Author Topic: QE2 Carrying Cars  (Read 43645 times)

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Offline Chris

QE2 Carrying Cars
« on: Jun 04, 2009, 07:39 AM »
Did anyone ever transport their car (classic or not) aboard QE2 from NY to UK or vice versa?

I'd be interested to find out how it was arranged, what were the fares like, did you snap any shots of the garages etc etc..
« Last Edit: Jun 04, 2009, 04:26 PM by Rob Lightbody »
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Offline Louis De Sousa

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #1 on: Jun 04, 2009, 09:53 AM »
Special lifts were installed in QE2 back in 1969-one is located by A stairway and the other by H stairway,descending to the holds on Seven and Eight Decks.There is a turntable to facilitate the stowage and removal of vehicles via the ramps,which can be used in Southampton,Cherbourg and New York.

Louis

Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #2 on: Jun 04, 2009, 10:56 AM »


Here's the lift!


(It's been posted elsewhere on here too!)

If QE2 was another car (other than the Mighty Mini)  - I wonder what she'd be!


Offline Malcolm

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #3 on: Jun 04, 2009, 02:37 PM »
Here's the lift!

I always wondered why she kept those lifts when she stopped carrying cars.

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #4 on: Jun 04, 2009, 03:08 PM »

I always wondered why she kept those lifts when she stopped carrying cars.

To remove them would have been a major engineering feat, costing a small fortune, probably not made up for by the selection of inside rooms that could replace the lifts!  I'm sure they used them for other purposes anyway - e.g. for the wee forklift trucks you used to see going in and out at Southampton?
« Last Edit: Jun 04, 2009, 04:28 PM by Rob Lightbody »
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Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #5 on: Jun 04, 2009, 03:21 PM »



QE2 and her lifts, cars and 'space' would make the most magnificent film set now.
Just think of the fun we could all have!

Offline Louis De Sousa

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #6 on: Jun 04, 2009, 03:31 PM »
Heres a shot.

odkbull

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #7 on: Jun 04, 2009, 05:04 PM »
My cabin, 5266 was close to doors that opened above where they stored the cars. Used to hate it when car alarms would go off in the rough seas! A wee bit annoying!

Offline cunardqueen

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #8 on: Jun 04, 2009, 10:28 PM »
Quote
If QE2 was another car (other than the Mighty Mini)  - I wonder what she'd be!

Rolls Royce-Pride of Britain, Envy of the world ;D
From the moment you first glimpsed the Queen,
 you just knew you were in for a very special time ahead.!

Offline highlander0108

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #9 on: Jun 05, 2009, 12:44 AM »
Quote
If QE2 was another car (other than the Mighty Mini)  - I wonder what she'd be!

Rolls Royce-Pride of Britain, Envy of the world ;D

How about one of those super fast Bentley's, even though they are now part of the Volkswagen group.
"There will never be another one like her" QE2's last Master Ian McNaught
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Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #10 on: Jun 05, 2009, 07:59 AM »



 :-\

An Aston Martin DB6 c.1967?
Cool, sleek, sexy and fast
And still around....


Offline Malcolm

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #11 on: Jun 05, 2009, 12:54 PM »
I'm sure they used them for other purposes anyway

At least one of them was no longer working when we did our tour of the stores. The car was at the bottom of the shaft and the area was used for extra storage!


Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #13 on: Jun 16, 2009, 11:32 PM »
The adventures of a Maybach


Oh Waverley! What a great story...

Best is to start with the video (in the box above)... and then read the two articles... If you're not feeling too happy, that video should give you something to smile about   ;D

Offline Waverley

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #14 on: Jun 17, 2009, 05:37 PM »
Isabelle,
           Glad that you liked it. I liked it too!!

Yes I agree, best to start with the video.
Robert

Offline jdl

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #15 on: Oct 14, 2009, 10:11 PM »
...ok so I'm not 100% certain on how unique it is but it is certainly not something you'll find on any the pretenders to her throne


jdl
« Last Edit: Jun 23, 2012, 05:17 PM by Lynda »

Online Chris Thompson

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #16 on: Oct 19, 2009, 04:00 AM »
Whilst working on the QE2 on of our more colorful passengers was Madame Castlemain, she would travel from th US to Europe every spring to spend summer in France and back home to Texas in the fall. To get from Southampton to Paris she would bring along her Cadillac. I once had the pleasure of driving her from Southampton to Portsmouth as she did not like to drive on British roads...the left side thing! I remember hers and several other vehicles being transported during the late eighties, my cabin was close enough to the lifts to know when things were moving. he lifts were also used to move cargo including a load of slot machines destined for another Cunard ship. Also the elevator shafts were also used as a garbage dump....the aromas could get quite bad especially in hot weather!!!!!!!
cheers
Casinochris

Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #17 on: Oct 29, 2009, 08:57 AM »
Does anyone know whether QE2 carried vehicles other than cars?

I wonder, for example - what did she carry during the Falklands campaign?

cos918

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #18 on: Jan 17, 2010, 07:01 PM »
when did QE2 stop carrying car.
When she was first built did she have  garages one aft one mid ships.

