QE2 Stairways and Lifts

[Bob C.]

OK, I'll bite.  What the dust bowl?  The sports deck?

[ship pro]

The  "DUST BOWL" (crew nickname) was the open area between the nursery and that staircase on sports deck.(now sun deck)

[Bob C.]

I assume this was for passenger use?  The only other stair case I am aware of that goes up to the nursery on the Sports/Sun Deck was on the Boat Deck, starboard side just aft of D Stairway.  I don't believe there were any passenger lifts that went up there.

[Bob C.]

I seem to remember deducing the solution to this while poking around down there during WTD drill the last day at sea in April 08. The way the watertight doors came through that section of Five Deck, if the stairs didn't go around, there would be no way for the passengers on Five Deck there to get out -- the C/E (can't remember which way the whole thing was) was blocked by one door, and the main D lobby blocked by the other. Thus, in an emergency, the odd staircase would allow those staying in those cabins to escape.

It was such a lovely quirk, though, especially as it was so narrow and twisting...and not something everyone knew about...

With the new additions to RMSQUEENELIZABETH2.COM come interactive 1969 arrangement drawings of 8 thru Quarter Decks.  On 5 Deck you can see the arrangement of the fire tight and watertight doors that necessitated the need for the odd stariway layout.  Here is the direct link - http://www.rmsqueenelizabeth2.com/map/decks4_5/4deck.html

As QueensFan said above, "It was such a lovely quirk..." and it still is!

[Scott Ebersold]

With the new additions to RMSQUEENELIZABETH2.COM come interactive 1969 arrangement drawings of 8 thru Quarter Decks.  On 5 Deck you can see the arrangement of the fire tight and watertight doors that necessitated the need for the odd stariway layout.  Here is the direct link - http://www.rmsqueenelizabeth2.com/map/decks4_5/4deck.html

As QueensFan said above, "It was such a lovely quirk..." and it still is!

This totally fascinates me and I have to say I can't quite remember the 5 deck landing of this stair tower.  I've looked at the pictures, I've looked at the deck plans and I'm still confused.  Can you someone really break this down in super layman's terms.  Maybe lay it out in one big post with pics and drawing?  I think it would be great to document, not only for me but for other readers. 

[Bob C.]

Scott, I'll do my best.  The best way to see this is to refer to the D Stairway photos on posts 5, 6 and 7 here - https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2296.0.html.  Also use the photos in post #13 here - https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,63.0.html.  It will also be helpful if you have this link open in an adjacent window - http://rmsqueenelizabeth2.com/map/decks4_5/4deck.html.

The D Stairway stairs from 3 to 4 Deck continue spiraling on the port and starboard sides as they do from 1 Deck down to 3 Deck except that there are no lifts, colored ballustrades and no open center (see post #5, 4th photo).  Once the stairs land on 4 Deck there are three ways to proceed down to 5 Deck but, again, no lifts.  Two staircases are very narrow, are mirror images of each other and are right at the bottom of the port and starboard landings at 4 deck (see post #13, 3rd photo).  The 3rd way is just forward of the landing and is a "normal" width.

First, the two narrow, mirror image staircases.  At the bottom step at the 4 Deck landing you are facing inboard and the opposite stair "tower" coming down from 3 Deck (post #6, 1st photo).  Turning to face aft (turning left coming down the starboard side stairs and right on the port side) you will proceed aft down a thin, approximately 3 1/2 ft wide stairway to an intermediate landing on "4 1/2 Deck" (post #6, 2nd photo) where the stairs turn 90 degrees to face outboard.  Continuing down the last half deck, these stairs land at the port and starboard main passageways on 5 deck (post #6, 4th photo).

The third route is a bit more difficult to explain.  Landing again at 4 Deck you are facing inboard (post #6).  For an excellent perspective, click on the D Stairway on 4 Deck on the virtual tour here - http://maritime.elettra.co.uk/qe2/.  When the interactive photo opens you will be facing forward with the above two decribed small stairways to your back and the two stairways decending from 3 Deck to your left and right.  Turning 90 degrees at the landing of the 3-4 Deck stairway or proceeding forward in the virtual tour photo, walk forward a few feet and you will find a "normal" width stairway on your left proceeding down and outboard to port.  That stairway also has an intermediate landing at 4 1/2 deck, turns 90 degrees to the left to face aft and lands in an athwartship's (side to side) passageway connecting the port and starboard 5 Deck main passageways just forward of the two small 5 Deck, D Stairway landings (post #7, 1st and 3rd photo - same photo, slightly different angles).

D Stairway in review: normal stairs with lifts, ballustrades and open centers from 1 to 3 deck, spiraling staircases with essentially the same width from 3 to 4 Deck with no lifts, open center or ballustrades, then three separate staircases from 4 to 5 Deck.  The two mirror image staircases leading down and aft are right at the 4 Deck landing, about 3 1/2 feet wide, turn outboard at an intermediate landing half way down and wind up in the port and starboard main passageways on 5 Deck.  The third staircase is a yard or two forward of the 4 Deck landing, proceeding down and outboard to port, turns aft (90 degrees to the left) half way down and lands in a cross passageway.

Hopefully that clears things up for you.  Let me know if you have any questions.

[Scott Ebersold]

Thank you, Bob.  That was very comprehensive.  What's perfectly clear is that I will have to go onboard again soon to finally get to the bottom of this mystery for myself!

[Bob C.]

Thank you, Bob.  That was very comprehensive.  What's perfectly clear is that I will have to go onboard again soon to finally get to the bottom of this mystery for myself!

Amen, brother!

[Bob C.]

Lets talk about ship lift construction.  I have a video about the construction of the Voyager of the Seas and it shows how full elevator rails and supporting structure were hoisted and insterted into the awaiting shaft (at least one of them got stuck half way in due to misalignment  ).  I did a cursory look on YouTube but did not find anything on the subject.

Does anyone know if QE2's elevator shafts were built this way or were they perhaps built in place, piece by piece and deck by deck?  I would assume that regardless of the construction method that the lift cars were hoisted and lowered in from the top of the shaft prior to the remaining deck stucture and decls being added.  That was probalbly pretty early for Stairway C and F lifts.


 

[Rod]

Bob,
Elevators are prefabricated. All the bits of an elevator car can go through the deck landing  openings.

[Bob C.]

Even in 1967/68?

[Jeff Taylor]

I can't speak of ships, but when we build a building the alignment of the elevator rails is so critical that they would never be installed "floor by floor".  It would be a nightmare to get them aligned that way.  They would be added after the shaft was built and then shimmed as necessary and bolted and welded into place.

[Rod]

Even in the 60's elevators were prefabbed. The elevator guide rails were added as a deck or 2 were added. They were put in place and tied down. After the whole shaft was completed they were lined up and secured. When the ship was floated, because obviously it would bend differently from when it was in dry dock, the rails were re-aligned. When new bits, like the Penthouse suites were added re-alignment would take place again.
Remember...a ship flexes at all times because of the sea, the temp, movement of the ocean, the loading of the fuel/water tanks etc. It is not a concrete and steel building.

[Bob C.]

Remember...a ship flexes at all times because of the sea, the temp, movement of the ocean, the loading of the fuel/water tanks etc. It is not a concrete and steel building.

I remember several times seeing elevators that stopped between decks.  I'm betting that the flexing of the elevator/lift shafts had somethingto do with that.

[cunardqueen]

Any truth in that if you were in the lifts and you pressed the button and held it in you would bypass the decks in between and travel uninterrupted to the deck you requested..?
Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didnt...