The Bridge and the bridge wings

[Rob Lightbody]

What I like about QE2's bridge it is just that, a bridge, from one side to the other, supported at the sides, and you can walk under the sides.  Look at a ship 100 years or more ago, and thats what you'll see, and thats why its called the Bridge.

[Chris]

Mr B. That is a marvellous shot of QE2.

[highlander0108]

Gosh, I'm lost for words, she's gorgeous:

Mr. B,  thank you for a reminder of that glorious day.  My son and I were on the observation deck, as well as several other members of this board and it is great to see the ship from a different perspective.  To me, here's why the exposed bridge wings are so special.

[ancoaster78]

QE2 has the most impressive looking bridge of any ship ever, period.

As a child I was captivated by it, it somehow really took over the imagination, so powerful, purposeful and so so space aged, looked as much like a spaceship as a steamship to me as a kid, and I loved it for that all the more :-)

[jdl]

Couldn't have put it better myself - the QE2's bridge was both classic (any now probably considered old fashioned) with open bridge wings but also a modern update on it with its new-age styling.

You really have to hand it to the QE2's designers, almost every aspect of it has weathered the last 40 years rather well.

John

[Blue Bombay]

I had the chance to step out on them in the North Atlantic once with the ship doing 30 knots, what a feeling that was. 

Louis

[jdl]

I was also fortunate enough to visit the bridge in the late 80's before these trips were banned due to security. 

I also stepped out on the bridge wing whilst underway - no idea on the speed she was doing, but, its been a vivid memory of my teenage years for a long time. 

John

[Bob C.]

One of the most intriguing things was the wind diverter.  Worked very well.

Here's a few photos of the 1969 bridge.

[Twynkle]

QE2's bridge wings were impressive -
and as an 'extra' they offered welcome shelter on the observation deck from sometimes pretty heavy weather!

On another Cunarder, the bridge wings have a glass 'bit' of flooring as well as glass walls-
they could look down and we could see up!
Someone told me that each wing also contains all the monitors, a console and most other things that are necessary to 'drive' the ship.

It would be interesting to know what equipment was duplicated on the wings of QE2...eg - was it possible to manually control QE2 from her bridge wings?  

[Jem]

QE2's bridge wings were impressive -
and as an 'extra' they offered welcome shelter on the observation deck from sometimes pretty heavy weather!

On another Cunarder, the bridge wings have a glass 'bit' of flooring as well as glass walls-
they could look down and we could see up!
Someone told me that each wing also contains all the monitors, a console and most other things that are necessary to 'drive' the ship.

It would be interesting to know what equipment was duplicated on the wings of QE2...eg - was it possible to manually control QE2 from her bridge wings?  

This model I have on Virtual Sailor shows controls on each wing of the bridge, so I assume she could be controlled from these position. The model seems accurate as the 2 stern port holes are also on the model.

Cheers.

[Rob Lightbody]

[Bob C.]

Rob, when was your photo taken?

Looking at your photo of the bridge and mine from 1969, the only thing that has changed is the removal of the outboard box in my photo and the addition of the maneuvering control station in your's.  The inboard box and the pelorus (bearing taking compass repeater on the pedestal) remain.

[Rob Lightbody]

I think they were replaced in 1987 when the ship was re-engined - for example the variable pitch propellor controls.

[Rob Lightbody]

Has anyone here actually experienced the wind diverter while standing on a bridge wing, with the ship at speed?

If you lent forward, could you put your hand into the 'wall of air'?  I'm imagining it feeling like when you put a hand out of a car window at speed?   Better still, did anyone stand there when it was raining?  I'd imagine the wind diverter (is that the right name?) would keep the rain out of your face when standing there?

[Twynkle]

What I like about QE2's bridge it is just that, a bridge, from one side to the other, supported at the sides, and you can walk under the sides.  Look at a ship 100 years or more ago, and thats what you'll see, and thats why its called the Bridge.

And it joins port to starboard!

Rob, with reference to the 'wind diverter' - please, what did it look like - and where was it?
Was it part of the Bridge structure- i,e one on each side?

[Rob Lightbody]

Rosie, if you look at Bob's post (#10) above, you can see it.  Its a slot across the front of the wings, that then funnels air vertically upwards in front of anyone standing on the wing.  Its described in various books in more detail.

[Twynkle]

Rob - thanks!
On post No.5
Beneath the lamp, between the the 'flare'(?) and the cctv camera, directly under the railing...
There's a bit of metal casing - bent at 90 degrees,
I wonder, do you know more about what it's there for?

[highlander0108]

It is a protrusion that is on both bridge wings.  Here is a starboard shot of the bridge during docking manouvers in Liverpool.  Captain McNaught, staff captain Hamish Sunter, and the harbor pilot on a beautiful day. 

Is the lne for what looks like an EPIRB stowed in this area?  An EPIRB sends out a signal to a system of satellites that notify authorities that an EPIRB has been activated, which means a ship/boat is in distress.

[Imonlygoingforone]

They contain the man overboard lifebuoys, and are attached to smoke floats.

The EPIRBs are on the inside of the wing, about half way across, one on either side.

[Mauretania1907]

I have also visited the sacred enclaves of the bridge. I enquired of the Pursers' office if such a visit was possible and  got a personal, just me only, visit care of the Officer on watch, courtesy of Capt Bennell. O wonderful, especially to stand on the wing while the ship was crossing the Tasman Sea. I don't know her speed but this was just after her 'heart transplant' so she was in fine shape.

[skilly56]

Rob,
I had the opportunity to stand behind the windbreaks numerous times when doing better than 28-29 knots. They are very effective providing you keep your face about 6-12 inches back behind the wind break, but they definitely do NOT stop you getting wet when the stuff comes down.
Some ships have wind breaks that are a little higher - great to hide behind when it gets blustery and one is trying to take photos as below.
Attached photo shows the wind break slot on the front of the port bridge wing - the toe of Italy in shot as we passed through the Strait of Messina in 2008.
Cheers
Skilly

[Bob C.]

I didn't do it on QE2 but I have on other ships with wind diverters which is to put your hand in the airstream to find the boundaries.  Its amazing to be standing in relatively dead air and put your hand in the stream to feel 30+ kts of wind whistling over your head.  I'll have to search YouTube or the like to see if there is a wind tunnel smoke test of this phenomenon.