1930s steamship digitally documented by Glasgow School of Art

One of Scotland’s most famous turbine steamships has been digitally documented by specialists at the Glasgow School of Art.

Experts at the School of Simulation and Visualisation, part of Glasgow School of Art, scanned TS Queen Mary as she was dry-docked for the first time since 1997.

Using the latest laser scanning technology, one million harmless laser beams per second were fired at TS Queen Mary to create a precise 3D image. The image will be compared to future scans to monitor rates of decay or damage. The precise measurements can then be used to accurately repair and conserve the 1930s Clyde steamship.

The School of Simulation and Visualisation has been working with Historic Environment Scotland through the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation partnership to create 3D laser-scanned images of structures and sites of historic importance for the past ten years.

Alastair Rawlinson from the School of Simulation and Visualisation said: “TS Queen Mary struck a chord with us. It’s a ship of historical importance in the UK and right here on our doorstep. The first time she was dry-docked in almost twenty years was an unmissable opportunity for us to get down there and scan her.”

Charity Friends of TS Queen Mary is raising £2 million to restore the Scottish steamship, built by William Denny and Bros at Dumbarton in the 1930s.

Iain Sim, charity trustee, said: “It’s fantastic to work with such a well-respected art school to marry old with new. I’m sure the shipbuilders of the 1930s would be flabberghasted if someone had told them that in less than 90 years, we’d be sitting here firing lasers at her to make sure she’s preserved forever. It’s a real credit to the quality of engineering that went into her, and we want to preserve that.”

The 3D images will feature as part of an interactive exhibition planned for the ship once she is restored.

For more information and to donate, visit Friends of TS Queen Mary.