Scale 1:48. A full hull model of the ‘Wendur’ (1884) a four-masted iron ship. A modern model constructed in the builder’s style, it is decked, fully equipped and rigged with a full suit of sails set. The ‘Wendur’ was built by Charles Connell & Co., Glasgow for A. Mackay & Co., Glasgow, and measured 292 feet in length by 42 feet in the beam with a tonnage of 2046 gross.

With the rise of the steamship in relation to speed and reliability, these large iron sailing ships were relegated to the more mundane tasks of carrying cargos such as wheat, coal, guano and other similar commodities. In its early years under the command of Mr Ramsey, the ‘Wendur’ was not recording any fast times. However, in 1884, Ramsey was succeeded by Mr F. R. Whitson who immediately began to break records. In the first year, he sailed from Fredrickstad, Norway to Melbourne in 81 days, beating the previous record held by ‘Loch Torridon’ by four days.

The failure of the Australian grain crop in 1896 caused the ‘Wendur’ to change to carrying coal, and later in its career this alternated between guano and wheat. In 1912 whilst on passage from Port Pirie to Plymouth, it was ordered to Swansea but at midnight on 12 March, it foundered after striking the Seven Stones reef near the Scilly Islands.