QE2 build photos

[Waverley]

Thought I would send in this old photo of QE2 at the shipyard. It was taken on the 2nd August 1968. Not much remains of the shipyard now. Only one of the large cranes as a tourist attraction.  Does anyone else have similar photos?

[Andy F]

Waverley - If not already done so, check out the following link, which contains a great series of photographs from the build/launch era:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/archives/exhibitions/qe2/qe2photogallery1/

Rgds

Andy

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thought I would send in this old photo of QE2 at the shipyard. It was taken on the 2nd August 1968. Not much remains of the shipyard now. Only one of the large cranes as a tourist attraction.  Does anyone else have similar photos?

Very sadly, just what remains of the shipyard, the very place that was extended for QE2's bulbous bow :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2921599347/

It was such a poignant visit -- but it is wonderful to have seen the place of her birth!

Read more about the extended fitting out basin on this topic:
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,6042.0.html

[Waverley]

Enjoyed watching "Contract 736"

Posting a photo of the QE2 just after being launched. Interesting to see the list to starboard on the old Clyde paddle steamer due to the spectators.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Another wonderful photo that brings history to life. So well done.

[Mauretania1907]

I would call Queen Mary der Grosse a liner(think of Kaiser Wilhelm der grosse, both king and ship) to see the background to my nickname. I don't like to call her QM2. Would call her Quen Mary 2, as the first Q Mary still exists, but the letters 'belong" to QE2
OK, Q Mary2 is a liner, but a modern one, not in the classic mold. Her propulsion units, her hull shape (and I still have to set eyes on her stern) her upperworks are too radically different to QE2 and her predecessors to put her into their class. QE2 was herself a radical difference from Lusitania, Mauretania and ships of that era. Naval architecture has changed and changed again. At least Q Mary 2 LOOKS as if she could take on the North Atlantic at its worst. Q Vicky dosn't. I think she would have to run around a storm (or run away screaming)

[highlander0108]

Impressive research!  Well done!!

In that case i'm going to assume it was for QE1, which I presume was the longest ship they ever built there ?  There's another question for you to find the answer to!

Hi Rob!  Great Forum.  We visited the Titan Crane in October while on the Final Farewell Cruise and our tour guide, who used to work in the yard I believe, stopped the bus just in front of the brick lined notch in the pier.  He had commented to us that this modification was done for Queen Mary so she would not hang out too far into the channel and that she was the largest ship they had constructed at the time.  I have a series of great photos of the area and I need to get them on my host site and post the link.  It was a beautiful clear day, October 5th, 2009 and it was sad to see basically nothing remains of the once great yard.

KenM

[Andy F]

I would call Queen Mary der Grosse a liner(think of Kaiser Wilhelm der grosse, both king and ship) to see the background to my nickname. I don't like to call her QM2. Would call her Quen Mary 2, as the first Q Mary still exists, but the letters 'belong" to QE2
OK, Q Mary2 is a liner, but a modern one, not in the classic mold. Her propulsion units, her hull shape (and I still have to set eyes on her stern) her upperworks are too radically different to QE2 and her predecessors to put her into their class. QE2 was herself a radical difference from Lusitania, Mauretania and ships of that era. Naval architecture has changed and changed again. At least Q Mary 2 LOOKS as if she could take on the North Atlantic at its worst. Q Vicky dosn't. I think she would have to run around a storm (or run away screaming)

Interesting post there Mauretania1907. You've hit the nail on the head insofar as Queen Mary 2, like her venerable sisters before her, is a liner and therefore designed to withstand whatever the North Atlantic can throw at her, whereas QV is designated a cruise ship. 

Incidentally, have you seen the pictures of QV's maiden T/A in tandem with QE2 from Jan 08?  If so then this perfectly illustrates the difference between the 2. Personally speaking, I would only want to do T/A on Queen Mary 2 but that's only my opinion.

As for Queen Mary 2's unique stern, Chris comments about this in more detail elsewhere on the forum but this should give you an idea https://www.flickr.com/photos/andyfitzsimmons/2901864370"

[Mauretania1907]

 :)Thankyou for lovely series of photos, especially QE2, but I must say I think QMary2 is also impressive. I want a close up look at her and am counting the days to her second arrival in Auckland. She came in 2007 and was greeted with huge crowds, but did not come last year. 8 days to go. I reserve judgement til then.

[Andy F]

Thanks Mauretania and pleased you liked them. While we can all agree that there will never be another QE2, from my own experience, I can honestly say I like Queen Mary 2.  I had a great time aboard her last year and will defintely return soon but I can accept she will not be everyone's cup of (Afternoon) tea. Unlike her newer sister, she is individual and unique and in my opinion at least, certainly a most impressive and worthy successor to QE2.  Tempting as it might be though, do not compare her with QE2 for she is her own ship with her own identity, just as our much loved QE2 is/was.   

[Waverley]

Museum photographs. Have a look, a few interesting views but I have not worked out how to enlarge them

Follow link below and enter QE2 in search box:
www.scran.ac.uk

or follow this link to QE2 photos

[Stowaway2k]

very nice, thanks.

[Rob Lightbody]

they're great, thanks!!

[KEV]

Great views-many that I haven't seen before. Love the old Scammell? lorry

[NairB]

Absolutely wonderful thread....the photos are amazing

Can I ask the folks that visited the yard recently, when you look out onto the Clyde and when the tide is low, there are two slipways next to each other. The first one is closest to the fitting out quay and the other further along. There is a tribute Commemorative plaque above the slipway thats furthest away stating that was the slipway that launched the Queens BUT is that correct? Was it not the slipway "closest" to the fitting out quay???

Maybe I got it wrong as it was dark and raining when I visited but this has been on my mind since and seeing the photos in this thread seems to verify what I am wondering.

Have the Clydebank Council got the Commemorative plaque on top of the wrong slipway?  See the two links below to get an idea what I mean.

I need to go back and check this as it is now bugging me LOL 

http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/archives/exhibitions/qe2/qe2photogallery4/aerialviewofshipno7361/

http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/archives/exhibitions/qe2/qe2photogallery4/aerialviewofshipno7362/

-NairB