Safety Control Room

[Michael Gallagher]

This amazing two deck space (Two and One Decks) remained mostly unaltered until QE2's retirement. Look at the control panels and look at the original cloth plans for the ship provided by the builder which were still in place!

[Rob Lightbody]

Oh Wow!  I'm not sure I've seen photos of this room before!

How much did it have to change to take into account the 1987 refit?

Where do the very steep steps go to?

[Twynkle]

Thank you for posting these interesting images.
This looks as if it could have been a really important, and yet difficult space to work in.
Was the 4 hour watch ever shortened?
If there's anyone on the Forum who got to know it well - it would be really good to learn more!

[Beardy Rich]

From memory the SCR remained virtually untouched during the 1986/87 refit Rob. There was a CCTV camera and a computer terminal added at a later date I believe.
The stairway leads up to One Deck level to a balcony with fire door leading to the space that used to be the above the original boilers, now occupied (I think) by the exhaust uptakes from the diesel engines.
There is/was a large tank up there too on one deck level but I cannot remember what it was.

[Beardy Rich]

?
If there's anyone on the Forum who got to know it well - it would be really good to learn more!

Rosie, I had the misfortune to be volunteered to work in that room... I hated it and after a short while, resigned from Cunard as a result.

[Michael Gallagher]

The One Deck level / balcony...

[Michael Gallagher]

And a few more.

Rob - there is also the view looking down the narrow steep stairs you asked about.

[Twynkle]

Hi Rich
Thanks - and hope it doesn't bring back too many bad memories...
It looks extremely cramped - and sure, there will have been lots of other places where there was no daylight, or space to move about easily etc  It reminds me of a very small intensive care unit/space - was it full of blinking lights and beeps?
And was it really close observation work? It must have demanded an incredible degree of concentration.
And 'being volunteered'  - that sounds a bit dodgy from an employment perspective!!
Sounds as if in 'being volunteered', there needed special terms and conditions - like one hour (at most) on watch and two off!!
Did anyone else work in there at the same time?

[Beardy Rich]

Before the 1986/87 refit, watchkeepers did a four-on eight-off shift rota. This changed afterwards with the appointment of a new Chief Engr so all the watchkeepers now did a ten hour day. I seem to remember that this wasn't popular.
The extra two hours were spent on various tasks, usually in the machinery spaces, however my 'overtime' was spent learning about the workings of the SCR. Nobody asked me if I'd like to do this... it was just assumed that I'd do it I think.
Anyway, after several periods in there, there was a crew change and I was posted to the SCR on watches. This was solitary work and I found it quite nerve racking. The main work involved fuel oil and salt water ballast transfers between tanks. Also heating steam had to be switched on to various fuel oil tanks to facilitate ease of transfer by pump.
As well as this, various other tasks were done with the Officer Of the Watch on the bridge phoning down asking to right the ship if needed, taking fresh water tank readings etc etc... I've forgotten some of the things we needed to do but a lot of it also involved monitoring various systems - fire doors, WTD's etc. Such was the nature of the job that  2 ex-smokers I knew started smoking again. Quite a stressful job.
I tendered my resignation soon afterwards and despite reassurances from the First Engr that I'd "only have to do one more trip", I'd already had enough and left the ship.

[Bob C.]

On my iPhone and out of town so I am limited in what I can copy/paste for photos. But follow this link to see the control room in 1969. http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/33120597@N03/3405747677/

Back home and back proper to computer access.  Here's the photo referred to above:

As an aside, this space is referred to as Damage Control or DC Central in the US Navy and has many parallel duties as the SCR onboard QE2.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

This amazing two deck space (Two and One Decks) remained mostly unaltered until QE2's retirement. Look at the control panels and look at the original cloth plans for the ship provided by the builder which were still in place!

Where would this have been in relation to the passenger spaces on One and Two Decks? Amazing to see this place that I never even dreamt of!

[Beardy Rich]

Where would this have been in relation to the passenger spaces on One and Two Decks? Amazing to see this place that I never even dreamt of!

Has anyone a set of deck plans they could post?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Has anyone a set of deck plans they could post?

