A Picture Of Queen Mary Being Built

[Lynda Bradford]

Amazing photos.  The quality of the black and white photos is very good, particularly when you think how long ago it was since they were taken.  It must have been quite a experience to see her being moved down the River Clyde accompanied by the tugs. It is no wonder so many people lined the banks of the Clyde to watch this spectacle. Not only was she a magnificent ship but for many Clydeside workers the completion of this ship marked the end of "the depression" years when they were out of work and had experienced great poverty. 

[Lynda Bradford]

An old photo I have in my collection of the Queen Mary in the fitting out bay in Clydebank.

[No 736]

A nice view Lynda and her lines never fail to impress.
Steve S.

[Lynda Bradford]

I have to admit it is a favourite photo of the Queen Mary, mainly because of the angle the photo was taken from which gives an indication of the size of the ship. 

I think the photo was taken when she was ready to leave John Brown's but I am not sure as there is not a date on the back of the photo.   

[Bob C.]

Can anyone explain why the QM and QE's hulls were lauched with a whitish paint (at least looks that way in the B&W photos) and later painted with the familiar Cunard queen's livery in the fitting out basin?  And, as a follow-on, why QE2 was launced in the black, red and white paint scheme?

[Michael Gallagher]

Bob

Queen Elizabeth had a black hull for her launch whereas, as you say, Queen Mary was grey / white. I am intrigued why this should be so too. A few years earlier Olympic was launched with a white hull and it was said that was to aid photography (!?) while her sister Titanic was launched a year later and she had a black hull!

Michael

[Peter Mugridge]

I think it is to aid photography because official works photographs of brand new railway locomotives were often done in grey paint as well, and that is the reason quoted for those.

[Cruisemarsh]

Stunning photos of the Queen Mary. I like the top one from the air. The first two funnels are in place and you can see the placing for where the third one was to go.

[Bob C.]

Queen Elizabeth had a black hull for her launch whereas, as you say, Queen Mary was grey / white. I am intrigued why this should be so too.

I forgot about QE being painted with a black hull for launch.  I think I was recalling her color when she made the dash for the US where she had a light color paint quicly appied.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/xu/um_752/Mauretania-Normandie-Queen_Mary-Queen_Elizabeth.jpg   

You can see the black hull paint showing through the stripped off lighter paint on the bow near the waterline.

[Cruisemarsh]

Bob

Queen Elizabeth had a black hull for her launch whereas, as you say, Queen Mary was grey / white. I am intrigued why this should be so too. A few years earlier Olympic was launched with a white hull and it was said that was to aid photography (!?) while her sister Titanic was launched a year later and she had a black hull!

Michael

The Olympic was the first in her class of ships and The Queen Mary was the first built out of the two Cunarders. Perhaps with the first build, the company are so keen to show her off on her launch that they paint the ship white to attract more publicity. Also, the white hull helps photography.

[Twynkle]

Maritime Matters posted this image of the construction of Hull No. 534 today - the anniversary of her keel plates being laid on 27th December 1930.
http://www.sterling.rmplc.co.uk/history/const.html

[bobso]

Very interesting posts/photo's that have been posted. I have a DVD in my collection in both Black and White and COLOUR that shows the Queen Mary at John Browns and then going down the Clyde for the first time. It also shows her getting stuck and the Black smoke comming from her funells as it and the tugs tried freeing her from the mud. Must get it out and watch it again.

[Cruisemarsh]

Some stunning photos of a stunning ship. I often was told by my late grandad on how he went to see the launch of the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth when he was just a kid. He also went to see the launch of the QE2. That was one of the perks of living in the Glasgow area and he used to travel every year on the steamers with his dad, mum and brothers.