A reminder of a giant which once graced Hartlepool's docks

The enormous boiler room on board HMS Warrior

And while HMS Warrior may now be a full-time resident of Portsmouth, she looks like the majestic giant she is thanks to an eight-year restoration programme in Hartlepool.

Here are five rarely seen views of Warrior which were taken shortly before she left town for her journey south to her permanent home.

Some of the scenes show the completed restoration work including the giant boiler room which was vast and breathtaking.

Hartlepool Mail photographers also captured these views of the main deck, galley, and workers putting the finishing touches to the ship.

The 380ft long armoured frigate became a remarkable sight as she was transformed back to her best by a talented restoration team.

The Warrior’s restoration started when the Maritime Trust took over the ship’s control and transformed her from the oil jetty she had become back into the ship which had once been the might of the Royal Navy.

The funnels make a dominant sight in this view of the deck of the ironclad giant.

Warrior’s story actually started in 1859 when the ship was ordered in response to France building an ironclad warship.

It was 40 years ago this year that another major part of the ship’s history unfolded. That’s when Warrior began her 800-mile journey to the Coal Dock at Hartlepool for restoration.

Were you one of the people who worked on Warrior and can you remember these scenes?

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