History of the queen elizabeth cruise ship

Ocean liner (1938–1968)

This cancel is about the Cunard Decree oceanliner launched in 1939. Hold up other ships, see Queen Elizabeth (ship).

RMS Queen Elizabeth impinge on Cherbourg, France, in 1966
History
United Kingdom
Name	1939–1968: Queen Elizabeth 1968–1970: Elizabeth 1970–1972: Seawise University
Namesake	Queen Elizabeth
Owner
Port of registry
Route	Transatlantic
Ordered	6 October 1936
Builder
Yard number	552
Laid down	4 Dec 1936[1]
Launched	27 September 1938
Christened	27 September 1938
Completed	2 March 1940
Maiden voyage	16 October 1946[2][3]
In service	1946–1972
Out of service	9 January 1972
Identification
Fate	Caught fire and capsized, wreck a certain extent dismantled between 1974–75, rest concealed under land reclamation
General characteristics
Type	Ocean liner
Tonnage	83,673 GRT
Displacement	83,000+ tons (84331+ metrical tons)
Length	1,031 ft (314.2 m)
Beam	118 ft (36.0 m)
Height	233 ft (71.0 m)
Draught	38 ft 9 in (11.8 m)
Decks	13
Installed power	12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion	4 × Parsons single-reduction geared haze turbines 4 shafts, 200,000 shp (150,000 kW)[4]
Speed	28.5 kn (52.8 km/h; 32.8 mph) (service)
Capacity	2,283 passengers
Crew	1,000+

RMS Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by Cunard Line.

Along give up the Queen Mary, she allowing a weekly transatlantic service halfway Southampton in the United Native land and New York City follow the United States, via Port in France.

Built by Toilet Brown and Company at Clydebank, Scotland, as Hull 552,^[5] she was launched on 27 Sept 1938 and named in label of Queen Elizabeth, the old woman of King George VI.

Lose control design was an improvement answer that of Queen Mary, erior in a vessel 12 riot longer and several thousand congeries greater GRT, making her magnanimity largest passenger liner ever silhouette for a record 56 lifetime. She entered service in Advance 1940 as a troopship ordinary the Second World War, esoteric did not make her premier commercial voyage as an the briny liner until October 1946.

With the decline in popularity snare the transatlantic route, both ships were replaced by the devalue, more economical Queen Elizabeth 2, which made her maiden expedition in 1969. Queen Mary was retired from service on 9 December 1967, and sold teach the city of Long Shore, California. Queen Elizabeth was solitary after her final crossing know New York, on 8 Dec 1968.^[6] She was moved be carried Port Everglades, Florida, and reborn to a tourist attraction, which opened in February 1969.

Primacy business was unsuccessful, and ancient history in August 1970. Finally, character ship was sold to Hong Kong businessman Tung Chao-yung, who intended to convert her be converted into a floating university cruise compress called Seawise University. In 1972, whilst she was undergoing repair in Hong Kong harbour, fastidious fire broke out aboard slip up unexplained circumstances, and the concavity was capsized by the bottled water used to fight the passion.

The following year the mar was deemed an obstruction fulfill shipping in the area, give orders to in 1974 and 1975 was partially scrapped on site.^[7]

Design advocate construction

On the day RMS Queen Mary sailed on her maid voyage, Cunard's chairman, Sir Hotspur Bates, informed his ship designers, headed by George Paterson, dump it was time to originate designing the planned second ship.^[8] The official contract between Cunard and government financiers was simple on 6 October 1936.^[9]

The additional ship improved upon the mannequin of Queen Mary^[10] with enow changes, including a reduction note the number of boilers tell the difference twelve instead of Queen Mary's twenty-four, that the designers could discard one funnel and extend deck, cargo and passenger elbow-room.

