Ask the engineer!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Ask the engineer!

Following our recent newsletter, and our request to crew members to host a month of questions and answers from the Forum, Rod very kindly volunteered to host an "Ask the Engineer" session.

Rod will introduce himself to us once more, tell us what he did on board, and from when to when, and he will invite our questions.

If other ex-QE2 engineers wish to contribute in answering the questions, you too are very welcome.

And now, thank you Rod, and over to you  .

[Rod]

Thank you for the trust you have placed in me!
I first joined QE2 as an Indentured Engineer Apprentice, in 1971, btw Cunard SteamShip Lines last Engineer Apprentice with John Chillingworth who later became Chief Engineer.
After 7 months we went back to college for our final year in Liverpool, and then back to QE2. I retired from QE2 December 23rd 1988.
I served as Boiler Room Engineer, Engine Room Engineer, Maintenance Engineer, Kitchen Engineer, Laundry Engineer, Deck Engineer and Hotel Service Engineer. I did no service down below after it converted to Diesel Electric apart from on the Hotel Systems. So I know very little about that plant apart from the basics. Big, noisy and horrible. (I was brought up on steam!)
I will endeavor to answer any and all questions, but, I will not incriminate myself or any of my former colleagues or even Cunard Line.
I look forward to this opportunity.
Don't forget while my memory is pretty good, I did leave 23 years ago.
Rod

[Davina]

Thanks Rod for been next in line, its nice to see other crewmembers coming forward with their stories.

I served as Boiler Room Engineer, Engine Room Engineer, Maintenance Engineer, Kitchen Engineer, Laundry Engineer, Deck Engineer and Hotel Service Engineer

From those above jobs which one do you lke most? And please tell us how would your daily routine at sea be in that job?

Cheers.

[Rod]

Louis, as I am sure you know. EVERY job on QE2 had its ups and downs, its goods and bads.
The one I really liked was Hotel Service Engineer which was basically in charge of most of the jobs that I mentioned. It was the Senior Engineer position, until they created the Ships Service Manager. for all Engineering to do with the "Hotel" plumbing water fridge hospital boats kitchens etc.
My day would start at around 0630 with coffee on the helicopter deck then down to the Main Control Room to see if there were any problems I should know about from their side. Then to the plumbers shop, my HQ, to read the logs, see if there was anything from overnight etc Get the work tasked out etc. Then a walk around the ship which would usually take around an hour or so to check on various projects. In my day we carried both a radio and a pager. You stopped off in all the area that we covered. Sometimes you would be caught up in an idea from a Chef who wanted to move this to there etc....you would have to give an opinion as to weather it could be done and where it could be done. While a lot of people came up with a LOT of great ideas to improve their dept.... to move say an oven could cost over $20,000. Its a ship, everything is permanently mounted to the deck. Ships staff did not always have the technology or the ability to do that. One of our biggest problems was the Aluminum deck. We had no capability to weld there. Also because of fire risks, whatever was below had to be stripped.
The day would generally end around 1800.
As all Officers, we were on call 24/7. Then you had the dreaded "Niagara, Niagara, Niagara" calls!

[Lynda Bradford]

Hello Rod, How many crew worked in your team when you were Hotel Service Engineer?  Did the team require to have different skills to carry out the various day to day maintenance onboard ship?

[Rod]

Lynda, its Rod, btw.
As HSE i usually had 2 Engineer Officers and 12  Mechanics, Asst Mechanics working under me. After the re-engining they changed the Engineering Dept all around, Brought in a position of Ships Service Manager that also had Carpenters, who used to work for the Chief Officer. They also did away with some of the positions I held...basically thinking...well he's in charge let him do it. For electrical work if I could not do it myself then I would grab whoever was willing, ranging from the Chief Electrician on down. It was easy to do when you were the Kitchen Engineer as everybody liked the "Chefs specials"
The Hotel Service Dept, later Ships Service, looked after ALL of the machinery and equipment that had nothing to do with the Main Engine room. Obviously we assisted "the down below crowd" as needed as we had the welders etc.
We also looked after things like the Hospital equipment, mechanical side of the radars, bridge windscreen wipers, fuelling boats...not many people know that QE2 had 2 gas stations on board.. If you didn't know who to call,,,HSE!