John

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #19 on: Jan 18, 2010, 09:24 AM »
The car service was phased out in the early 2000s mainly because of new American restrictions etc. There used to be holds for cars forward and aft (she could carry 80+ when she entered service) but the car carrying capacity was reduced significantly over the years when extra equipment (such as waste disposal which did not exist or was not required in the 1960s) had to be built in to the ship.

Offline Louis De Sousa

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #20 on: Jan 18, 2010, 10:48 AM »

The Technical Stores Stockroom and the introduction of grinding and storage facilities for gabage took over some of the place too.

Louis

cos918

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #21 on: Jan 18, 2010, 01:16 PM »
ok another question.
QE2 was given 5star hotel status by the AA as she for filled all the criteria ie she her car parking space. Sine the garage was removed from service in early 2000 she lost her car parking space so did she lose her 5 star status from the AA

John

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #22 on: Jan 18, 2010, 01:18 PM »
No; she was still rated at 5 stars when we were on board in September 2002.

I think the AA would exclude the car parking bit from the equation when dealing with a ship.
"It is a capital mistake to allow any mechanical object to realise that you are in a hurry!"

Offline jdl

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #23 on: Jan 18, 2010, 01:24 PM »
Michael,

Cheers for the reply, do you have any idea what the take up on the garage service was like during the period it was in operation?

thanks as ever!

John

Offline jdl

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #24 on: Jan 18, 2010, 01:32 PM »
No; she was still rated at 5 stars when we were on board in September 2002.

I think the AA would exclude the car parking bit from the equation when dealing with a ship.

I agree, I can't see them including it as a major contributary factor to the star rating on the basis that most other cruise ships wouldn't have these facilities so wouldn't be able to achieve 5 stars either. 

From memory even to the end of her days the 'grill class' consistently achieved 5 stars but the caronia and Mauretania slipped to lower ratings as a result of food changes and accomodation types an layout.

Jdl

Offline cunardqueen

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #25 on: Jan 18, 2010, 04:11 PM »
Quote
I agree, I can't see them including it as a major contributary factor to the star rating on the basis that most other cruise ships wouldn't have these facilities so wouldn't be able to achieve 5 stars either. 

From memory even to the end of her days the 'grill class' consistently achieved 5 stars but the caronia and Mauretania slipped to lower ratings as a result of food changes and accomodation types an layout.

Jdl

If its any interest a 3 star rating for a land hotel requires a bigger jump to go to a 4 star, than from a 4 star to a 5 star.
To go to 5 star status such things as 24 hr  hot food room service, size of reception area and how many bilingual staff are all must have requirements.
 Gleneagles Hotel was at one stage the only 5star AA hotel l believe in scotland. And if my last visit is anthing to go by it wasnt 5 star service. I had to pour my own tea pot during afternoon tea with the sandwiches going hard round the edges, such a thing l never experienced on QE2, and l have had more than my fair share of aternoon teas on her, maybe l missed a few days in my travels but thats about all.

For what its worth, l have always found Mauretania to be an excellent restaurent, and have never had cause to complain there about anything. The wine waiters did always seem a bit busy mindyou...then again a smile and a please always did work wonders.
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Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #26 on: Jan 18, 2010, 04:46 PM »
The AA rating lasted for one year - the year it was awarded. She was never reinspected so it wasn't renewed. Carrying cars made QE2 the biggest car ferry in the world.

JDL: in the last few years the number of cars carried was low. In 2001 she carried a brand new Maybech (value £250,000) in a class case on her aft decks and it was helicoptered off the ship when she arrived in New Year. It was a publicity stunt for Maybech.

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #27 on: Jan 18, 2010, 05:34 PM »
In 2001 she carried a brand new Maybach (value £250,000) in a class case on her aft decks and it was helicoptered off the ship when she arrived in New Year. It was a publicity stunt for Maybach.

Read more about it here :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,608.msg7016.html#msg7016

and enjoy the video (it's one to treasure!).
« Last Edit: Aug 09, 2011, 05:52 PM by Isabelle Prondzynski »

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #28 on: Jan 18, 2010, 05:43 PM »
 ;D#23, Michael - do Cunard keep a huge archive of all their PR letters in and out?

If so, ask Eric to dig up the one from me in around 1982 / 1983; I wrote in around then with the suggestion that it would attract a lot of publicity if Cunard advertised her as the biggest car ferry in the World! ;D
"It is a capital mistake to allow any mechanical object to realise that you are in a hurry!"

Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #29 on: Jan 18, 2010, 06:05 PM »
Hello!
Hmm...did the cars have their own Steward?!
Bet those in the Grills got a good valetting!

More seriously, was QE2's garage part of a deck officer's responsibility? There could have been a significant fire risk...
Maybe this was shared with the engineers' department?
Does anyone know whether an empty fuel tank on embarkation was mandatory?
Maybe the fare for a car was almost as much as for a fare-paying passenger!

(Just think...on a World Cruise, there'd be room for extra storage for winter or summer wardrobe...
and was it permissible to take you car out for the occasional spin -  aka shore excursion?
Someone will probably post that cars were only permitted on transatlantic voyages. If so - what a shame!)
 

