What was left original, at the end of QE2's service life?

[Malcolm]

The only original (ish) rooms left on the QE2 were the synagogue, the theatre, the Princess Grill and ... (I'm sure there was another one but I can't remember what it was!). There were also remnants like the floors of the second and third class bathrooms (thank Kyle for saying what they were).

What else was there?

[Louis De Sousa]

Not sure if this one counts,the entrance door to the Queens Grill from A stairway-I think?
The Princess Grill Bar on one deck.
NOT to be rude on this one but most of the crew cabins.

[Bob C.]

(I'm sure there was another one but I can't remember what it was!).

mrkpnh,
   
          I think you are referring to the Champagne Bar below the PG, at the top of C Stairway and whose lift went up to the PG on Q-deck.  The sign mounted to the overhead at the lift enrance on 1 Deck (can't remember what it says - Champagne bar?)  is the original style that stairways A-H signs originally were.

And X-C you are correct.  Aside from some new carpet and wall coverings and the radio-room converted into the Caledonia Suite, the QG doors (originally the doors to the 736 Club) and the passageway leading to the QG at the top of A-stairway has remained pretty much intact since 1969. 

A lot of doors to the restaurants are the same too, just different colors now.  The stairway balustrades are the same just painted over and some with the added aluminum railings.

[Malcolm]

NOT to be rude on this one but most of the crew cabins.

I didn't get to see most of those (And the one that I did see I don't remember ). It would have been great if Thomas's tour had taken a full day and had included things like crew accommodation, the engine rooms, etc.

[Malcolm]

I think you are referring to the Champagne Bar below the PG, at the top of C Stairway

To be honest I'd included that under the heading of Princess Grill but I suspect you are correct and in the original count it had been classed as a separate room.

(can't remember what it says - Champagne bar?)

I know the sign you mean. I can picture it in my mind. I just can't remember what it actually said! In "A photographic Journey" Chris says that it was originally called the "Grill Room Bar" so I'd have guessed the sign would read the same. That name doesn't ring a bell though when I picture the sing.

Aside from some new carpet and wall coverings and the radio-room converted into the Caledonia Suite, the QG doors (originally the doors to the 736 Club) and the passageway leading to the QG at the top of A-stairway has remained pretty much intact since 1969. 

That I didn't realise. I never knew the 736 Club so I'd just assumed that the lobby dated from the time of the QG's conception. (Those doors always looked rather tatty for an entrance to the top restaurant - I'd have paid them more careful attention had I realised they were original)

The stairway balustrades are the same just painted over and some with the added aluminum railings.

Were those railings added or were they part of the original design?

[Bob C.]

The stairway balustrades are the same just painted over and some with the added aluminum railings.

Were those railings added or were they part of the original design?

The railings without the aluminum were part of the original design and I believe the extra aluminum railings were added in the 90's because a drunk passenger fell over the old railings and they were subsequently deemed too low (but F and H are the same design and H doesn't have the aluminum - curious).  The original stairway colors were:

A Stariway - blue balustrades and carpet
D Stairway - white balustrades and black carpet and walls
G Stairway - red balistrades and carpet
B, C, E, F & H Stairway - yellowish orange balustrades and darker yellowish orange carpet

(white walls unless otherwise noted)

You can explore my Flickr photo sets to see they way they looked in 1969-74 and also today in the set I had a gentleman onboard the final cruise take for me.  You can also compare some of the other items you mentioned.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33120597@N03/sets/

[Malcolm]

I thought the lower of the two railings was original. The upper rail I wasn't so sure about. If I'd had to guess I would have thought that it was a later addition but didn't know conclusively. I could believe that H&S was responsible for raising the height of the rails but am pleased to hear the real reason.

[cunardqueen]

Looking back over some photos, the railings would appear to have been added during the 1986/87 refit.

[highlander0108]

I suppose you could say that health & safety did play a part lol!

I wonder if the added height was also due to more stringent SOLAS requirements over the years.  In the states, balluster and railing heights used to be quite low with little or no regulation in building codes.  Over time we have adopted a 42" high balluster height and railing heights in the 32-38" range.  These heights have been studied and included in our latest building codes and handicapped regulations.  The SOLAS regulations seem to mirror many of our life safety regulations on land, such as corridor widths and dead ended corridors, which we all know too well were in abundance on QE2's lower decks.  On a recent university dormitory project I was on, a new regulation was introduced requiring lighted paths of egress.  This is accomplished with small lights at the base of the wall very similar to the lights at the base of the stairs and corridors on all current ships.  That addition to our building code seemed like an adoption of SOLAS regulations.

I was shocked to see the black and white color scheme of the D stairway.  How easy it is to forget just how the ship's interiors were trend setting, and shocking to traditional Cunard loyalists at the beginning of her career.

