In 2009, a series of photographs of the ship Duke of Lancaster revealed the result of the project that aimed to transform it into a tourist attraction, which had clearly failed.
The images, released by 28dayslater, a website dedicated to urban exploration and photographs of abandoned places, showed that everything that had been installed inside the ship, including the famous arcadeshad been exposed and neglected for quite some time.
The arcades, which at one time may have been a dream come true as the ship’s main attraction, were now unprotected and weathered.
A new home for arcades
The photographs taken inside the Duke of Lancaster caused a significant stir among arcade enthusiasts. One such aficionado was Oliver Moazzezi, an active member of the UKVAC (United Kingdom Video Arcade Collectors) forum, a virtual space dedicated to arcade game collectors and enthusiasts.
After seeing images of abandoned arcades, Oliver became determined to acquire and rescue these video game gems.
Driven by the possibility of preserving a bit of gaming history, Oliver decided to contact the ship’s owner, hoping to negotiate the purchase of the arcade games and give them a new home. However, this endeavor was not easy, and months passed before he received a positive response.
“I spent eight months trying to contact the owners of the place. I finally got in touch with them in January 2011. […] So in February 2011, two other collectors and I drove for what seemed like forever until we reached our destination,” Oliver said.
More challenges
After successfully establishing contact with the owners of the abandoned arcades inside the Duke of Lancaster, Oliver Moazzezi faced a new and challenging surprise.
Upon inspecting the games, he discovered that many of them had come into contact with water, likely due to the time they had been exposed on the ship. This discovery presented an additional obstacle to the rescue and restoration of the arcade games.
After negotiations, an agreement was reached between the seller and Oliver, establishing a price for the purchase of the arcade games. In addition, a deadline of 10 days was established for the removal of the parts from the ship. Thanks to Oliver’s enthusiasm, the entire operation was filmed and can be watched.
More about the Duke of Lancaster
The Duke of Lancaster is a historic ship located in Mostyn, Wales, United Kingdom. Originally built in 1956 as a passenger ship for the Cunard Line, she was named “Duke of Lancaster” in honor of the noble title held by the British monarch.
The ship was designed to provide passenger and vehicle services between the United Kingdom and Ireland. She had the capacity to accommodate over 1,200 passengers and approximately 200 vehicles. During her time in service with the Cunard Line, the Duke of Lancaster was considered a modern and luxurious ship.
However, in 1979, the ship was withdrawn from passenger service and sold to a businessman who planned to turn it into an entertainment centre. The Duke of Lancaster was taken to the town of Mostyn and moored in the River Dee, where she underwent extensive refurbishment to become a tourist attraction.
Of course, we now know some of the outcomes of this restoration.
