Visiting the Denny Tank in Dumbarton yesterday, the Culture Minister announced £249,000 capital funding for urgently needed restoration and repairs.

Michael Russell was at the Scottish Maritime Museum's Dumbarton site to see first-hand the challenges it faces in maintaining its large estate, and to unveil a very rare new exhibit.

The Scottish Maritime Museum operates three sites which, between them, tell the story of Scotland's maritime history. At the Denny Tank site, the buildings are an important part of that story with the Tank itself recognised as the world's first commercial model test tank.

The funding will ensure these buildings continue to be part of the story. It will fund structural repairs to the Denny Tank and surrounding buildings, including reroofing the Tank; double glazing and insulation to make buildings weathertight and reduce energy costs; and, a rewire of the whole site to bring it up to modern electrical safety standards.

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The grant will also fund a lift in the Linthouse building at the Museum's Irvine site, allowing development of a mezzanine storage floor.

Mr Russell also unveiled a rigging drawing, annotated by Hercules Linton - designer of the Cutty Sark. The item, recently donated to the Museum, is an incredibly rare, signed example of his work.

Culture Minister Michael Russell said: "Unfortunately the problems of building degradation are all too common across Scotland's industrial museums - reflected in the urgent funding I provided to the Mining Museum earlier this year. That is why we are exploring options for securing a sustainable future for these important collections.

"I established the Museums Think Tank to begin the process of addressing the challenges facing the whole sector and to consider what a national policy for Scotland's museums should look like. One of the areas I have asked this group to consider is the precarious existence of the industrial museums. I look forward to hearing the group's recommendations and to presenting a draft national policy on this very important matter next year."

Sam Galbraith, Chairman of the Scottish Maritime Museum Trust, said the funding of the work at the Denny Tank gives a major boost to the dedicated team who work all year round to maintain the building.

"On its construction, the Tank demonstrated that Scotland was leading the world in the use of science and research to produce better ships. As the last surviving element of the William Denny Shipyard, the Denny Tank is of great local significance and the collections it holds are of international importance," she added.

The Scottish Maritime Museum's three sites are 'Clydebuilt' at Braehead; the 'Denny Tank' at Dumbarton; and the Harbourside, Irvine.

(GK/KMcA)