WORK to rebuild Falmouth's historic Queen's Wharf is on schedule. The £4million scheme follows a devastating fire in early January. A&P Falmouth, the owners of the dockyard, say that the redevelopment is on target for completion in August.

The wharf was destroyed during a Force-9 overnight gale when it is thought that a halogen lamp blew over and ignited flammable material near a generator.

The 640ft pier was ablaze along its entire length within just ten minutes.

Work on its demolition began last month and the 130tonne crane, which toppled into the sea during the inferno, is expected to be raised within days.

The removal of that final obstacle will allow Plymouth-based civil engineers Seastructures to start construction on a new wharf.

The replacement will be slightly shorter and about 60ft wide. Although much the same size as its predecessor, it will have better facilities, including greater craneage.

The wharf will consist of 120 steel piles up to 85ft long which will be located adjacent to the old piles.

Work on the new concrete deck, on top of concrete beams, is scheduled to start in early June, with the finishing touches, such as crane rails, water, oxyacetylene, compressed air and electrical services, likely to be in place by late August.

The loss of the Queen's Wharf reduced A&P's available wharfage in the 75-acre dockyard by 40 per cent, but careful scheduling has ensured that the busy order book has been maintained to keep the yard's 600 employees in work.

Recent contracts included the £4million refit of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Oakleaf - which is being turned around in only 53 days and should leave the Carrick Roads at the end of next month - and a £1million-plus contract for the offshore survey vessel Laurentian.

Forthcoming contracts include the bulk carrier Highland Faith, which is currently moored in the Carrick Roads and will be coming into dry dock early next month for a replacement rudder to be fitted.

The major investment required to rebuild Queen's Wharf has been financed by A&P's insurers Zurich Commercial. Said A&P finance director Peter Child said: 'It's very much been a case of business as usual.'

Falmouth, the world's third deepest natural harbour after Rio and Sydney, is expecting 23 cruise liners to embark passengers this summer. Including tenants, the docks employ more than 900 people and supports a further 1,400 jobs in the local community.

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Dateline: Sunday, April 27, 2003