Offline Louis De Sousa

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #30 on: Jan 18, 2010, 06:36 PM »

Quote
More seriously, was QE2's garage part of a deck officer's responsibility? There could have been a significant fire risk...

A so called Junior Second Officer is traditionally delegated as Cargo Officer and drives the cars inside the ship.

Quote
Someone will probably post that cars were only permitted on transatlantic voyages. If so - what a shame!)

I think only in New York, Southampton and Cherbourg had the ramps for it.

Louis

Offline Stowaway2k

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #31 on: Jan 18, 2010, 09:45 PM »
The German film "Eine Stadt auf dem Meer" accessable at rmsqueenelizabeth2.com, shows cars being driven into the hold, plus a VW van and a caravan (camper trailer) being loaded by crane into the hold
« Last Edit: Jan 18, 2010, 10:38 PM by Isabelle Prondzynski »

Offline Stowaway2k

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #32 on: Jan 19, 2010, 01:28 AM »


I'd be interested to find out how it was arranged, what were the fares like, did you snap any shots of the garages etc etc..

In 1971....

Rates for transatlantic shipment of automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles with auxiliary motors and other powered vehicles as accompanied baggage.

Weight of vehicle               One way             Roundtrip
Not over 100 lbs                               $ 15.00                            -
From   101 to    200 lbs                     $ 30.00                            -
From   201 to    400 lbs                      $ 80.00                          $130.00
From   401 to    600 lbs                     $110.00                         $160.00
From   601 to    800 lbs                      $150.00                         $200.00
From   801 to 1,000 lbs                      $190.00                         $240.00
From 1,001 to 1,500 lbs                     $250.00                         $300.00
From 1,501 to 2,500 lbs                     $300.00                         $350.00
From 2,501 to 3,500 lbs                     $350.00                         $400.00
From 3,501 to 4,500 lbs                     $425.00                         $475.00
From 4,501 to 5,500 lbs                     $475.00                         $525.00
From 5,501 lbs. and above rates on application

Vehicles over 6'6" in height will be acccepted in limited numbers for shipment but passengers are advised that there is likely to be a delay in unloading at Southampton and New York.  Therefore, these vehicles may not be immediately available to owners at time of disembarking.

Automobiles are to be delivered to Pier 92, New York the day prior to sailing between 9 AM and 4 PM
On occasion autos will be accepted the day of sailing.  In these instances, however, advance clearance must be obtained.
For wesbound sailings autos are to be delivered to Southampton 9 AM - Noon  the day before departure and Havre
2 PM - 4 PM the day of sailing.

                        
« Last Edit: Jan 19, 2010, 01:30 AM by Stowaway2k »

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #33 on: Jan 19, 2010, 09:27 AM »
I seem to recall that the petrol tank had to be emptied and underneath the car had to be steam cleaned.

Peter: We kept EVERY letter received and a copy of every response sent from the Department from 1983 until 1999 when we finally decided it was a ridiculous and space consuming thing to do  and then shredded the whole lot!! Sorry! I started to write to Eric in 1986 and continued to do so until he gave me my job in 1994. We married up every letter I had sent and every one one of his responses to me and have kept them in a box here!

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #34 on: Jan 19, 2010, 09:45 AM »
Ah well...

Still, I could at least scan in his reply to me for your files if you like; I still have it and I know exactly where it is...  :)
"It is a capital mistake to allow any mechanical object to realise that you are in a hurry!"

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #35 on: Jan 19, 2010, 09:52 AM »
Peter: please do! That would be interesting to see.

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #36 on: Jan 19, 2010, 09:55 AM »
I've just sent myself an e-mail home to remind myself to do so! ;D

I think I've got about 4 or 5 letters from Cunard in total; I'll have a look tonight - but it'll be late night because I'll be watching that BBC2 thing with the crystal cave in it first... :)
"It is a capital mistake to allow any mechanical object to realise that you are in a hurry!"

Offline cunardqueen

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #37 on: Jan 19, 2010, 12:23 PM »
Quote
We kept EVERY letter received and a copy of every response sent from the Department from 1983 until 1999 when we finally decided it was a ridiculous and space consuming thing to do  and then shredded the whole lot!! Sorry! I started to write to Eric in 1986 and continued to do so until he gave me my job in 1994. We married up every letter I had sent and every one one of his responses to me and have kept them in a box here!

Gosh that was the same year l started writing to him before l sailed on QE2,and even more so after l returned, and if it wasnt him then it was Diana Mamato(?) in Pall Mall that got my crazy ramblings of letters. Each and every letter was replied to, (thankyou!!) one l wont forget was when the QE2 was due to be "relaunched" after her refit in 1986/87 and as a 17 year old who had secured a berth on this unique voyage l couldnt get my head round this fact and that to be relaunched wouldnt all the items onboard fall over as she went down the slip way, l did stop short of asking if HM The Queen was renaming her, jees how stupid was l ::) And all credit to him, back came the reply on that well known headed paper with the response that "the relaunch was more of a PR exercise than an actual relaunch" and when l read that in his reply  you have no idea how stupid l felt. Those PR folk really do have  a lot to answer for ;) If l can find the reply (lord knows where it is) l will try and post it here.
 Im sure both Eric and Diana must have thought who is this crazy idiot in the Orkneys ....and is he safe to be let loose onboard.
 
