawings.
The National Maritime Museum definitely has drawings of the Great Eastern as this is where I go mine from many years ago.
If you are contemplating building the trilogy, think of scale as you would
probably all like to build them the same. At 1:48 scale The GB works out at
about 7'9" and the GE about 14'5". I have been daft enough to build both
vessels at this scale and must warn you that you will need a house the size of
Taylor Towers to house them.. and this is on top of the building space. If you
want to build working models think about age and carrying them about to go
sailing with. The GE alone will need half a ton of ballast! I'm smart..(?) I
use lake water for ballast but it is still a logistical problem getting to the
water's edge plus in and out of the water.
{Mike Taylor}
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