[Lynda Bradford]

Thanks Rod, I have always thought of the role of engineers as versatile and challenging and from what you have said it certainly sounds like a challenging job.  My Dad's qualifications were in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.  He always said that the engineers were the problem solvers and from what you have said so far it sounds like you were faced with more than a few problems on a daily basis. 

 

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Rod, thank you for this opportunity to ask you even more questions than we have already done!

Were the engineers all one team under the Chief Engineer, or were they several teams under various chiefs of various departments?

Did the engineers mix with one another during their off-duty hours, or did they mix more with the other crew with whom they were most in contact (e.g. kitchen, hotel, etc.)? No doubt of course there is no general reply to this...

[Rod]

Thanks Rod, I have always thought of the role of engineers as versatile and challenging and from what you have said it certainly sounds like a challenging job.  My Dad's qualifications were in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.  He always said that the engineers were the problem solvers and from what you have said so far it sounds like you were faced with more than a few problems on a daily basis. 

 

That is very true. Especially on a ship in the middle of the ocean. You were frequently tasked to fix something that you had no idea what it did nevermind what was wrong. Like the bedpan washer in the hospital!

[Rod]

Rod, thank you for this opportunity to ask you even more questions than we have already done!

Were the engineers all one team under the Chief Engineer, or were they several teams under various chiefs of various departments?

Did the engineers mix with one another during their off-duty hours, or did they mix more with the other crew with whom they were most in contact (e.g. kitchen, hotel, etc.)? No doubt of course there is no general reply to this...

You are more than welcome.
Yes the Chief Engineer was in overall command of the Engine Dept. Hotel Service was a sub dept.
We did get together frequently in the Wardroom, basically every day! Like all other places, if someone shared your interests then you met and socialized,. Working hours also came into it. A lot of Hotel Officers were on duty when we were off duty.

[Twynkle]

Hi Rod,

About (weekly?) safety drills, training and the Engineering Dept.
At a guess, as far as dangerous surroundings/ working conditions go,
not a lot of passengers would have been aware that this department was almost certainly the most vulnerable.
For the drills, did these happen more frequently, and where did they take place?
And training on the job - did this require a great deal of supervisory time too?
(We saw the deckies doing lifeboat drills etc - but there were few blue and white overalled crew amongst them)

(PS You'll be interested to know that the book 'We Couldn't have Done it Without Them' : The MN in the Falklands - the Admiral i/c is full of praise for the legendary 'Can do' approach of the MN on both the Atlantic Conveyor and the liners    )

[Jeff Taylor]

As hotel service engineer, I assume you oversaw the cinema operations as well.  Curious if QE2 went until the end with carbon arc changeover operation, or did they switch her over to xenon and platters?  Also, I assume she had alternators with the steam plant, although in 1969 I guess she still could have been DC with MG's for the electronics until the changeover to diesels.  Could you clarify?  Thanks, Rod.

[Rob Lightbody]

A couple of questions, which I can't remember if I've asked you before !

(1) do you remember my Dad David?  A turbine specialist who flew in from John Browns Engineering to provide expert assistance and advice as necessary... John Chillingsworth says he remembers him, but thats the only person I've found so far!

(2) Were you sad when re-engining time came?  Did you think it was a good idea (before they did it) - and was it unexpected how it turned out in the end?  As an engineer, are you amazed it was possible at all on a complex 20yr old ship?  (I am!).

(3) are you surprised that a crew of people who had never set foot on QE2 as a Cunarder, have managed to keep "her lights on" and her lum reeking for 3 years?  As an engineer, for her future, do you hope the engine rooms can be kept intact for her future static role?