 Did you ever pick out a handful of letters and just see what folk had written, then again if you started that where on earth would you stop, which does beg the question, who are more crazy, the QE2 passengers or the PR department :)
I rather fear its a  v e r y  fine line between us ???
       
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Offline Dave Lowing

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #38 on: Jan 21, 2010, 12:10 AM »
Back around 1976-78, QE2 carried the North American Racing Team's Ferraris for the Le Mans 24hr race. They were loaded in New York and placed in the forward hold. Not sure if Luigi Chinetti was a passenger. The cars were unloaded in Cherbourg and transported to Le Mans. I have photos somewhere in my basement of the cars in the hold and on the quayside.

Offline holynougat

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #39 on: Jan 22, 2010, 02:35 AM »
Yes – deck officers did have the pleasure of looking after cars, although the shore based staff had to drive them into the ship.

Keys were kept on the bridge, and in rough weather they were inspected regularly.

Towards the end only the aft lift was used for cars, they stopped the service once the QM2 took over the regular transatlantic run.

I don't rember any requirment for low levels of fuel to be carried, I think it was much the same regulations as you would find on a car ferry.

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #40 on: May 28, 2010, 08:47 AM »
Cars boarded on Five Deck and were stored on Seven Deck. This lift was just aft of G Stairway.

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #41 on: May 28, 2010, 08:50 AM »
Entry for cars on Four or Five Decks and storage on Eight Deck. Lift between A and B Stairways.

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #42 on: May 30, 2010, 07:46 PM »
Thank you for these, flagship, as for all the other views you have been uploading! You have done a huge service by capturing all these areas and views over the years...

Were these fore and aft car lifts serving two entirely separate car parking areas, or was there a link between them?

I recall reading about a rotating platform to face the cars in the right direction -- was there one (or more) at each of these two entry points?

QE2lover

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #43 on: Jun 04, 2010, 04:25 AM »
Yes. We carried a car from Southampton to New York in the 1980s.

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #44 on: Aug 21, 2010, 05:43 PM »
I would be interested to know when the last car was carried, and whose it was!
Passionate about QE2's service life for 40 years and creator of this website.  I have worked in IT for 28 years and created my personal QE2 website in 1994.

Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #45 on: Aug 21, 2010, 11:33 PM »
I would be interested to know when the last car was carried, and whose it was!

And the make / model too!
Were any of the ship's company allowed to bring there own cars, or bikes too?

Do you think it was possible to use your own car for 'shore excursions'?
Just to think of taking it out for a spin - on and off, all the way round the world...

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #46 on: Aug 24, 2010, 07:36 AM »
Do you think it was possible to use your own car for 'shore excursions'?
Just to think of taking it out for a spin - on and off, all the way round the world...

I have a vague memory (wonder is it right?) that only Southampton, Cherbourg and New York had the facilities to load and unload cars into and out of the QE2.

I also suspect that, even more so than on car ferries, cars would be tightly parked together and one could not have extracted one car to go for a spin, without unloading quite a few others too  ;D  . And then, there was the car hidden under rubbish bags, mentioned somewhere in the Forum (if only I could find it...)!

Offline Twynkle

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #47 on: Aug 24, 2010, 09:01 AM »
There's one thing about days at sea when sailing westbound - they are all 25 hour! I was up and drinking tea in the Pavilion at 5-00am this morning! I hate to think what will happen when we're sailing eastwards again and when we move to cabins at the forward end of deck 2.

As we're at sea again today I'll comment about some of the things on the ship.

The Cruise Director
The CD for this trip is David Pepper. He reminds us of a rather poor version of Ted Bovis from Hi De Hi! To say that his delivery of a punchline was poor would be to pay him a compliment! He is factually inaccurate - for example on the breakfast show this morning he was saying that the QE2 once had the capacity to carry 80 cars. He then went on to say how these were regularly loaded at Liverpool.

I think the garage facility on QE2 was limited to about a dozen cars (I haven't got the books with me to check the exact number) although it was certainly never as high as 80 - unless you want to count Matchbox cars! [I was wrong on this point – when first built she could carry 80 cars – but they were never loaded at Liverpool. I correct this point later]

I do not think Liverpool has ever offered a RORO facility for Cunard; it has certainly never offered one for the QE2 (although I stand to be corrected). It is only this year that the QE2 has been able to dock in Liverpool until the cruise terminal opened it was a launch port.

Isabelle
Here are Malcolm's thoughts too.
I don't remember reading about the buried car - will keep an eye out for it!
Don't you think that going for a wee spin round some of the Islands of the Carribean, Monaco - or the Isle of Skye even, in 'the Rolls' would have been a good additional perk for passengers?!
Rosie.

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #48 on: Aug 24, 2010, 11:00 AM »
And then, there was the car hidden under rubbish bags, mentioned somewhere in the Forum (if only I could find it...)!

Found it!

