Historic Connah’s Quay built ship honoured in new coastal path sculpture

Flintshire’s coastline is getting one step nearer to its own sculpture trail with the latest artistic addition on Dock Road, Connah’s Quay.

Local business GJ Maintenance Engineering teamed up with Flintshire Coastal Rangers to commission, design, build, and install the latest piece of work on the rapidly growing Flintshire coastal attraction.

The latest sculpture is based on the Connah’s Quay built Kathleen & May a trading schooner which worked along the British coastline, carrying a variety of cargoes between Liverpool, Cardiff, Ireland and Scotland, later she featured in the BBC series the Onedin Line.

@WalesCoastUK the latest addition to our sculptures on the coast path in Flintshire. Kathleen & May at Connah's Quay pic.twitter.com/gTTrPSIpvK

— countryside ranger (@cariaddotcom) February 11, 2015

Councillor Aaron Shotton , Leader of the Council, and local ward member, said:

“This is going to be a wonderful addition to our trail of sculptures. Based on the Kathleen and May, the historic ship which was built on Dock Road, Connah’s Quay, and which featured on the Onedin Line, this scale model has been built from stainless steel by apprentices at GJ Maintenance Engineering and it will sit proudly on the foreshore on the Wales Coast Path.”

Gary Jackson, owner of GJ Maintenance Engineering Limited, said:

“We are immensely proud of being able to make this piece for the coastal community, Flintshire and Wales. This is a quality apprentice piece constructed in spare time between jobs. Full credit goes to Gareth Phillips, one of our five apprentices, for his work. We hope it will be appreciated for years to come in this great historical setting.”

”Like the estuary, the Kathleen and May sculpture is designed to look different at different times of the day subject to light and tide conditions,” said Gareth.

The artwork is being installed by Marland Marine and the Quay Waterman’s Association. Deeside Waterski Club have opened up their premises for the launch.

Mike Taylor, Senior Coastal Ranger added

“It’s a wonderful piece with intricate details such as ropes, masts and rigging. It’s positioned at a key point on the Wales Coast Path – Dock Road, where over 13,000 people will pass it each month. Other sculptures along Flintshire’s coast include Saltney’s Interactive History Trail by Mike Johnson; Bagillt Dragon Beacon by the Carlyles; Saltney Sid, The Salmon Fisherman, Greenfield Dock Cockershell, Greenfield Boy and Bettisfield Bob by Mike Owen; the Lighthouse along Talacre Coast Road and the gateway sculpture at Talacre Beach.”