The garbage hatch behind the CUNARD lettering

[Malcolm]

This image - very clearly - shows the CUNARD lettering still there, just painted out.

Thanks for finding that  I thought the story went that when the QE2 was new the Mauretania kitchens were behind the panels with the names on and the insides of the "U" was a cleverly disguised door to dump kitchen waste. That sounds unlikely to me now and I can't remember where I read it but can anyone confirm if it is a true story?

[Andrew Collier]

There was deffinatly an opening in one of the letters, although I didn't know that was its purpose! Seens pics of it open, but can't think where just now, will give it thought.

The letters were moved forward in 1994 to make space above for the Cunard Lion logo that appeared, thankfully briefly, above them so the door would either be aft of the word totally, or in one of the other letters!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I thought the story went that when the QE2 was new the Mauretania kitchens were behind the panels with the names on and the insides of the "U" was a cleverly disguised door to dump kitchen waste. That sounds unlikely to me now and I can't remember where I read it but can anyone confirm if it is a true story?

Have a look here :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3350214380

I thought it was a patch on the starboard letter N, but from what you say this may be the hatch you mention?

All the starboard letters are here, if you want to have a look at the others too. Of the port side letters, I only have the D...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/sets/72157608999766831/

[Malcolm]

this may be the hatch you mention?

It could well be. There'd be no reason for Carnival to have welded the door shut though (if it was welded and not just painted). The "patch" is certainly the right size and level to have been hidden in the centre of the "U". Do we know if the wording was moved right of left when the change was made? (And was it kept at the same height?)

[Chris]

The wording was moved forward on both sides of the ship.

[Andrew Collier]

I have been studying photos and believe the opening/door was originally in the N not the U. The letters were moved forward and what you can now see on the N is where it used to have a hatch in it, the letter has been welded back together, and if you look really hard you can see it is not quite perfect, Isabelle's photo clearly shows this, and also shows there is now no hatch behind the N.

I have a photo which suggests there was a second opening in the original C, but only one photo shows this that I can find so far, If you look at the C on Isabelle flickr you can see it is not quite 'square' as it should be, and you can see a weld join across the upright part of it, I wonder if this too has been welded back together 9not very well!) after being moved forward.

If you look at photos of the rebuild in 1987 you can see what looks like the area behind the name (which wasnt moved until 1994) was replated, It is my guess that the hatche(s) went at this time, all of the pics showing it/them are pre 1987 rebuild....

....research ongoing....  

[Bob C.]

Will have to look too.  I don't think there were any hatches in the original letters and curious to see the cuts and welds in the "removable letters"; probably some sort of temporary access need to be cut to facilitate maintenenace.  I see this being done all the time in Navy ships.   I'll have to look at my old photos to see where the original CUNARD was and where it was moved to.  I don't remember where I saw it but I think it was a Bremerhaven dry dock photo, maybe it was the 86/87 refit, that showed the CUNARD letters removed and the side being painted.  Perhaps it was then that the letters were moved, if they were moved.

[Andrew Collier]

The letters were moved in 1994 as part of the project lifestyle refit. They were moved to make way for the lion log to go above them which was part of the thankfully shortlived lifestyle colour scheme.

In 1987 some of the plating around and behind the letters was renewed but the letters were replaced in the same place. I believe this was when the 'hatches' were removed though.

Cheers 

[Bob C.]

Maybe it was a 1994 refit photo that I saw the letters removed.  Regardless, here is irrefutable proof of the letters being moved forward, at least on the starboard side.  The older photo is from 1972 and the newer one is Isabelle's from her Zeebrugge Dec 2007 collection on Flickr.  Note in Isabelle's photo how the "RD" in CUNARD is under the 4 small square windows just under the bridge wing (wardroom?) and how that compares to the position in the 1972 photo.  If you look very closely at the 1972 photo you can see a square hatch in the "N".  If memory serves I believe this is where the kitchen garbage was thrown overboard.  I used to stand on Boat Deck at the base stairs that go up to the sports deck (forward) to watch them throw the garbage overboard.  I think this is the hatch they threw it from.  Makes sense with the hatch being in the galley.  Since environmental restrictions were stepped up, onboard disposal methods are now used on all ships.  Still it was cool to watch the bags fall.