Dear Captain McNaught,
I was a passenger aboard one of your very first voyages in command of the QE2.  I was crossing westboung ex-Southampton 26MAY03, arriving NY 1st June 2003.  I had a personal vehicle on board (an M-reg Volvo 850 Estate), and a dozen pieces of hold baggage, which in Southampton had been removed ostensibly for security reasons from the vehicle and placed in the hold baggage room (against my preference that it all be together).  Mid-voyage I bumped into you on deck, and asked you if I could have all my hold baggage put back into the vehicle so that on arrival the vehicle could just conveniently be driven off (per my original plan) in one easy neat operation with all baggage aboard.   You said politely but firmly no, citing security reasons.  The irony was that, in Southampton when they removed all the baggage from the vehicle they evidently could not lift the ten-ton exercise bike so they left that in the vehicle (the fly wheel of which could easily have been stuffed with C4 explosive).  So, I ended up having to decant all that hold baggage, pay a porter to move it in the lift downstairs in New York, and then re-pack everything in a rush.  When they opened the stern hatches, there was my vehicle -- covered in black garbage bags!  (The garbage bags in the 70s I used to watch staff throwing off the stern in the middle of the night, leaving a wake of garbage bags in the cean as far as the eye could see.   My question:  Was your real reason for saying no the eminently practical problem of getting to the vehicle under all that garbage, or was/is there a real security policy impediment?  If the latter how do you explain the exercise bike?  In the end that inconvenience cost me a computer (broken by stevedores as they slung it and other hold baggage down the belts).  Just wondering.   No hard feelings.  Wish you the very best in your new position.

So now, we know that in 2003 she was carrying a car  ;D  .

I wonder are there any later memories of cars on board?

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #49 on: Aug 24, 2010, 12:11 PM »
2003 was the last year she carried cars as that was her 'Farewell Transatlantic Season' - her first 'farewell'.

Cars under 5,500 lbs: £1,400 one way (£2,800 roundtrip)
Motorcycles: £810 each way
Bikes and Tricycles: £50 each way

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #50 on: Aug 24, 2010, 12:58 PM »
2003 was the last year she carried cars as that was her 'Farewell Transatlantic Season' - her first 'farewell'.

So, Speedbird178 was among the last to have his car carried!

Michael, are you telling us that the transatlantic was the only route on which she carried cars? In which case, I suppose, Rosie's idea of taking the car for a spin would have worked! Load your car in Southampton (or Cherbourg), unload in New York, take it for a drive round the city (or beyond) and load again same afternoon (or next month or whenever) for the return trip.

I wonder whether anyone ever did that?

I suppose those who could not bear to be parted from their car would also have been happy to know it was safe on board (rather than standing round all alone at home) and only a lift's drive away  ;D .

Michael, was the Maybach the only car that was carried out on deck, or were there others too?

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #51 on: Aug 24, 2010, 01:15 PM »
I thought the Cherbourg call was at most only a couple of hours long though?
"It is a capital mistake to allow any mechanical object to realise that you are in a hurry!"

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #52 on: Aug 24, 2010, 01:19 PM »
Isabelle - cars were only carried on the Atlantic; just like dogs, cats etc.

To my knowledge the Maybach car was the only one stowed on deck.

Peter - Cherbourg calls were only for a few hours as you say.


Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #53 on: Aug 24, 2010, 01:46 PM »
Peter - Cherbourg calls were only for a few hours as you say.

On the assumption that the Cherbourg call was after Southampton and before the Atlantic crossing, I still don't suppose that anyone who loaded their car in Southampton for shipping to New York, could have taken it out for a spin in Cherbourg?

Did cars (other than perhaps the Maybach?) ever travel unaccompanied, or were their drivers always on board too?

So, never any cars on the world cruises? No one who ever took a car on QE2 say from Sydney to Hong Kong?

The spaces which served for cars during Atlantic crossings must then have had many other uses during the rest of the year -- and also after QM2 took over the "car ferry" service.

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #54 on: Aug 24, 2010, 02:28 PM »
It is my understanding that only cars were taken on the Atlantic.

On several occasions over her life QE2 would carry collections of cars (Rolls Royces etc) that would be taken to Europe or the US for exhibitions so not all of these would have been accompanied by a fare paying passenger.

The rules about carrying cars changed somewhat about a decade ago so it was decided not to build garage facilities in QM2 and I don't think demand for cars in QE2 warranted facilities being built into QM2 in the end.

When built QE2 could carry 72 cars but the car space was whittled down over the years when things such as a garbage plant (non existant nor required in 1969) were needed to be built into the ship. QE2 was always the biggest car ferry in the world!

Offline Bob C.

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #55 on: Aug 24, 2010, 02:42 PM »
Don't ask me to produce a photo but I have seen cars being lifted from the Q Deck hold hatch before.  I would suppose that this could still be done if QM2 and modern day ships had holds w/ hatches on the fo'c'sle.

Just one more reason QE2 is the last of her kind!

