The QE2's Funnel

[Malcolm]

I still kick myself for missing out on the embarkation photos for both crossings.

Not those things taken as you board? Where you've been travelling for hours and arrive looking dishevelled? We've spent years avoiding being photographed then Was there anything special about the photos for the final crossings?

[highlander0108]

Due to the high resolution of the pics I took, I could zoom in and get a better view of the object in question.  It is defininitely a running light of some sort.  It looks like the running lights on the forward mast.  You can even see the wire to the fixture.  Has anyone ever seen these lit up?


From this enlargement of an old pic of the boiler room fire, you can see both this light and a bracket to attach aerials to as see in the previous pic of the original funnel design.  These lights were part of the original funnel and remainded when the funnel was cut apart and reworked for the re-engining.  The aerial bracket at some point was removed.

[cunardqueen]

Not those things taken as you board? Where you've been travelling for hours and arrive looking dishevelled? We've spent years avoiding being photographed then  Was there anything special about the photos for the final crossings?
 
 
 

Yes those photos, l cant even remember what they had on them something about Final Atlantic crossing just thought they would have been a nice addition to the album, over the years l must have bought every photo taken,not that lm vain you understand, l used to find it amusing in the photo shop having forked out for  a QE2 cruise then to choke on a souvenir photo.
 
Besides didnt you at least pause for a moment,before you arrived at the terminal, put on the finishing touches and compose yourself before the utter joy of checkin was about to start and the prospect of yet another superb QE2 voyage, l know l did

[Twynkle]

Where the  Funnel (main?) light is situated, it can be seen clearly in Rob's image in the Forum header - take a look above!

The light is on and visible in some of the images on the Flickr link below. 
These were taken on that sad, cold and utterly wretched night - 11.11.2008, 7 months ago today.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/watch_keeper/sets/72157621278375812/
 

[Rob Lightbody]

My best/favourite funnel photos :-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightbody/2788147430/ (night of full lunar eclipse, on the Med, Aug 08, with the astronomer, and all the sun deck lights turned out.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightbody/2834301042/



https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightbody/2788034768/



https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightbody/2788031036/



https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightbody/3107278227/



And in this final one, the funnel on the left is literally DAYS old, and on the right, it 21 years old.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightbody/2806922874/

[Twynkle]

Rob,
They are superb photos
The last two are a fascinating comparison,
and not only betwen the new and recent funnel - a lot of other things too.

 

[TDM99]

Very nice photos Rob !!!

I shoot on my only cruise last year 50 photos just over the QE2 Funnel (they best photos are on my blog) .
When i back home , i look my 1000 photos over this cruise .
And i search the special photo of : " Me " & the QE2 Funnel ...
But i search and search and found anything photo
Oh my god ; i forget to make this photo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So , this is my " only " photo with me (my fingers) & the QE2 Funnel .


<dead link removed>

Noel

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Picture by RinkRatz of the slim 1985 funnel, in red, with "Queen Elizabeth 2" written in Helvetica :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rinkratz/3710415504/

[citrail]

I think I still prefer the old funnel

Image not available

[Fairfield]

Old John Brown photo given to me of the original being fitted.

[Twynkle]

What an amazing photo.
Thank you for posting

[cos918]

here a good web site on the funnel run

John

http://travel.webshots.com/album/560353671ICAiWV?start=0

[Twynkle]

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?

[Bob C.]

Concur with the comments on QE2's classic funnel!  When developed, the funnel was a departure from all convention to date - truly an original innovation. 

With heights of cruise ships being constrained by the bridges they need to pass under and technology allowing for more real estate in the superstructure (remember QE2 added a deck with her "new" aluminum superstructure), funnel heights need to remain constant as the superstructure creeps higher making a squattier funnel which I think horribly detracts from the look of the ship if it is using a QE2 influenced design.

Also adding a QE2 funnel to a classic liner doesn't work as QE2's lines are forward leaning (wheel house, mast, funnel and her aft cascading decks to some extent) where her predecessors, including Normandie, leaned aft.   

QE2 is one of a kind and they truly broke the mold after they made her!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

QE2 is one of a kind and they truly broke the mold after they made her!

Very interesting comparison in this picture :



https://www.flickr.com/photos/albireo2006/5174307497/

With thanks to Albireo2006 in Malta.