Here's the link to Isabelle's 2007 photo:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2113985190/in/set-72157603462363986/

[Twynkle]

.....In the Mary and the Elizabeth the kitchens, being so low in those ships, had a garbage shute which opened to the sea through the bottom of the ship and down which the rubbish could be jettisoned.There was no such shute on the QE2 so garbage would have to be bagged and manually thrown overboard. That is until a special door was cut into the side of the ship, disguised behind the large' U 'of the red CUNARD logo painted onthe superstructure at the fore end of the Quarter Deck''. Funny what you find whilst looking for something else....

Pete - Do you think it's true that the rubbish was hurled out of the big U of Cunard recently?
Mightn't this have been a bit of a dodgy exercise?

Maybe you have explained the big, very loud bang that happened nightly, close to the aft bulkhead in cabin 5817
It was an extremely useful wake-up call, timed perfectly to wake before  heading up to the Bit Beneath the Bridge  prior to watching the Pilot embark!
I had thought it was a hatch closing after rubbish being hurled overboard, but as we were in coastal waters, maybe the hatch opening and closing was for the Pilot...??
Good to see you back, btw!

[Beardy Rich]

I remember that some of the kitchen waste used to be chucked overboard. There was a hatch which used to be opened high up on the stbd side behind the 'CUNARD' name to allow this to be done.

Also, when at sea, lots (tons sometimes) of rubbish used to be bagged up in black bin-bags and manhandled overboard from 2-deck aft.

[Beardy Rich]

Maybe you have explained the big, very loud bang that happened nightly, close to the aft bulkhead in cabin 5817
It was an extremely useful wake-up call, timed perfectly to wake before  heading up to the Bit Beneath the Bridge  prior to watching the Pilot embark!
I had thought it was a hatch closing after rubbish being hurled overboard, but as we were in coastal waters, maybe the hatch opening and closing was for the Pilot...??

Not sure exactly where cabin 5817 is Rosie but there are lots of 'shell' doors on 5-deck. In the 80's they were manually opened using a combination of hammers and thick steel tube to loosen the big wingnuts which secured them. Once all the wingnuts were undone, the doors were hydraulically pumped open using a manual pump next to the bulkhead. Once fully opened, a pair of spring loaded catches secured the door in the open position ( the large upward opening doors) and the hydraulic pressure released from the system. The whole process was a bit of a work-up to be honest.

[Bob C.]

I remember that some of the kitchen waste used to be chucked overboard. There was a hatch which used to be opened high up on the stbd side behind the 'CUNARD' name to allow this to be done.

I remember watching the garbage being hurled out the hatch in the Q-Deck galley on the STBD side.  The hatch was in the "N" in CUNARD when the logo was a bit aft of it's current position.  Not sure if the hatch is still there since solid waste is disposed of otherwise.

But the US Navy still tosses metal waste like metal cans overboard from time to time so I assume cruise ships with long stretches between ports have the option to do the same.  If so perhaps that Q-Deck galley hatch is still there. 

The solid waste limit is outside 12 miles I believe.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I remember that some of the kitchen waste used to be chucked overboard. There was a hatch which used to be opened high up on the stbd side behind the 'CUNARD' name to allow this to be done.

Also, when at sea, lots (tons sometimes) of rubbish used to be bagged up in black bin-bags and manhandled overboard from 2-deck aft.

There is a discussion on this hatch also here (this posting and the following ones) :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,283.msg4347.html#msg4347

Seems we are not yet quite sure where this hatch was located in QE2's final years and whether it had been welded closed or continued to be used until the end. Would love to know more!  

[cunardqueen]

  I remember that some of the kitchen waste used to be chucked overboard. There was a hatch which used to be opened high up on the stbd side behind the 'CUNARD' name to allow this to be done.