Author Topic: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?  (Read 13107 times)

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Online Lynda Bradford

Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« on: Sep 11, 2015, 08:24 AM »
On this day, 11 September 1967 the Q4 was sitting in the stocks awaiting her big day. 

The Glasgow Herald printed a picture with the heading "nearly ready" and the sub title "Q4 nearly ready and waiting at John Brown's yard at Clydebank for her launch by the Queen on 20 September. On page 6 of the newspaper you can see this rather grainy image. 
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Bn9AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5594%2C3250422

Where were you on the days leading up to the launch in 1967 and do you have any memories of the ship at that time?
« Last Edit: Sep 20, 2021, 09:18 AM by Lynda Bradford »
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Offline June Ingram

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Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #1 on: Sep 11, 2015, 02:46 PM »
Thank you, Lynda, for your post regarding Q4's countdown to launch by Her Majesty, The Queen.  Even though the newspaper photo is grainy, her distinctively beautiful bow is clearly captured !  The excitement must surely have been building at this time both for Q4's launch and for the visit of The Queen.  Has anyone found any long lost photos of those days ?
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Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #2 on: Sep 11, 2015, 09:34 PM »
Where were you on the days leading up to the launch in 1967 and do you have any memories of the ship at that time?

Alas, no memories but I can state with great certainty that in those days when I was not either eating or sleeping I would have been either crawling around on a rug or being wheeled around in a pram as I was just under 8 months old at the time...  ;D
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Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 12, 2015, 09:38 PM »
Lynda, how about yourself? Were you excited about the launch, or about the Queen, or about getting a day off school? Perhaps all three!

I had no awareness whatsoever of the QE2 at the time.

I had just left school and was at the time starting a gap year by improving my French in Paris while working as an au pair.

This was the year of the moon landings (just a couple of months earlier), and somehow those did reach my consciousness, which was otherwise fully occupied by the joy of finally having left school!

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #4 on: Sep 12, 2015, 10:20 PM »
This was the year of the moon landings (just a couple of months earlier)

I'm afraid I must correct you there; the first Moon landing was July 1969 so that's more comparable to the maiden voyage rather than the launch.

Not that it makes much difference - there were of course the various Apollo test missions prior to the actual Moon landings.
"It is a capital mistake to allow any mechanical object to realise that you are in a hurry!"

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #5 on: Sep 13, 2015, 12:06 AM »
I'm afraid I must correct you there; the first Moon landing was July 1969 so that's more comparable to the maiden voyage rather than the launch.

You're quite right, Peter -- thank you!

In September 1967 I was still very much at school and totally unaware of what was happening in the outside world...

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #6 on: Sep 13, 2015, 10:34 AM »
Lynda, how about yourself? Were you excited about the launch, or about the Queen, or about getting a day off school? Perhaps all three!

I had no awareness whatsoever of the QE2 at the time.

Living in Clydebank I was very aware of the build up to the launch, although I was working in Albion Motors in Scotstoun on the day and was not allowed time off work. 

At that time newspaper were sold on the streets by street newspaper vendors and they would shout "read all about it" telling you the news headlines.  Prior to the queen visited the town lamppost were given a lick of paint, the town was given a tidy up and there was bunting put up around shop windows.  There was also awareness that the shipyard's fitting out workforce would be in employment for another year, providing pay packets for many of the town's residents. 

On this day 13 September 1967; about 350 ship platers involved in building the Q4 in John Brown’s Shipyard came out on unofficial strike on  in support of Boiler Makers being laid off early without consultation with Unions.  The Glasgow Herald reported on this in the following day's newspaper.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AX9AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6368%2C2258438
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Offline June Ingram

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Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #7 on: Sep 13, 2015, 10:51 PM »
I was working as a teacher's assistant, having taken three years between high school and college.  My family's Newport News Shipbuilding friend had kept me informed as to the launch date.  My remembrance is a front page photo in our newspaper of QE2's beautiful bow just prior to launch.  The photo spread across the whole top third of the front page.  That photo is as clear in my mind today as it was in the newspaper on that date.
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #8 on: Sep 14, 2015, 09:46 AM »
Keep posting the memories of what you remember from the count down to the Q4 launch. When I lived in Clydebank I never imagined that newspapers in USA would be reporting on QE2 and that all these years later QE2 would unite us sharing our memories.


On this day 14 September 1967; the Glasgow Herald reported that Renfrewshire town council was to shut off a “right of  way” on the right bank of the River Cart in preparation for the Q4 launch The right of way was flooded when the Queen Mary was launched hence the council taking this precaution.

The River Cart is opposite the John Brown's launch pad and people gathered on farmland on the River Cart side of the river to watch the launch.

It was also reported that “restrictions would be imposed on aircraft  entering or leaving Glasgow Airport during the launch. “

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AX9AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6686%2C2258954
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Offline Clydebuilt1971

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #9 on: Sep 14, 2015, 11:53 AM »

Where were you on the days leading up to the launch in 1967 and do you have any memories of the ship at that time?

Erm...... I wasn't around yet!!!  :(

The 20th was my dad's birthday and my parents had been married all of 14 days though!!

Gav

Offline June Ingram

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Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #10 on: Sep 14, 2015, 02:19 PM »
Yes, Lynda, our QE2 has always made news in the USA and it is indeed wonderful that through her, we have been able to make friends with mutual interest throughout the world !   :)

Thanks for posting the link to the article about the road closing and the airport restrictions.  It is interesting to note that airport restrictions are not new.