[Rod]

Hi Rod,

About (weekly?) safety drills, training and the Engineering Dept.
At a guess, as far as dangerous surroundings/ working conditions go,
not a lot of passengers would have been aware that this department was almost certainly the most vulnerable.
For the drills, did these happen more frequently, and where did they take place?
And training on the job - did this require a great deal of supervisory time too?
(We saw the deckies doing lifeboat drills etc - but there were few blue and white overalled crew amongst them)

(PS You'll be interested to know that the book 'We Couldn't have Done it Without Them' : The MN in the Falklands - the Admiral i/c is full of praise for the legendary 'Can do' approach of the MN on both the Atlantic Conveyor and the liners    )

Weekly safety drills were held. They were announced to passengers but did not affect them. All of the Engine Dept were qualified firefighters, as this was obviously our biggest worry. The drills for the most part took place in the machinery spaces or working spaces, and there were simulations towards the latter part of my time. Most involved just getting people used to the equipment, knowing how to set it up and use it.
On the job training was commonplace for everything. Officers as well as crew. Sometimes you would come across a never happened before situation and you had to do it. It did take quite a bit of time up but fortunately most of the Engine Staff were a quick learn
Had not heard of that book...will try and get a hold of it...Thanks!

[Rod]

As hotel service engineer, I assume you oversaw the cinema operations as well.  Curious if QE2 went until the end with carbon arc changeover operation, or did they switch her over to xenon and platters?  Also, I assume she had alternators with the steam plant, although in 1969 I guess she still could have been DC with MG's for the electronics until the changeover to diesels.  Could you clarify?  Thanks, Rod.

No Jeff I did not. That came under the Electrical side of things. An Electrical PO was employed as the projectionist. Never had anything to do with it sorry.
As a steam ship she had 3 turbo alternators generating at 3.3kV which was then stepped down in  most cases. The biggest electric motors were the boiler fan motors that weighed about 3 tons each. Not much electronics were used to begin with except where you would expect to see them ie bridge etc. Most of the engine room controls were compressed air to operate valves etc. A Ferranti Argus computer was the first computer  ever fitted on a UK merchant ship and it was used for data logging in the machinery spaces, could be used for hotel stores control and weather routing. First time it was used for weather routing it ran the ship into a storm. Hotel Dept didn't like their stores being controlled by the ER so data loging it was! Computer and equipment took up a 20' x 20' room. After re-engining it was all done by a destop!
Another thing the comp did was if you pushed the alarm bell in one of the elevators it printed out in the control room. A Chief Engineer, Jack Marland was showing off to pax who asked" well what if we get stuck". well you just push this button like this and in a couple of seconds this phone will ring....well the phone didn't ring ....Chief was not impressed withj the MCR watch!

[Rod]

A couple of questions, which I can't remember if I've asked you before !

(1) do you remember my Dad David?  A turbine specialist who flew in from John Browns Engineering to provide expert assistance and advice as necessary... John Chillingsworth says he remembers him, but thats the only person I've found so far!

(2) Were you sad when re-engining time came?  Did you think it was a good idea (before they did it) - and was it unexpected how it turned out in the end?  As an engineer, are you amazed it was possible at all on a complex 20yr old ship?  (I am!).

(3) are you surprised that a crew of people who had never set foot on QE2 as a Cunarder, have managed to keep "her lights on" and her lum reeking for 3 years?  As an engineer, for her future, do you hope the engine rooms can be kept intact for her future static role?