[Malcolm]

I wonder if the added height was also due to more stringent SOLAS requirements over the years.

I don't know the actual figures but I'm fairly sure that building codes on this side of the pond have changed to take into account minimum heights.

[Chris Frame]

Here's one you'll all love.

During my second last cruise aboard QE2 in March 2008 we sailed in Cabin 5191. When perparing for a tea delivery to the room I pulled the little retractable table out a little too far (the one that sat in the drawers - you'll all remember them) and the whole thing came out of the drawers.

There - to my amazement - was the hand written instruction as to which cabin it was going to from the ship's fitout.

It reads:

Tourist Cab 191 Star'd
Sect. 66-109 "C" Dk
Block 19 - 736

I was thrilled to see something so original survived along with the hand writing below from QE2's days in Scotland - I even took a photo - see below

[Chris Frame]

Also original was the sprinkler in my 5 Deck Cabin (engraved in the metal was the year of manufacturing 1967). I also suspect that the power points in 5191 were originals

PS: I was testing my new camera out so yes... I have photos of these too... below...

[Malcolm]

I even took a photo

I hope you took the note as well. Morally I believe that's would be wrong but, knowing the whole lot's going to be ripped out anyway, I don't think it really matters any more:(

[Malcolm]

I also suspect that the power points in 5191 were originals  

I suspect that most of her power points were original. They replaced the fascias when they removed the steward call system but I think those sockets stayed - they matched far too many other electrical things in the cabin for them to be a later addition. When we had cabin 2077 there had been a lot of new sockets fitted. These were very obviously because they were of a totally different pattern and style.

[cunardqueen]

Speaking of things original, l ended up under the bed one night, taking photos

On the othe pc l have a photo of the drawers in 3006 removed from the cabinet and showing the bare metal underneath
Has anyone else noticed ( of course you have) how the insides of the drawers were rounded to make the removal of dust etc much easier
I had that cabin twice and the first time left a business card in the depths of the cabinet, and it was still there the next year, Quite why lm mentioning that, l have no idea, l didnt really expect it to move.If it had  l might have been more surprised
 Had this information been posted on other sites, lm sure they would consider us quite mad!!! On this site it seems perfectly normal to do such things.... But taking photos of plugs  

[Malcolm]

l ended up under the bed one night, taking photos

That you ended up on the floor one night is quite understandable (some of the cabins were very small and there wasn't much room in the bed ) but your taking pictures of the "activities" is quiet shocking 

I had that cabin twice and the first time left a business card in the depths of the cabinet, and it was still there the next year

I think this is a worry about the ship's housekeeping. In a similar vein there is a film of QE2 where Elaine McKay (I think) was commenting about a discarded lemon slice behind one of the settees in the Queens Room and that it was left there for an entire transatlantic crossing. These things shouldn't happen but sometimes they do.

[cunardqueen]

I had that cabin twice and the first time left a business card in the depths of the cabinet, and it was still there the next year


I think this is a worry about the ship's housekeeping. In a similar vein there is a film of QE2 where Elaine McKay (I think) was commenting about a discarded lemon slice behind one of the settees in the Queens Room and that it was left there for an entire transatlantic crossing. These things shouldn't happen but sometimes they do.

Perhaps l didnt explain myself, l first removed the lower drawers and placed the card on the metal surface,then put them back, like l said l dont even know what this was to prove
But in all my time l cant say l have had any trouble with housekeeping.   

[Malcolm]

l cant say l have had any trouble with housekeeping.   

I would agree - housekeeping on the ship was always well above par. I admit that I didn't realise quite how well you'd hidden your card.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

NOT to be rude on this one but most of the crew cabins.

Louis's comment has stayed with me... In all the transformation rumours, comments, discussions, denials, etc., no one has ever mentioned the crew areas, apart from the Officers' Wardroom and the Bridge...

And really, if QE2 were reopened now "as is", it is those very areas that I would love to see...

I know they would have had their spirit drained out of them, as the crew are no longer there... but I would still find it fascinating to clap eyes on the huge volumes of the ship that were always there, but not easily accessible to passengers, and somehow so well hidden! You have to admire those who designed this whole interlocking 3-dimensional jigsaw puzzle!

[Malcolm]

And really, if QE2 were reopened now "as is", it is those [the crew] very areas that I would love to see...

I have never really given much consideration to seeing those area but, you are right, I would love to see them if I got the chance

this whole interlocking 3-dimensional jigsaw puzzle!

Last year a friend of my parents, who had been an officer on the QE2,was staying with them. Paul and I went round for dinner with them one evening. The conversation turned to QE2 and I mentioned that I had a copy of a very detailed set of plans. When the ex-officer saw these plans he said that he had never seen anything so detailed and was able to talk about how the ship worked, why things were as they were, where his cabins had been, etc. It was a most fascinating evening