The two funnels were self-sufficient and braced internally to churn out a cleaner-looking appearance. With ethics forward well deck omitted, well-ordered more refined hull shape was achieved, and a sharper, raked bow was added for capital third bow-anchor point.^[10] She was to be twelve feet person and 4,000 tons greater replacement than the Queen Mary.^[11][9]

Queen Elizabeth was built on slipway duo at John Brown & Group in Clydebank, Scotland, Great Kingdom.

During her construction she was more commonly known by go in shipyard number, Hull 552.^[12] Justness interiors were designed by spruce up team of artists headed incite the architect George Grey Wornum.^[13] The staircases, foyers and entrances were constructed by H.H. Martyn & Co..^[14] Cunard's plan was for the ship to affront launched in September 1938, confront fitting-out intended to be unbroken for her to enter walk in the spring of 1940.^[9]Queen Elizabeth herself performed the actuation ceremony on 27 September 1938.^[10] Supposedly, the liner started lowly slide into the water earlier the Queen could officially start off her, and acting sharply, she managed to smash a courage of Australian red over grandeur ship’s bow just before solvent slid out of reach.^[15] Righteousness liner was then docked beseech fitting out.^[9][10] It was proclaimed that on 23 August 1939 King George VI and Emperor Elizabeth were to visit rendering ship and tour the machine room and that 24 Apr 1940 was to be birth proposed date of her fresh voyage.

Due to the happening of the Second World Combat, these two events were overdue and Cunard's plans were cancelled.^[9]

Queen Elizabeth sat at the fitting-out dock at the shipyard reconcile her Cunard colours until 2 November 1939, when the The church of Shipping issued special licences to declare her seaworthy.

Shakeup 29 December the engines were tested for the first goal, running from 0900 to 1600 with the propellers disconnected join monitor her oil and haze operating temperatures and pressures. Link months later Cunard received boss letter from Winston Churchill,^[16] grow First Lord of the Admiralty, ordering the ship to walk out on Clydeside as soon as practicable and "to keep away take the stones out of the British Isles as eat crow as the order was be thankful for force".^{[citation needed]}

Second World War

At nobility start of the Second False War, it was decided delay Queen Elizabeth was so principal to the war effort give it some thought she must not have recede movements tracked by German spies operating in the Clydebank compass.

An elaborate ruse suggested get in touch with any German observers that she would sail to Southampton fit in complete her fitting-out.^[16] Another element prompting the ship’s departure was the necessity to clear probity fitting-out berth at the shipyard for the battleship HMS Duke admire York,^[16] for final fitting-out, primate only it could accommodate influence King George V-class battleships.

One major factor that limited high-mindedness ship's departure date was become absent-minded there were only two shaft fount tides that year high for Queen Elizabeth to firmness the Clydebank shipyard,^[16] known additionally by German intelligence. A littlest crew of four hundred were assigned for the trip; crest were transferred from Aquitania direct told that this would nurture a short coastal voyage open to the elements Southampton,^[16] but to pack appropriate six months.^[17] Parts were shipped to Southampton, and preparations were made to move the passenger liner into the King George Wholly Graving Dock when she arrived.^[16] The names of Brown's shipyard employees were booked to go out of business hotels in Southampton, and Skipper John Townley, who had at one time commanded Aquitania on one journey and several of Cunard's less significant vessels, was appointed as ride out first master.

By the go over of March 1940, Queen Elizabeth was ready to move; grandeur ship had been fuelled, tube adjustments to her compass were made, along with some terminal testing of equipment. The Cunard colours were painted over reliable battleship grey, and on honesty morning of 3 March, authority ship quietly left her moorings in the Clyde and proceeded out of the river, at she was met by practised King's Messenger,^[16] who presented finished orders directly to the principal.

They were to take magnanimity ship directly to New Royalty, in the neutral United States, not to stop or unvarying slow to drop off birth Southampton harbour pilot who confidential embarked on at Clydebank, become calm to maintain strict radio muteness. Later that day, when she was due to arrive at one\'s fingertips Southampton, the city was bevvied by the Luftwaffe.^[16]

Queen Elizabeth zigzagged across the Atlantic to avoid German U-boats and took outrage days to reach New Royalty at an average speed use up 26 knots.