1) I remember the name. But most of my time as a Junior was spent in the Boiler Room, so was not very involved in turbine work. When I was in the Engine room, fortunately not a whole lot went wrong. I hasten to add that was more by the grace of God than my doing.
2) YES!. I had done a cruise on the Cunard Princess, and while it was great fun. (Well apart from being stuck in a bed for 3 hours, but thats another story!) The one thing that struck me was the vibration! It was annoying and irritating. You had to be careful what you left on the desktop or it would end on the floor. I also noticed the smell. I suspect that that was more a design problem though.
As an Engineer  I tend to be practical so therefore, I realized that if Cunard were to be able to keep QE2 going, the "Greyhound of the Seas" then something had to be done. To keep her going on steam with something like a 20% efficiency was totally impractical. The Navigators and route planners definately did all they could do...mad dash to Everglades then slow cruising. But we were still being undercut by more modern ships. Cunard was also very slow to modernize. Personally I also think that they were too slow to bring out QE2. Would QE2's technical problems have been greater if it had come out earlier? Probably. But, so much of QE2's equipment was revolutionary and that caused some of the problems. Think your Dad will agree with that. Was I amazed? You betcha! Some of the things we saw at Bremmerhaven were unbelievable. The fact that it all came together basically on time is unbelievable. To see one of those engines being lowered into place..IT AIN'T going to fit...well it did..and guess what a few more too!
3) NO! QE2 is a much easier plant now than it ever was as steam. If you have the basics on a diesel plant and are shown the ropes..you should be OK. Yes I hope the ER's are kept intact. But again the economics come into play. Say she goes to Soton as a hotel. What would be the price of shoreside power over ships power. Environment, would she be able to meet any existing laws regarding a permanent powerstation, because esentially that is what she would become. To remove the engines though I think would be cost prohibitive. I would just like to see her running around the ocean somewhere. Preferably under the British flag, but I do not think that is going to happen.

[Jeff Taylor]

Thanks, Rod.  Great Info!  I know the old Queens were basically DC ships with a few functions supplied with AC from motor generator sets (electronics, radar, radios, cinema amps, etc), while the QE2 we now know had turbo alternators which supplied AC current which undoubtedly had to be rectified for lift motors, etc.  Moral, you can't win!  I do recall on the original QE you couldn't even plug in an electric razor if it was AC no matter the voltage.  Nothing but those funky lumiline style incandescent lamps running on DC.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I first joined QE2 as an Indentured Engineer Apprentice, in 1971, btw Cunard SteamShip Lines last Engineer Apprentice with John Chillingworth who later became Chief Engineer.

What does an Indentured Engineer Apprentice do?

Did you choose QE2 or were you offered the apprenticeship there?

What were your first impressions when you stepped on board and knew this would be your workplace for the foreseeable future?

[Rod]

Isabelle, An Indentured Apprentice was an old fashioned way of getting a training.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apprenticeship.
When I was at school and shall we say...causing a bit of trouble, I applied to join the Royal Marines as an Officer and after as selection course was accepted. But they required more exams than I was prepared to take. So I went to the Careers advisor and told him I wanted to work with my hands, travel and didn't want a 9-5 job. Here just got some literature from the Merchant Navy. He set me up an interview with a local company, Salvesens of Leith, nr Edinburgh. They offered me a job as an Apprentice. Problem was Salvesens was a whaling company and I didn't really want that! SO....I had travelled on Cunard and at that time Cunard  was still the first name in shipping. I applied and was interviewed and accepted.
Basically they would train me to become one of their Engineers. 2 years at college, they paid..and paid me, 6 week vacation course during the summer holidays. Then a year at sea an an apprentice engineer, now called Cadet, then a year back at college and at the end I would be commissioned as a Junior 5th Engineer.
My Father, myself and a Master at school had to sign the indentures, basically a contract, that laid out the terms of employment. And salary I was to be paid. Total time of the Apprenticeship was 4 1/2 years. Salary for the final 6 months was 406 pounds sterling, about $ $800 at the time.This was 1973, my final year. If I decided that I wished to drop out there was a penalty laid down that I had to repay Cunard. My apprenticeship was with the Cunard Steamship Company which operated the passenger liners. Cunard Line at the time was just a holding company. At that time, the "Cunard" fleet was one of the largest in the world.

[Rod]

But because I had signed on to Cunard Steamship basically I was destined for QE2. John Chillingworth and I were Cunard Steam Ships last apprentices. They stopped taking them for quite some time after that.

