QE2 in Photos - 1969, 72, 74 (best early photos ever seen!) + stairways & lifts

[Andy F]

Thanks Rob and Bob and agree, some great shots there from a bygone era.  Groovy baby, yeah!

[Mauretania1907]

WHO is the 2-stacker in the lead photo. Is that the United States? Actually alive? That in itself is a historic shot and the ones of QE2 brand-new are just the cat's whiskers. Many, many thanks

[Bob C.]

Yes that is the Big U and Michelangelo on the other side and I was taken back by those ships being in my photos as well (1. because they are historic and still in operation and 2. because I am really getting old!).  Not sure if I posted the one with SS France - as the SS France and not Norway - but she was running on opposite schedules with QE2 back then.  In other recent scans I've yet to post is the Rotterdam and Cunard Princess and/or Countess.  I'm enjoying looking back on these photos knowing there is a personal tie with the past as opposed to just seeing pictures in a book - its a big thrill.

[highlander0108]

Thanks for posting.  It is fastinating to see the early years.  Interestingly, one can see that from the 1974 bow shot, that there was already problems with the aluminum superstructure.  You can see plating added to the corners of the Upper Deck rectangular windows.  Comparing that photo to recent ones I have taken, the windows have been infilled, yet the reinforcement at the corners remains.  Also, it is hard to tell, but there is something resembling a crack in the upper right in one of the windows.  I am curious to find out when the large horizontal band of plating was added as seen here, below the Upper Deck windows.

[Malcolm]

Comparing that photo to recent ones I have taken, the windows have been infilled, yet the reinforcement at the corners remains. 

I can't answer your comments about the reinforcement but I do wonder why the windows were blocked up. I had always assumed that the windows looking out over Boat Deck that had been blocked up had gone when they remodelled Double-Up to introduce shops instead of a lounge but I am finding it very risky to just assume anything with that ship!

[Bob C.]

mrkpnh, I think you are asking about the windows in the above picture that are blocked up.  This was done as part of the 1972 refit to expand the galley that was on Quarter Deck to serve the Britannia/Tables of the World/Mauretania restaurant.  Prior to this the galley on Q deck served all restaurants but the facilities were found to be lacking.  There used to be an escalator that ran from the Britannia restaurant down to the Q deck galley - I remember riding on it as part of a tour - very cool.  The solution was to convert the Lookout Bar into another galley and as part of the conversion the windows were blocked and the "mystery box" was installed. 

Its really a shame, the Lookout Bar was very nice and was in keeping with the tradition of QM and QE's foward lounges. 

[Malcolm]

The solution was to convert the Lookout Bar into another galley and as part of the conversion the windows were blocked and the "mystery box" was installed. 

I knew about the conversion of the Lookout Bar; I just hadn't thought of it having side windows It was a great pitty there was no forward view on the QE2 except for two suites and that short walkway under the Bridge.

[Rob Lightbody]

and the "mystery box" was installed. 

Its really a shame, the Lookout Bar was very nice and was in keeping with the tradition of QM and QE's foward lounges. 

Here's my SUSPICION (No Proof).  The lookout bar front windows werent strong enough to withstand the bashing they were going to take over 30 years on the Atlantic - hence the ultra-strong looking Box.  If the side windows on upper and Quarter decks have been suffering fatigue cracks etc for well over 20 years, can you imagine what the front windows would have been like?  How would the lookout bar have faced when confronted with the 95 foot rogue wave, that crashed over the bridge 30 feet above it...  The "box" isn't even all that big.

I think this is the true explanation for the "box", but I have no proof of it whatsoever.

[Bob C.]

Very good and logical theory Rob.  I've often thought about what would have happened if a large wave crashed over the bow with the Look Out Bar configuration given a few bow wave videos I've seen on youtube of QE2 and other ships.  I'm sure it would have taken out a few or more windows and trashed the bar.  There would most likely have been passengers there too -yikes!  Perhaps the covered windows were enough to handle the rogues and the mystery box served to break up a full "flat panel" impact.  Given the deck plan of the box, I really don't see much added functionality unless critical accesses were needed between U and Q decks in that location (like the garbage chute?). 

[Bob C.]

I've uploaded more photos from 1969 which show a lot of good stuff ranging from the Double Up Room with no shops in it, pools and other public rooms including a good shot of the Lookout Bar.  Here's the link. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33120597@N03/sets/72157616250526148/

[Stowaway2k]

What a perfect day to post more photos! 

I think many of your photos are better than what has been published in the many QE2 books.

Thanks for inviting the public to view them.

[highlander0108]

Great photos!  Interestingly, I did not notice this at first, but the bow shot, photo 17, shows a third anchor chain leading to the bow anchor coming of the starboard capstan.  Groovy color brown color scheme too!

[Malcolm]

I think many of your photos are better than what has been published in the many QE2 books.

Agreed. I never tire of seeing pictures of that ship and the ways in which she changed over the years.

[Rob Lightbody]

These
Photos
Are
Stupendous!!

As a life-long QE2 nutter, these are definitely the best early photos of QE2's interiors i've EVER seen.  Bruce Peter would have died to have these in his recently published QE2 book.

Will post more tomorrow but the double-up room especially looks amazing, the coffee bar too, she was stunning when new.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I so agree!

Your father was a remarkable man. At a time when we were using film, and when every picture was precious and expensive, it would have been normal for him to concentrate on just a few family pictures of the voyage... But here he was, taking photos of the ship and her details, like any enthusiast of her final years (who would have been working in disposable digital pictures) ...

And then, he committed his precious slides to the postal services... and you reproduced them for us... huge thanks to him and to you     !