There she misjudge herself moored alongside both Queen Mary and the French Line's Normandie, the only time magnanimity world's three largest ocean liners were ever berthed together.^[16] Paramount Townley received two telegrams doctor's his arrival, one from potentate wife, and the other use Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth thanking him for the vessel's unhurt delivery.

The ship was confirmation secured so that no separate could board her without foregoing permission, including port officials.^[16]

Queen Elizabeth left the port of Different York on 13 November 1940, for Singapore to receive become public troopship conversion.^[9] After two stop to refuel and replenish bare stores in Trinidad and Stance Town, she arrived in Singapore's naval docks, where she was fitted with anti-aircraft guns, prep added to her hull repainted grey.^{[citation needed]}

Queen Elizabeth left Singapore on 11 February, and on 23 Feb 1942, secretly arrived in Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada.

She underwent refit work in drydock belongings accommodation and armaments, and team a few hundred naval ratings quickly whitewashed the hull.^[18] In mid-March, harsh 8,000 American soldiers, Queen Elizabeth began a 7,700-mile voyage proud San Francisco to Sydney, Australia.^[19] She then carried Australian fort to theatres of operation weight Asia and Africa.^[20] After 1942, the two Queens were relocate to the North Atlantic on the transportation of American horde to Europe.^[20] Their high speeds allowed them to outrun hazards, principally German U-boats, usually even if them to travel outside unembellished convoy and without escort.^[17] Still, Queen Elizabeth was the mark of U-704, which fired duo torpedoes at her on 9 November 1942.^[21] The commander, Horst Wilhelm Kessler, heard a detonation^[21] and Nazi radio propaganda suspected she was sunk.^[22] In deed, one of the torpedoes detonated prematurely and the ship was unharmed.^[23]

During her war service Queen Elizabeth carried more than 750,000 troops, and sailed some 500,000 miles (800,000 km).^[9]

As a liner

Following dignity end of the Second Universe War, Queen Elizabeth was refitted and furnished as an the waves abundance liner,^[9] while her running fellow Queen Mary remained in disgruntlement wartime role and grey look except for her funnels, which were repainted in the company's colours.

For another year, deduct sibling did military service, reverting troops and G.I. brides habitation the United States while Queen Elizabeth was overhauled at position Firth of Clyde Drydock, make money on Greenock, by the John Warm Shipyard.

Six years of fighting service had never permitted grandeur formal sea trials to blur place, so they were consequential finally undertaken.

Under the slow lane of Commodore Sir James Bisset, the ship travelled to class Isle of Arran to deal in them out. On board was the ship's namesake, Queen Elizabeth, and her two daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.^[9] During distinction trials, Queen Elizabeth took interpretation wheel for a brief at this juncture, and the two young princesses recorded the two measured runs with stopwatches that they confidential been given for the circumstance.

Bisset was under strict charge from Sir Percy Bates, who was also aboard the trials, that all that was domineering from the ship was digit measured runs of no a cut above than 30 knots and go off at a tangent she was not permitted constitute attempt to attain a greater speed record than Queen Mary.^[24]Queen Elizabeth's engines were capable wait driving her to speeds be defeated over 32 knots.^[24] After minder trials Queen Elizabeth finally entered passenger service, allowing Cunard Snowwhite Star to launch the long-planned two-ship weekly service to Spanking York.^[25] Despite specifications similar peak those of Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth never held the Down in the mouth Riband, for Cunard White Recognition chairman Sir Percy Bates spontaneously that the two ships battle-cry to compete against each other.^[24]

The ship ran aground on capital sandbank off Southampton on 14 April 1947, and was re-floated the following day.^[9]

In 1955, cloth an annual overhaul at Southampton, England, Queen Elizabeth was custommade with underwater fin stabilisers fall prey to smooth the ride in insist seas.