Chillingworth and I as the first part of our segoing, were flown out to RMS Franconia that was on the NY Bermuda run. Old ship, built in 1954 I believe. When you went from the Engineers change room on the top deck, to the Engine room, temp outside the elevator was 186!!  I kid you not.
We did the final 3 months on the Franc, which BTW Cunard sold to the Russians who operated her  as the Fedoyr Shalyapin, for many years. Then got a months leave and joined the QE2 in Soton. When I first walked into the control room...it was WOW!!!!
Scotty did beam me up to the Enterprise! So modern, so high tech...I was GOBSTRUCK!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thank you, Rod! Sounds just incredible...

In your work, I suppose, you did not normally have anything directly to do with the passengers. Did you think this was an advantage or a disadvantage? Did you meet passengers quite a bit in your leisure time?

[Rod]

Thank you, Rod! Sounds just incredible...

In your work, I suppose, you did not normally have anything directly to do with the passengers. Did you think this was an advantage or a disadvantage? Did you meet passengers quite a bit in your leisure time?

In my down below work I had nothing to do with the pax apart from keeping the lights on for them. Didn't Motel 6 steal that?
They occasionally saw us in our boilersuits running down all 14 flights of stairs "E" was favorite, when the Engineers alarm sounded and occasionally saw us during the "panic", depending what it was. These interactions were usually short.
We met with pax in the public rooms, at the Captains Cocktail Parties, if we went, there was no order to go...but it was free booze.
When I went over to the Hotel Service side, there was a lot of interaction with pax. If there was a job on deck they all wanted to know what was going on. My uniform as HSE was blue trousers, white shirt, with epaulettes, and alot of time was spent in pax accom. There were always questions.

[Rod]

continued:
Was this an advantage or disadvantage?
You have to remember that ...OH say from 70- 80 Cruise lines were evolving. Passengers wanted something different, they wanted to talk to the people that kept the lights on....This was a whole new ballgame for a lot of folks> Pax and crew. My "Blue Book", my rules and regs as an Officer as issued to me dated 1969, IN BOLD CAPS stated that: " If in the course of their duties, an Officer is engaged in conversation by a passenger, they are to break off the conversation as quickly and as politely as possible."
But times were changing, but when I first joined QE2, we were encouraged to go to Captains Cocktails. But there was always that rule in the back of our heads. I never agreed with it. But it was difficult.
When I came back as a Junior Engineer, it had all changed...we got a discount in the public rooms, some Chiefs "encouraged" us to go to Cocktail parties. My thought was...If somebody is going to pay my wages...I am going to try and be nice to them!

[Twynkle]

Hi Rod
Thinking about things from your/ an engineer's perspective, it would be fascinating to know more about QE2 with regards to refits, port days and perhaps most of all - the time of her being fitted out for her 'trip' to the Falklands.
Taking the latter first - maybe you aren't able to say much about what your work involved then (during the fitting out period)...
On the other hand, it would be really interesting to know just how the fitting out for the change of service (as STUFT) was accomplished in such a short time.
The refits too, I guess these were done under the same type of orders / requirements as well - did all these need to be completed all to exceptionally tight deadlines - and if there were hold ups, what happened next?
On port days - were you always required to be on board and working?
(I've always felt so guilty, just sort of swanning off to enjoy the 'local scenery' on what almost certainly might have been the busiest day for you guys!)
Very many thanks to you.
Rosie

[Rod]