Rich, you might like to have a look in our QE2 Deckplans topic, to see whether one of those mentioned there might suit for the explanation :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,147.0.html

[Rob Lightbody]

I believe it was adjacent to the Pursers office, wasn't it?  In fact I think you could walk through from the back of the pursers office to it, couldn't you?

[Beardy Rich]

Hi Isabelle, thanks for the link. Unfortunately, the plans are not of sufficient detail to see where the SCR is. It's amazing how quickly you forget things... for all the time on the ship, I cannot remember exactly where the SCR is. I know it's aft of 'C' stairway and quite possibly 'D' stairway?

Rob, I don't think you could access it directly from the pursers office... at least not whilst I was onboard. I cannot imagine why this would ever be necessary. The only 2- deck access was from the main corridor on the port side 2-deck. The other access was on 1- deck level to/from the machinery spaces.

[skilly56]

I'll ask the young fella tomorrow night exactly where the SCR is.

Rich, today Telecom sent me a message saying I had overshot my monthly allowance. I wonder what caused that?

I can see I'm going to have to be careful with this faster service.

Cheers

Skilly

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I have received the following information :

The SCR is located on Two Deck Forward of the Pursers Office between the E and F Stairway entrance on the Portside.

Seems very close to what you, Rob, were saying above.

Maybe, Skilly, this might save you a tiny bit of Telecom bill?

[Louis De Sousa]

image missing

Blue is the Pursers Office
Red is the F Stairway
Yellow is the Safety Control Room
Green is the E Staiway

Sorry for the deckplan not to be that clear, but it does give you the idea where it is.

As you can see there is no acess to the SCR through the Pursers Office

Louis

[Rob Lightbody]

Ah, all makes sense now, thanks... its actually on the opposite side of the Purser's office to where I thought it was.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thank you, Louis. That is a great deck plan (it even shows the recess in the Midships Lobby!). The colouring definitely helps to see the landmarks I know...

And there I was, sleeping peacefully only a few metres away, without realising that this place was so close...

I hope that later occupants found it less stressful than you did, Rich. Were working conditions improved in more recent years?

[Louis De Sousa]

Thank you, Louis. And there I was, sleeping peacefully only a few metres away, without realising that this place was so close...

.....and to you make you safer the Midship Fire Party was located just outside the SCR.

PS- The SCR, Engine Room and Bridge are out of bound areas for crew, lucky i was in the Special Parties Muster and that did give me access to these places.

[Beardy Rich]

I'll ask the young fella tomorrow night exactly where the SCR is.

Rich, today Telecom sent me a message saying I had overshot my monthly allowance. I wonder what caused that?

I can see I'm going to have to be careful with this faster service.

Cheers

Skilly

Sorry to hear that you've used all your internet allowance for the month Tony... I have no idea why that happened either 

You mention the 'young fella'. Would he be interested in joining the forum do you think?

Isabelle, I don't know if the working conditions changed since I left but I doubt it very much somehow.

Louis, I somehow thought that you'd have this info somewhere in your vast collection of QE2 stuff. Thanks for posting the deck plan of the area

[Bob C.]

Ah, all makes sense now, thanks... its actually on the opposite side of the Purser's office to where I thought it was.

Rob, the "1969 Cutaway 2" on your website has a pretty good rendering of the SCR.  http://www.roblightbody.com/liners/qe-2/1969_cutaway_2.htm

[skilly56]

OK, just got the goods on the SCR from someone who reckons he may have been the last Cunard employee in there, just before he left the ship with the bosun in early December 2008.

The 2 Deck door is in the Port Side fore/aft alleyway just fwd of the pursers desk and just aft of the Mail Room & Pursers photo copy room. The door is ping-coded (i.e., has keypad entry only).

The 1 Deck SCR door is from the Stbd fore/aft alleyway right beside the fire locker, just as Louis said. Again, it's a ping-coded door.

Re the 'young fella' joining the forum - he thinks that because I enjoy it, it must be something only for 'older folks'. Cheeky bugger!

Telecom man arrived today to tell me I now had 'fast broadband' Told him I had already found that out last week, so he then doubled my monthly allowance.

Cheers

Skilly

[cunardqueen]

This might help also. the stairs are clearly shown

Note: images missing
ONE DECK

TWO DECK