Speedbird178

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #56 on: Aug 30, 2010, 10:23 PM »
Some folks seem interested in a little detail, so here goes:  Whereas in the old days a car was just part of one's baggage, I had pay around 1,000 Pds Stg to have it carried.  I had to show up at Southampton port with only minimum fuel still in the tanks the day prior to scheduled departure, and allow a chap to steam-clean the underneath, for which I had shell out something like 30 quid.  They gave me a certificate.  Then I left the car (a Volvo 850 Estate) with them, and returned to my nearby hotel on foot, for the night.  The car was stuffed to the gills, some 16 pieces including a heavy Finnish-built exercise bike.  The next day sombody told me they had had to remove all the contents of the vehicle purportedly "for security reasons" and stow it as "hold baggage."  A baggage room run by a kind Russian.  Visiting him frequently, I got to know him quite well, so well he kindly affixed high-priority tags on all the baggage so that they were offloaded early on in the disembarkation along with the First Class baggage, so I had a running chance of getting "on the road" at a decent hour.   On arrival, immigration and customs officials came on board immediately after we docked.  I was questioned.  It took about 2 minutes.  When they heard it was a personal vehicle, that was all they wanted to hear.  Stamp.  Stamp.  Done.  They had no interest in the steam-cleaning certificate.  They were much more interested in getting served a huge pot of hot delicious fresh coffee.  Outside (1st June 2003) it was raining cats and dogs, and they were cold and groggy.  I was among first off the vessel, and quite quickly had all my baggage on a big trolley which I paid a porter to taken in a freight lift down to the lower level where all manner of provisioning vehicles were positioning to load the vessel during the turnaround.  The first sight of my car, before someone could drive it off, was of it covered in black garbage/rubbish bags.  Took me about an hour to re-pack it.  Vessel had docked at about 7 am.  I was away by about 9:30 / 10:00 am.  The customs/police folks at the gates didn't give a monkey's what I had in the vehicle. 

Online Rob Lightbody

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #57 on: Sep 01, 2010, 09:15 AM »
Speedbird - thanks for your fascinating "real life" contribution!  I always wonder and, still do I guess, how you can drive a British car on the US roads and vice versa - is there anything else you have to do before you hit the highway in a British car?  I always wanted to take my wee Mini with me across the Atlantic - oh well...

Michael (flagship) - in Reply 37 above, your first photo shows what appears to be a yellow turntable, but covered with lots of permanent looking equipment... can you (or someone who's familiar with the area in later years) explain a bit further about what we can see in that photo?

Thanks.
Passionate about QE2's service life for 40 years and creator of this website.  I have worked in IT for 28 years and created my personal QE2 website in 1994.

Speedbird178

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #58 on: Sep 01, 2010, 06:38 PM »
The main problem, as with driving on the continent (of Europe) is overtaking (passing).  Without a passenger to provide advice as to what's ahead, it is an inherently dangerous maneuver.  Requires real caution, and power in your vehicle, to be safe.  The real fun is in encounters with people, eg filling up at a gas station.   Folks cannot believe they are looking at a driving wheel on "the other" side.  Many Americans are very, very provincial, and look at you and your right-hand-drive vehicle like you've just arrived from outer space.  Mailman are constantly harassing  you with offers to buy your car, on the other hand, because that is just what they need to drop off mail in mail boxes through the car's right-hand window.  My first American girlfriend was extremely embarrassed to be seen driving in the right-hand drive vehicle (then again, maybe it was me?!), and preferred not to.   The most interesting encounters are with police, when you have only a British driving licence.  It is entirely lawful to be driving a British-registered vehicle on a British driving licence for up to a year.  Whatever you've done to atract the atention of police, you'll in all likelihood get a pass (a warning at worst), because they have nothing to hang on citation/ticket on (unless you're so gormless as to give them your real curent mailing or physical address.  So, real name, but address North Pole.  It was fun.  Until the car was totalled about a year after I had "imported" it; a little 16-year-old who'd had her licence for about a week who cut across me left-to-right causing me to T-bone her passenger side, when I had right of way.  No injuries, thank God, but a tragedy nonetheless.    My Volvo 850 Estate was only 9 years old, and had only 45,000 miles on it.  Declared a constructive total loss, because the repair costs would have exceeded its current market value (cheque for $9,000 dollars).   That at least avoided me havign to confront the real problem with driving a "temporary personal importation" vehicle in the States, which is that technically you are responsible for exporting it eventually back out of the country, or for paying import duties on it.   

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #59 on: Sep 18, 2010, 12:00 AM »
Here is another mention of a car carried on deck (though perhaps very briefly only!) :

It was 17 July 1995 and the cruise had been planned to have QE2 in South Queensferry to see the tall ships. Also that day HRH Princess Anne lunched on board at a SBAAT function (Scottish Business thingy). The helicopter brought a car out to the ship that was being auctioned and it was placed on the deck. Later that day QE2 led the Tall Ships out of the Firth of Forth.

Offline Janice Naylor

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #60 on: Feb 24, 2011, 09:59 PM »
I remember standing on the pier in NYC in 1978 preparing to board the QE2 and a big, silver Rolls Royce, or  Bently, was being lifted onto the ship with a crane.   The car floated right over my head.
Whenever I hear a sea story I think of the first time I saw the QE2 and the great adventures that followed.

