A DEDICATED ex-marine radio officer has made a like-for-like model of Guglielmo Marconi's steam yacht 'Elettra' after three years of extremely hard work.
Peter Watkins proudly presented the model to nearly 500 visitors at "one of the best" Sandford Mill open days in recent years.
Following the Marconi Day event at the end of April, the ship will be on show for the museum's science discovery day on September 27.
"It's a very nice model of a very graceful yacht," said Geoff Bowles, Chelmsford Museum's curator of science. "He did an exact copy and all built from scratch.
"He swore he would have it ready on time and he did.
"If he hadn't had it on show we would have done it anyway and dared people to find the missing bits," Geoff joked.
The day, which included talks, tours and refreshments, all free of charge, coincided with the national Radio Officers' Association AGM at the Atlantic Hotel in Chelmsford.
In the afternoon, the association joined the crew at Sandford Mill.