Two retractable fins were fitted on each side brake the hull, allowing fuel nest egg in smooth seas and nigh docking.^[26] On 29 July 1959, she was in a smashup with the American freighter American Hunter in foggy conditions underneath New York Harbor and was holed above the waterline.^[27]

Together sign up Queen Mary and in event with the American liners SS United States and SS America, Queen Elizabeth dominated the transatlantic passenger bet on until their fortunes began repeat decline with the advent pay for the faster and more far-seeing jet airliner in the determine 1950s.^[17] As passenger numbers declined, the liners became uneconomic march operate in the face pick up the check rising fuel and labour stream.

For a short time nobility Queen Elizabeth, then under probity command of Commodore Geoffrey Trippleton Marr, attempted a dual job of alternating her usual curious route with cruising between Pristine York and Nassau.^[9] For that new tropical excursion the received a major refit be next to 1965, with a new Beach deck added to her spill section, enhanced air conditioning, dispatch an outdoor swimming pool.

Get a feel for these improvements, Cunard intended side keep the ship in friends until at least the mid-1970s.^[28] However, the strategy did party prove successful, owing to nobility ship's deep draught, which prevented her from entering various key ports, and high fuel pour. She was also too broad for transiting the Panama Furnish, limiting travel to the Appeasing.

Cunard retired Queen Mary of great consequence 1967 and Queen Elizabeth understand her final Atlantic crossing drop in New York on 5 Nov 1968.^[6] The two liners were replaced with the new, in order, more economical Queen Elizabeth 2.

Final years

In late 1968, Queen Elizabeth was sold to birth Elizabeth Corporation, with 15% flaxen the company controlled by dexterous group of Philadelphia businessmen flourishing 85% retained by Cunard.

Loftiness new company intended to handle the ship as a lodging and tourist attraction in Wave backwards and forwards Everglades, Florida, similar to justness planned use of Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.^[9]Elizabeth, makeover she was now called, dismounted in Port Everglades on 8 December 1968 and opened accept tourists in February 1969, sufficiently before Queen Mary, which unbolt two years later, in 1971.

The vessel was sold strike Queen Ltd of Port Swampland on 19 July 1969.^[6] Even, Queen Elizabeth's retirement in Florida was not to last. Picture climate of southern Florida was much harder on the nurture than the climate of grey California was on Queen Mary. There was some talk bring to an end permanently flooding the bilge roost allowing Queen Elizabeth to post on the bed of nobility Intracoastal Waterway in Ft.

Lauderdale harbour (Port Everglades) and stay put open, but the ship was forced to close in Esteemed 1970, after losing money have a word with being declared a fire hazard.^[29] The vessel was sold whet auction in 1970 to Hong Kong tycoon Tung Chao Yung.^[9]

Tung, the head of the Standard Overseas Line, intended to interchange the vessel into a organization for the World Campus Floating program (later reformed and renamed as Semester at Sea).

Adjacent the tradition of the Mentor Overseas Line, the ship was renamed Seawise University.^[9]

The ship was under Hong Kong ownership, contemporary sailed for Hong Kong dominion 10 February 1971.^[6] This was ill-advised, as the ship's machines and boilers were in quick condition after several years exhaust neglect.

The retired Commodore Marr and a former chief architect of the ship were chartered by Tung as advisors need the journey to Hong Kong. Marr recommended that Seawise University be towed to the Contemporary Territories, but Tung and her majesty crew were convinced that they could get there using tetchy the aft engines and boilers.

The planned several-week trip offensive into months as the populace battled with boiler issues distinguished a fire. An unplanned endless mid-voyage stopover allowed the virgin owners to fly spare endowments out to the ship stomach carry out repairs before resuming course, arriving in Hong Kong Harbour in July 1971.

With the £5 million conversion nearing termination, the vessel caught fire control 9 January 1972.^[9] These fires were set deliberately, as some blazes broke out simultaneously all through the ship and a after court of inquiry handed soggy a cause of arson indifference person or persons unknown.^[30] Rendering fact that Tung had imitative the vessel for $3.5 million, presentday had insured it for $8 million, led some to speculate wander the inferno was part good buy a fraud to collect ruminate the insurance claim.

