Sir Alexander Grantham
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Sir Alexander Grantham (葛量洪號) was a fire boat for the Fire Services Department (Hong Kong). The fireboat was named after former British colonial Governor Sir Alexander Grantham. The boat has since retired from service and been replaced by other vessels.
On 10th March 2006, the fireboat was successfully hoisted into its new permanent home in the Central Concourse of Quarry Bay Park, Hong Kong, where it has been converted into the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery and was opened to the public as a museum in 2007. In addition to the fireboat itself, the Gallery houses a number of multimedia exhibits on the vessel's history and on firefighting in Hong Kong.
3D Laser Scanning Technology in digital recording of structures was applied to capture the 3D images of the structure.[1]
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[edit] Public Display
Leisure & Cultural Services Assistant Director for Heritage & Museums of Hong Kong, Mr. Gerard Tsang, said lifting a 500-tonne historic boat onto land is the first project of its kind ever conducted in Asia. Fireboat Alexander Grantham is also the first boat preserved as a historic relic in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Museum of History's largest 'Made in Hong Kong' collection item, he said.
The landing of the Alexander Grantham marks the end of 50 years of service in Victoria Harbour, though the vessel remains on the waterfront in its new role. Construction of the exhibition gallery was performed with assistance from the Architectural Services Department and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department of Hong Kong.
The museum is open daily except Tuesdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. It is also closed on the first two days of the Chinese New Year.
DIRECTIONS: To get there, take Exit E from the Tai Koo MTR station, walk through City Plaza and then cross the footbridge to the Quarry Bay Park. The walk takes about 10 minutes.
You can also go to Sai Wan Ho MTR Station. Take Exit A and then head west via the Hong Kong Film Archive to Quarry Bay Park. This walk takes about 10 minutes also.
[edit] A showcase of HK's sea salvage history
Fireboat Alexander Grantham, the largest in the fleet of fireboats, was built by the Hong Kong Whampoa Dock Company Limited in 1953 and decommissioned in May 2002, after 49 years of service.
Measuring 38.9 metres long, 8.8 metres wide, 15 metres tall and with a loaded displacement of 511 tonnes, it has taken part in numerous fire-fighting and rescue operations, including the Seawise University fire in 1972, the Eastern Gate fire in the 1980s and the New Orient Princess fire in 1993.
Alexander Grantham is also a great example of the local shipbuilding industry's achievements in the early 1950s. It showcases Hong Kong's sea salvage history of the past century and provides a glimpse of the city's social development.
[edit] References
- ^ How surveyors use 3D Laser Scanning Technology in digital recording of structures,The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (issued on 17 January 2007)
