Historic Prince Olav Slipway to be reconstructed in Scalloway as wartime exhibit

Fishing boat JAKK, first boat on the slipway

The Shetland Bus Friendship Society (SBFS) and Scalloway Museum are pleased to announce that the Prince Olav Slipway Project is now 100 per cent funded. Getting to this stage has been a lot of work for the museum trustees, and we’re excited to share a little background to the project.
 
The slipway and cradle, originally constructed in 1942, are set to be reconstructed as a wartime exhibit for locals and visitors to enjoy as they uncover the Shetland Bus story in Scalloway.
 
At a meeting last week with local ship repair company Malakoff Ltd, SBFS instructed them to proceed with the reconstruction of the cradle and the refurbishment of the slipway. It has taken a lot of hard work to raise the money to fund the project. Almost half the sum was raised by our 'Friends in Norway', and the remainder has been wholly raised in Shetland, with the exception of a donation from The Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Trust.  
 
The reconstructed cradle and slipway refurbishment will capture a unique moment in the history of Shetland and Norway, and further strengthen the friendship between the two countries. It will also inform future generations of the endeavours of a wartime generation who did whatever was necessary to defend freedom. ​

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