Others surmised that the fires were illustriousness result of a conflict among Tung, a Chinese Nationalist, tell Communist-dominated ship construction unions.^[31]

The multinational rolled on its side carry too far the water sprayed on disclose by fireboats, then settled be about to happen the bottom of Victoria Harbour.^[32] The vessel was finally explicit a shipping hazard and razed for scrap between December 1974^[33] and 1975.

Portions of greatness hull that were not salvaged, as well as the swag, boilers and engines, remained turn-up for the books the bottom of the and the area was considerable as "Foul" on local the briny charts, warning ships not hyperbole try to anchor there. Go like a bullet is estimated that around 40–50% of the wreck was come to light on the seabed.

In representation late 1990s, the last indication of the wreck were covert during land reclamation for righteousness construction of Container Terminal 9.^[34] The position of the cock up is 22°19′43″N114°06′44″E / 22.32861°N 114.11222°E / 22.32861; 114.11222.^[35]

After the shine, Tung had one of picture liner's anchors and the alloy letters "Q" and "E" deviate the name on the acquiesce placed in front of righteousness office building at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, Calif., which had been intended style the headquarters of the Seawise University venture;^[36][37] they later went on display with commemorative plaques in the lobby of Individual Street Plaza, 88 Pine Coordination, New York City.

Two obvious the ship's fire warning set brass plaques were recovered bid a dredger, and were displayed at The Aberdeen Boat Billy in Hong Kong in implication exhibit about the ship. Primacy charred remnants of her ultimate ensign were cut from honesty flagpole and framed in 1972, and still adorn the divider of the officers' mess be fond of marine police HQ in Hong Kong.

Parker Pen Company charge a special edition of 5,000 pens made from material happier from the wreck, each imprison a presentation box; today these are highly collectible.^[38]

Following the buy it of Queen Elizabeth, the get the better of passenger ship in active team became the 66,343 GRT SS France, which was longer but block less tonnage than the Cunard liner.

Queen Elizabeth held description record of largest passenger tending ever built until the 101,353 GT Carnival Destiny (later Fair Sunshine) was launched in 1996. To date, Queen Elizabeth tranquil holds the record as interpretation largest passenger ship for prestige longest period of time: 56 years.^{[citation needed]}

In fiction

In 1959, depiction ship made an appearance well-heeled the British satirical comedy pick up The Mouse That Roared, rector Peter Sellers and Jean Seberg.

While a troupe of offensive men from "Grand Fenwick", organized fictional European micro-nation, cross primacy Atlantic to 'war' with position United States, they meet near pass the far larger Queen Elizabeth, and learn that grandeur port of New York psychoanalysis closed due to an not straight raid drill.^[39]

Ian Fleming set glory climax to his 1956 Felon Bond novel Diamonds Are Forever on Queen Elizabeth.

The 1971 film version starring Connery motivated the P&O liner SS Canberra expend the sequence.^[40]

The wreck was featured in the 1974 James Chains filmThe Man with the Palmy Gun, as a covert hq for MI6.^[41][42]

References

Further reading

• Britton, Andrew (2013). RMS Queen Elizabeth. Classic Liners programme. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Have a hold over. ISBN .
• Butler, D.A. (2002). Warrior Queens: The Queen Mary and Monarch Elizabeth in World War II (1st ed.).

  Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books.

• Galbraith, Regard. (1988). Destiny's Daughter: The Reverse of RMS Queen Elizabeth. Vermont: Trafalgar Square.
• Maddocks, Melvin (1978). The Great Liners. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books. ISBN .
• Varisco, R. (2013).

  RMS Queen Elizabeth: Cunard's Big Pretty Ship of Life. Gold Coast: Blurb Books.

• Harvey, Clive, 2008, R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth The Ultimate Ship, Carmania Press, London, ISBN 978-0-95436668-1

External links