The QE2's Funnel

[Adam Hodson]

Thank you, Bob
As a matter of interest, does the 'squatty' bit of the funnel have any function?
Although it has a sleeve like appearance, I can't imagine what it does!
I've often tried to find out from books - and failed!
It must have a proper name - maybe something associated with its use....
Flagship's post# 4 -  is helpful, it uses the term cowling - but I'm still none the wiser as to its purpose!
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,3930.0.html
Hope all's well with you and yours
Rosie

Hi Rosie - When you say 'squatty bit' of the funnel are you referring to the red bit that sticks out at the back? If so I believe that is a vent for steam? Please take a look at the attached picture and you will see that there is steam coming out of the rear of the funnel. (Sorry it is very poor quality).

[Rod]

To go to Adams pic....the "squatty bit" I do like that description, we used to call it " the red bit"
does indeed have a task.
To hide stuff!.
As you can see from Adams pic, there is steam blowing off, thats a "no-no" BTW.
All the steam safety valves used to vent up there. The gap between the "SB" and the rest of the funnel was there for 2 reasons.
At the base of the funnel you had wind scoops, that at speed, would accelerate the flow of air upwards to blow all boiler gasses up...with the ships speed, these should combine to take the noxious, acidic gasses away from the ship and the corrosion caused,by them.....Also not too many pax would be gassed!
The gap between the "SB" and the boiler vent aided this and also acted as a cooler for the boiler gas.


Jeez a whole post about gas!

[Adam Hodson]

Thanks for your reply Rod. When you say the steam was a no-no, does that mean it is not supposed to come out there? Unless in an emergency when the safety valves were triggered?

[Rod]

Safety valves should only go off in an emergency, or for annual testing.
If  a sudden reduction in speed was called for, they could go off if the MCR Engineer was not paying attention and ordering a reduction in burners.
Whenever safeties were "lifted" you ran the risk of them not closing properly with the attendant headaches that might bring!

[Adam Hodson]

Ah thanks for that information Rod.

[Brandon Sterkel]

The Funnel is by all means my favorite part of the QE2. The funnel makes QE2 more powerful and gives her a unique profile. I can never imagine QE2 without her funnel. Whenever I see someone wear the colors black and red, it always makes me think of her funnel! 

[Lachlan]

If it's of any interest, I came by two plans of QE2's funnel showing in the first one the internal arrangement in the new funnel of exhaust gas flues and in the other the lifting arrangements for the old funnel when it was removed.

I hope they'll attach but they're in PDF form and I'm not sure if that's allowed. I came by these plans when I asked Lloyd Werft if they had any plans from when they re-engine the ship and the helpful response was these two plans and a detailed GA drawing.

The exhaust uptakes certainly fill the available space in the new funnel; it appears to have been quite a feat of engineering that the new funnel wasn't larger than it turned out to be. 

[cunardqueen]

Brandon, Heres a few more pics of the famous Funnel...

[Brandon Sterkel]

Wonderful up close pictures of the funnel, Myles!
Thank you for posting them!

[Willum]

There was a permanent ladder inside the funnel, you could get right to the top where there were numerous outlets not just the boilers. I used to climb up to the lower door at the top of the red section where there was an anchor point for the ships mail aerial that occasionally needed attention. Wonderful view from up there but you had to breathe carefully as it was hot and stank of sulphur.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

There was a permanent ladder inside the funnel, you could get right to the top where there were numerous outlets not just the boilers. I used to climb up to the lower door at the top of the red section where there was an anchor point for the ships mail aerial that occasionally needed attention. Wonderful view from up there but you had to breathe carefully as it was hot and stank of sulphur.

There is a wonderful thread here, photos and all, from the day Michael Gallagher went all the way up inside the funnel :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,1745.0.html

[Thomas Hypher]

About  cleaning and maintaining and servicing inside the pipes of the funnel...

On a calm day - there was a bit of a sooty smell up on the sun / funnel deck,
and at times, it seemed like viewing the sky with yellowy brown tinted sun-specs - the smoke trailing aft, above her wake!!

It must have been really difficult/ impossible to do any work up and down the pipes whilst the engines were running...?!
Chimney sweeping rods wouldn't be long enough - were there 'windows' for access?

Hi Rosie,

Digging up the archives again haha. QE2's funnel didn't need to be manually "chimney swept" as she had exhaust scrubbers or a mechanical system that appeared to use compressed air, that cleaned out all the dirt etc. I recall often hearing the scrubber/cleaning system when out on the aft decks. Unfortunately I have yet to find any video (and therefore audio) of this happening but have found several videos of the aft decks of QE2 while she was at sea on YouTube where one can hear the normal sound of the funnel and other systems. From what I remember the scrubber/cleaning system sounded like compressed air being forced up the exhaust pipes in a sort of whooshing sound that lasted for only a few seconds on each occasion.

Thomas

[Trevor Harris]

Is it possible, that some soot could have landed on the aft decks? I know the funnel was designed with this in mind to prevent that from happening but has it ever happened?

[Thomas Hypher]

Is it possible, that some soot could have landed on the aft decks? I know the funnel was designed with this in mind to prevent that from happening but has it ever happened?

Yes, soot and smuts did land on the aft decks as the scoop at the base of the funnel worked according to the prevailing wind direction and the speed of the ship. For example, when she was docked the scoop would be largely ineffective and depending on the wind direction the soot and smuts would end up on the aft decks. This is one of the reasons the crew had to hose down the open decks (particularly those at the stern) at least every morning around dawn. This hosing down happens on many other ships too having witnessed it on QM2 on the aft decks and on the boat deck among other open spaces. In fact I remember seeing soot and smuts on the aft decks of QE2 at times.

Thomas

[Michael Gallagher]

James Gardner was keen to place an enlarged golden figure of a lion rampant, the Cunard symbol, high up on the white funnel but found little support for the innovation so he would make sure that little golden lions rampant kept turning up on the desks of Cunard executives hoping that sooner or later they would get the idea and let him go ahead with his crowning touch.