Offline Rod

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #61 on: Oct 30, 2011, 10:12 AM »
When I was on board in the 70's, Cunard had the contract with the Mercedes Car club of the US to carry the very old Mercs to Europe. Quite often we would have up to 20 Mercs of 20's and 30's vintage.
Because of union regs nearly ALL cars were driven on board by stevadores. The only places that had car ramps were Soton, NY and Chergourg.
Larger cars and campers like Winnebagos were put in the forward hatch. Once in NY a smaller camper was dropped into the hatch when the slinging arrangement came adrift.
The forward and after holds were not connectd...the engine room got in the way.
During the world cruise the holds were used for stores.
As Louis said, later one hold was taken for the technical stores.

usqe2fan

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #62 on: Oct 30, 2011, 09:03 PM »
When I was young, our family transported 2 cars on QE2, both from Cherbourg to New York, in 1975 and again in 1977.  I still have the August 15 1977 "car passage ticket" in my QE2 artifact collection.  Both Cherbourg and New York were drive on - drive off for cars.

We had to arrive at the pier in Cherbourg by 10:00 AM the day of sailing.  After check in, they did a "steam cleaning" which entailed picking up the car by crane, and having the underside washed via a fire hose; I was never entirely sure if it was salt or fresh water!  My father had a certificate delivered to his cabin on each crossing that the car had been "steam cleaned" as it was required for entry into the US.  On both voyages, there were well over 30 cars loaded at Cherbourg, I have pictures of our car(s) parked and waiting in queue for each voyage.  QE2 did quite well as a car ferry in those days.

In 1975, the fellow operating the crane was accidentally sprayed with water from the hose by the car cleaner below.  He yelled obsenities at the man below, and proceeded to rapidly move a huge lime green Plymouth Fury out of range of the man below.  Needless to say, he overdid the move, and the Fury proceeded to crash head on into the corner of an adjacent crane, similar to driving head on into the corner of a building.  The loud crash occured, the green antifreeze and some other fluids leaked from the car onto the ground.  The car was quite badly damaged.  A minute later, a large, loud enraged New Yorker who owned the Fury stormed out of the terminal lounge, and was yelling obscenties at the French stating he was going to "kick their a$$es".  He was ultimately prevented from reaching the workers, but it was all quite dramatic.  I am not sure if the green Fury made that voyage, it was just put down and pushed into a corner of the car waiting area as it was not running.   After we boarded, I was focused on exploring the ship as it was my first time aboard QE2.  Quite the adventure at Cherbourg that day!


 

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #63 on: Nov 18, 2011, 01:23 PM »
That is quite a story! Thank you for posting it.

I love the collection of stories we are building up here -- all the many things that QE2 saw during her days on the oceans, and all the things that changed during those 40 years...

After check in, they did a "steam cleaning" which entailed picking up the car by crane, and having the underside washed via a fire hose; I was never entirely sure if it was salt or fresh water! 

I am pretty sure that it must have been fresh water.

When I moved to Kenya, I had my car shipped in a container, together with my bicycle and the household effects. On arrival in Nairobi, I was told that the car would never be the same again -- it would rust much faster than would otherwise have been the case. Reason : the sea spray would have reached the car even within a container within the ship... and it would erode the metal parts.

Luckily, the container must have been well inside the hull of the ship and luckily too, Nairobi has a climate that is very beneficial to cars, so this car of mine lived on fairly rust free for many years, until it died in a crash.

The moral of the story is that Cunard would not have risked salt water damage to the cars it was transporting... word would have got around too quickly!

As for crashing the cars they were washing -- presumably that happened only once  ;D !

Offline Barrie Evans

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #64 on: Feb 01, 2012, 11:10 PM »
If i remember right, when the Q E 2 was built, she had a drive-on,drive off facilities for around 80 cars. Special lifts were capable of carrying five ton loads at 100-foot a minute, with a capacity to handle 40 cars per hour.

Offline pete cain

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #65 on: Feb 26, 2012, 05:07 PM »
Just found this interesting 8mm short (no sound) looks like she carried caravans also, the written script says they also had a Rover to tow it through America, some holiday !.
    
              

as ever thanks to youtube & in this case Kath & Reg.
« Last Edit: Feb 26, 2012, 06:39 PM by Isabelle Prondzynski »

Offline John Fürbach

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #66 on: Mar 30, 2015, 10:09 AM »
Hello community i have read somewhere, that the QE2 also had a car garage to take along a few cars, is this true. In case, does the QM2 have it too.

Thanks beforehand

John

Offline Lynda Bradford

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #67 on: Mar 30, 2015, 10:30 AM »
Welcome John and thanks for your questions about QE2 carrying cars.  I have merged your post with the existing post on this subject where you will find lots of information.  I am not aware of QM2 carrying cars and do not think that she has this facility. 
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Andy Holloway

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #68 on: Jun 19, 2018, 12:10 PM »
The AA rating lasted for one year - the year it was awarded. She was never reinspected so it wasn't renewed. Carrying cars made QE2 the biggest car ferry in the world.