Rosie, As far as the Falklands conversion goes there  is nothing secret. The only secrets about that time would be the thoughts of the Admiralty etc. Those we will eventually find out. MAYBE!.
Before the ship arrived in Soton, the RN had decided what they wanted, naval architects had decided what they could have and plans were already in the works. Costs were not an issue so work went on 24/7 and the Vospers unions shelved any demarcation issues. A Royal Navy working party, RN 1701 if I remember correctly, that would stay with the ship, worked with the Hotel Dept on berthing and messing arrangements etc some of the 1 deck cabins had 14 people sleeping in them!  I had to work with "Mad Mike" the Marine major who was in charge of getting all the troops ashore in San Carlos Water.They cut the Q4 bar off and installed things like landing lights etc and of course the 2 helo decks. At the pointy end they put another helo deck but it was not much use with the ship doing 30 knots. Behind the bridge, in the "Barn" the installed their secret satellite comms gear. Don't forget, in those days satellite was only used by the military. Frequent meetings were held with ships staff to keep us updated. Racks of big bulky timbers were placed in the 6 deck alleyway for damage control in case of torpedo attack. We installed over 30 washing machines and dryers in the room service pantries for the troops. Ships staff had to complete various forms etc, were issued with POW cards, and explained that when announced, we would fall under military rules and regs, instead of Cunard rules and regs. That included the death penalty for certain offences! We helped the military set up various offices and classrooms and away we went.
I later met up with one of the permanent RN party, whom I had last seen painting the aft helo deck. He was my sons High School Principal...in Florida!

[Rod]

For Rosie continued:
Regarding time off. If you were on the 4 on 8 off watches then you obviously could go ashore during your off duty hours, or you could come to an arrangement with another Engineer to do your shift and and you would do a shift of his in his port of choice. Some of the seniors would try and make arrangements, on longer cruises for each member of the watch to get a "watch off"
My bosses would always give me Nassau because they loved seeing me being picked up by a huge cabin cruiser. For most of my time on board Nassau was an anchor port after this nasty reef attacked the hull. (I was born in Nassau and had a lot of friends there. On one occasion the Governor, Sir Roland Symonette, sent his limo to come and pick me up for lunch. My bosses loved that.
The worst place for me for refit work was Hong Kong. Most of the passengers would depart on tours and we would go in for a heavy session of pipe replacement. We still managed some time off though even if only to go ashore for a walk and a meal. Hong Kong was essentialy a mini refit. There were always time constraints in everything you did on board repairwise, especially when pax were on board. You were aware that some were paying $1000/day so really they should have water for 24hrs of that day.
Major refits were always governed by time. Work usually had to be done in a particular order and of course the ship had to sail on time. Did they try and go too far sometimes? Probably! By the way the major cause of floods after a refit was not because of work not being done, but by major leakage of pipework. This would happen after a refit where the ship was completely dead. Pipes would cool. Especially if the refit was in winter. Put water through the pipes then heat it up a bit and bingo! Niagara, Niagara, Niagara!

[Rod]

Still for Rosie:
Pax would tell the newspapers that the ship sailed when it wasn't ready...not the whole truth. With over 30 miles of copper pipe, all covered in insulation, was impossible to examine it all.
Believe it or not I used to enjoy refits.
Sorry about the long winded reply.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Rod, what sort of "domestic" work did you have to do? I imagine that much was done for you -- cleaning your cabin, washing and ironing your uniform, cooking your meals and washing your dishes.

Were there other domestic chores that you would be expected to do for yourself?

Did you have a cabin steward? If so, was the cabin steward responsible only for crew, or did s/he also work in passenger cabins?

[riskygizmo]

Rod,
      given that the British Merchant Navy (when we had one) required vast quantities of three types of liquid to function (sea water
to float in, bunker fuel to keep the engines running and cold beer to keep the engineers going) was it not a huge and traumatic
culture shock when you became part of the (in)famously dry USN family?

[Rod]

Did you have a cabin steward? If so, was the cabin steward responsible only for crew, or did s/he also work in passenger cabins?
[/quote]
Isabelle,
Yes we had a cabin Steward that made the bed cleaned the shower vacuumed the carpet etc. The standards varied considerably and most of the time you ended up by doing some of the work yourself. You could ask for a morning wakeup call and tea/coffee etc.
When I was a Cadet/Apprentice the Engineers steward was a man? named "Jane" He/she would bring you your cup of tea and say 7:30 Mr Fair....ten minutes later head in the door...7:40 Mr Fair....ten minutes later...MR FAIR...IF YOU ARE NOT OUT OF THAT BED IN 1 MINUTE I AM COMING IN THERE WITH YOU!. Got you moving.
You did tip the Stewards if they did extra like keep your fridge stocked etc. The PO in charge while I was there was Joe Yexley who also ran the Wardroom bar. He did the barbills etc ordered supplies. When the NUS went we took it on ourselves.
As far as laundry went we did our own boilersuits/coveralls, uniforms went to the laundry and personal gear most people washed themselves. All meals were in the Wardroom. Basically a reduced TOW pax meal sent up and reheated...some things do not reheat well!