I remember seeing a video of the wash created by QE2's launch. 
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #11 on: Sep 19, 2015, 10:49 AM »
On 19 September, 1967 the excitement was building in Clydebank as the day of the launch was fast approaching. 

The previous day newspapers had given information about the Queens planned route from Glasgow Airport crossing the River Clyde by Erskine Ferry.  Motorists were asked to keep clear of the Erskine Ferry and cross the Clyde via the Renfrew Ferry or the Clyde Tunnel.  Motorists were also informed that no parking would be allowed on the Glasgow to Greenock Road, to view the launch.  Instead they could pay the pricey sum of 2 shillings and 6 pence to park at the the Old Mains Farm and Florish Farm in Inchinnan, opposite the launch site

The betting odds for the name of the ship to be Princess Margaret shortened from 25:1 to 4:1. Many people must have lost a lot of money and the bookies would have been happy men as they counted their gains. 

Where were you on the lead up to the launch?  What stories can you remember you family telling you?
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Offline June Ingram

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Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #12 on: Sep 20, 2015, 08:38 PM »
Thank you, Lynda, for such a marvelous tribute to your Dad and to our beloved QE2 !
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Online cunardqueen

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #13 on: Sep 20, 2015, 08:55 PM »
Quote
I am told as Plant Managing Foreman foreman he would have been the man who would press the button to release the ship.  I was told this by a man who had been an apprentice in my Dad's Department, but like so many story I cannot verify it as my Dad was dead by the time I learned about this. 
   

Lynda, An amazing story and something to be very proud of. It would be interesting to hear how exactly QE2 was launched, and when you father pressed the button what chain of events would have been set in place.
Its always amazing to see the wood  poles being knocked it, l just assumed when her Majesty pressed the button that set everything off...
From the moment you first glimpsed the Queen,
 you just knew you were in for a very special time ahead.!

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #14 on: Sep 20, 2015, 09:03 PM »
Lynda, An amazing story and something to be very proud of. It would be interesting to hear how exactly QE2 was launched, and when you father pressed the button what chain of events would have been set in place.
Its always amazing to see the wood  poles being knocked it, l just assumed when her Majesty pressed the button that set everything off...

Just like the building of the ship, there was so many people involved with the launch process and they all had a part to play. I also like the images of the men knocking the props away and the greasing of the slipway to prepare her for the launch, especially as the men look so proud of the part they have played in building the ship and excited about the launch. 
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #15 on: Sep 17, 2016, 10:36 AM »
September 17 1967 and the excitement would be building in the town of Clydebank as people were looking forward to the launch of Q4

The Glasgow Herald reported that there would be a special sailing of the Clyde Steamer, the Duchess of Hamilton three days before the launch to give passengers the opportunity to see the Q4 on her launching berth. 
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A39AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5192%2C2718646

The article also reported that the Caledonian and the Duchess of Hamilton would take 2000 passengers on Wednesday 20 September to see the launch.

Have a read at what has been posted on this topic - maybe you can add more to the memory
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,6947.msg74076.html#msg74076
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #16 on: Sep 17, 2016, 04:21 PM »
Rob has posted in another topic a picture of the poster for the Caledonia trip down the Clyde to see the launch.  Fantastic piece of memorabilia
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,5323.msg54453.html#msg54453
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #17 on: Aug 30, 2021, 06:56 PM »
National Records of Scotland on Twitter posted from the archives the photo of the worker looking at the unfinished 736 sitting in the stocks. 
https://twitter.com/NatRecordsScot/status/1432350015247327240

I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #18 on: Sep 14, 2021, 11:30 AM »
On this day!

Two interesting little articles on 14 September 1967.  On the lead up to the launch of QE2 the Glasgow Herald newspaper reported a strike by the Q4 Platers. The workers were protesting that the management had brought forward the date when 80 boiler makers would be made redundant from October 30 to October 6.  This change would have had significant impact on the lives of the boilermakers and their families.  The strike only lasted for a morning as the workers agreed at a lunch time meeting to return to work while discussions continued and it was reported that the strike would have no impact on the launch of the Q4.

Another article is in relation to the closure of road in Refrewshire, opposite the launch site in Clydebank.  Right of way shut for the launch.

When viewing launch footage of the QE2 you will often see people on the opposite bank running away from the shoreline as to avoid getting wet with the displacement of water when QE2 entered the Clyde.  In the article there is a mention that the road that was planned to be closed was flooded when the Queen Mary was launched. 
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Count down to the Q4 launch - where were you?
« Reply #19 on: Sep 18, 2021, 10:18 AM »
On this date in. 1967......

Glasgow Herald article 18 September 1967 - Hazards of Q4 launch

In the article JF Starks Assistant Managing Director outlines the dangers that need to be considered for the safe launch of the ship into the temperamental River Clyde. 

He also said:

- The ship will glide into the Clyde at 22 MPH
- There will be 1,400 tons of drag links to steady her path
- As she enters the water she will push 20,000 tons of water, her launch weight
- 3,000 men have worked on the ship and 500 more will be employed on the fitting out
- An average of 300 tons of steel a week have been put into the ship

Mr H G Parker shipyard director said “a variety of new materials had been used in the construction and would be used in the fitting out.  The specification of the ship called for craftsmanship of an unusually high order and this had been achieved. “
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank