BAE apprentice, Denver, was given the honour of fitting the "king plank" - the final piece in the jigsaw.

The joints between the decking is "caulked" with cotton twine which is hammered tightly into place using a specialist "caulking iron".

The caulking process is completed by filling the joints with a waterproof sealant which is sanded down when fully cured.  One of the biggest problems Bill and Russ encountered was the low temperatures experiences during the refit.  The adhesive and the sealant needed temperatures of 5 degrees and rising over a sustained period.  Due to the fact they can only carry out major repairs when Gondola is out of the water for the winter it makes the work more challenging.

The planks are drilled then bolted onto the steelwork and the holes plugged.  The Iroko plugs are planed flat prior to sanding.