[Rod]

NOW THEN YOUNG HORSEBRUSH!
To get to your point. After I left the sea I cut down on my drinking considerably. Not because I needed to, medically but because the boredom was not there. Yes I still drink, but only beer..and frequently and watchkeeping times...as a country and western song says"Its 5oclock somewhere"
As far as the culture shock ...nah not really. I love teaching the kids of the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps. I take a weeks vacation every year to run a training for them where I am in charge of up to 120 kids ages 10-18. I have to find the venue, arrange the kids from all over the US. Arrange the other other Officers/Instructors, come out with a budget, usually around $800/kid...tax dollars. Get the budget and training plan approved and carry it out!  Great fun....and when the parent or the young kid comes up to you at the end and says thanks....thats better than cold hard cash!
I am now a LCDR in the USNSCC, the highest rank attainable. Will try and attach some pics.

[Rob Lightbody]

Great Pics Rod, looking good!!

[Rod]

Thank you. The last pic was taken at our meeting site. He's the puppy I used to "threaten" the Cadets with. Sadly the gator was removed. Can't find one around here to save my soul!

[Rob Lightbody]

Hi Rod,

This has been such a brilliant topic, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it, thanks so much!  (I read all forum posts even though I often don't get a chance to reply, or only reply briefly).

I've given it a plug on Facebook and Twitter - image attached to show you.

Cheers,

- Rob

[Rod]

Rob, I appreciate that! I will checkout the FB page. I am of FB my self, as Rod Fair, but also on the QE2 section there. Totally different group on there though that do ocassionaly overlap.

[Rob Lightbody]

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/TheQE2Story

Its sole purpose in life is to promote this forum - most of the time its used simply to point people to topics on the forum, such as this one!

[riskygizmo]

NOW THEN YOUNG HORSEBRUSH!

Sorry Mr Fair Sir,
                          I meant no disrespect to you or your orginisation. However, I feel I must relate the tale of a mate of mine and his experience of the United States Navy. As a young man he was an aircraft mechanic RN
on the old (or, rather the old old) Ark Royal. Anyhow he managed to get himslf onto an RN/USN exchange scheme and wangled a cruise on the USS Nimitz. Now this was not only an honour, but a great experience
for a junior rate like him. He'd come from a ship that was older than him to this state of the art bit of kit. Everything was big and new and worked, the accomodation was 5 star, the food was amazing.
                           However, one thing did rather take the gilt off the gingerbread. It wasn't so much the
lack of two tinnies a day from Her Majesty, more what he took instead. After a few days of coffee and coca
cola he was bouncing off the bulkheads and had to have a quiet word with himself.

[Rod]

Sadly, well not so sadly, I do not go to sea anymore...the opportunity exists but timing has to be right. I went to sea with 20 Cadets about 5 months ago on a Coast Guard patrol boat was meant to be a 2 hour trip at 55 knots....trip out was good...but then we sucked a coconut into an engine and trip lasted 4 hours.
On one training I did..We took the Cadets for a flight in a C-130, meant to be landings and takeoffs... NAH they took us to Puerto Rico for lunch...from Florida.

[Martyn Smith]

Are there any Ex QE2 engineers lurking here?
 I know a of ex Rolls Royce Fitter who spent time on her several times with regards to stabiliser gear. He mentioned that she was a pig to work on, especially during her steam days.

[Twynkle]

Hi Rod,
This is very off topic - but, 'hey!' as it's about welding hopefully it can stay a while before shifting off!
Did the uptakes inside her funnel ever need welding?
Was thinking any leaks could have been dodgy - and yet at sea, hot too....
Thanks
Rosie