JDL: in the last few years the number of cars carried was low. In 2001 she carried a brand new Maybech (value £250,000) in a class case on her aft decks and it was helicoptered off the ship when she arrived in New Year. It was a publicity stunt for Maybech.

If i search my photos i have a couple of it onboard QE2 and being 'lifted'off by helicopter in NY.

Watch this space!

Online Andy Holloway

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #69 on: Jun 26, 2018, 01:54 PM »
If i search my photos i have a couple of it onboard QE2 and being 'lifted'off by helicopter in NY.

Watch this space!
Still looking for the 'lifting off' ones, but here are some of it in it's glass container when it was onboard.

Online Andy Holloway

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #70 on: Jun 28, 2018, 01:17 PM »
This was a very well planned operation from a safety and logistical point of view.

Firstly there had to be an identifiable spot to position the vehicle on deck as it was 'requested' that it be lifted off in New York having been 'seen' arriving on QE2!!

To this end the only structurally secure spot was on the sports deck above the Yacht Club. Riggers arrived immediately on arrival in S'ton, the deck furniture already having been removed and stored safely. Securing bolts were welded in position and finally all was ready for the arrival on The Maybach, complete with it's carrying container.
It arrived on a barge with accompanying floating crane and took about an hour to get in position, all the time passengers were kept clear on that part of the ship for safety reasons. 

The crossing was uneventful and the car was a a huge 'attraction' for the passengers, most being unaware that they would be travelling with such a 'famous' travelling companion.

On the first full day at sea i had a visitor to my office who had somehow found out about my previous Military service and came to say 'hello'! He turned  out to be a USMC [United States Marine Corps] Captain who was a helicopter pilot and was returning to the US after a posting in Europe.  We chatted about this and that and then met up again later at a cocktail party.
By then there had been a 'lift off' meeting where the final logistics of getting the car & container off in New York were finalised. 
While i was talking to him about this he asked if i thought there was any way he could witness the event.
One of the points that came out from the meeting was that all the open decks aft of the mast would be 'out of bounds' during the lifting off process.
I said that i didn't think so but, i would certainly speak to The Captain - Ian McNaught - and ask.
The next morning at breakfast i asked the Captain and he said that as this passenger was  an experienced helicopter pilot he was quite happy for him to stand just aft of the funnel and watch the whole procedure. That morning i search for and found the USMC officer and told him, to say he was delighted would be an understatement!! He knew about the helicopter that would be doing the lift a Sikorsky CH54 Tarhe, but had never seen one at work.
We arranged for one of my team to meet him and escort him through crew areas to his 'viewing spot' and remain with him throughout.   
As we approached New York the riggers were up early preparing the container for lifting, after passing under The Verrizano-Narrows Bridge the upper decks were cleared of passengers in preparation for the lift and our 'escort' Police boats joined us to ensure that a good size area of water around QE2 was clear for the lifting operation to take place.
As we approached a point approx over the Holland tunnel QE2 slowed down and the operation began. The helicopter hovered overhead for what seemed like ages while the lifting strops were attached and checked, then with a huge increase in power the CH54 began the lift, initially slowly taking the weight, and then once the container was safely clear of the it made the short trip across The Hudson and lowered the container onto one of the piers that line the lower part of that part of the waterfront.
From there, the Maybach was unloaded, quickly checked and driven through New York to Wall St where it was driven up a pre constructed ramp directly into the lobby of the NY Stock Exchange!

Meanwhile QE2 completed her arrival in New York and so another turnaround day began.

As my 'new best friend' disembarked he handed my a small memento/thank-you gift - a USMC Officer's Tie clip, which i still wear to this day, on those occasions when i wear a tie, and always think of that momentous day when i look at it! 
 
« Last Edit: Jun 28, 2018, 05:40 PM by Andy Holloway »

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #71 on: Jun 28, 2018, 05:19 PM »
What an excellent report, Andy, of a great crossing and arrival!

Thank you for a wonderful read...

Offline Dave Lowing

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #72 on: Nov 14, 2018, 07:21 PM »
Back in 1975 QE2 carried over a number of Ferrari's for Luigi Chinnetti's, North American Racing Team (NART). I photographed the procedure at Cherbourg where they were craned out of the forward hold onto the quayside. I was interested because the previous year I went to the 1974 Le Mans race, myself.

Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #73 on: Nov 14, 2018, 07:33 PM »
Fabulous pictures! Thank you, Dave :) . Those cars must have been extremely valuable...

Offline Lynda Bradford

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #74 on: Nov 14, 2018, 07:46 PM »
Thanks for posting the photos Dave.  Fantastic pictures that are a part of history of QE2 and interesting to know that you had been at the Le Mans race, the previous year. I believe the race a bit of an endurance test for the drivers. Were you a driver or spectator? 
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Offline Dave Lowing

Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #75 on: Nov 14, 2018, 08:56 PM »
Thank you, I was a spectator and had to take off an extra voyage, in or order to get there. I went with Page & Moy as a package deal.

Offline June Ingram

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Re: QE2 Carrying Cars
« Reply #76 on: Nov 15, 2018, 04:04 PM »
These are great photos, Dave !  Many thanks for posting them !   :)
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