Olympic laid up
- Thread starter Brian Hawley
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- olympic
Mark Chirnside
Member
Hi Brian!
From what I remember, she was moved twice. In July 1935 she was in front of Mauretania, when she left for the scrappers, and I seem to recall that before that she had been *behind* Mauretania. By June-July 1935, her paintwork was looking tatty, but a photo from around April 1935 shows her behind Mauretania and in clean, spanking new looking condition.
So, from what I know (and sorry for the lack of detail here) Olympic was behind Mauretania before July 1935, then ahead of her, and I can't remember if she was moved again. I *guess* that she would have been moved to make it easier to move Mauretania, but that's just a hunch. I would also be interested if anyone could give further detail, but meanwhile I hope that helped a little Brian?
Best regards,
Mark.
P.S. Can you give the url please?
From what I remember, she was moved twice. In July 1935 she was in front of Mauretania, when she left for the scrappers, and I seem to recall that before that she had been *behind* Mauretania. By June-July 1935, her paintwork was looking tatty, but a photo from around April 1935 shows her behind Mauretania and in clean, spanking new looking condition.
So, from what I know (and sorry for the lack of detail here) Olympic was behind Mauretania before July 1935, then ahead of her, and I can't remember if she was moved again. I *guess* that she would have been moved to make it easier to move Mauretania, but that's just a hunch. I would also be interested if anyone could give further detail, but meanwhile I hope that helped a little Brian?
Best regards,
Mark.
P.S. Can you give the url please?
Brian Hawley
Guest
The URL is below Mark. Go to the last 2 photos at the bottom of the page and click on the thumbnail. I have enlarged the Olympic portion of the picture. I scanned the entire image so large it had to be dramatically cut down for realistic download times. The image was 79 Megs before I compressed it and resized it. Before I made it smaller I cut out the section showing Olympic at 1200 DPI. Interesting that the entire A deck promenade is covered. Also I think this is the first time I have seen a gangway in this forward doorway. Always interesting to me that the D deck first class cabin ports seem to show up much better in the 20s and 30s than they did pre war.
http://www.bytenet.net/rmscaronia/Gallery.html
Brian
http://www.bytenet.net/rmscaronia/Gallery.html
Brian
Just out wondering, how excatly did they scrape her? How long was this process? Did they excatly scrap the ENTIRE ship or just parts? What happened to the woden deck? The Engines, and the rest of the interior, like the stair case and so on. Also, does anyone know what excatly what was made out of her?
Brent Holt
Member
Back then, at least, the scrapping followed a process like this:
1. The ships fittings, ranging from chairs, paneling, light fixtures, and other items are stripped and sold at auction. (Not sure about the teak on the exterior decks)
2. The scrapping begins with the removal of the superstructure, upper decks, funnels, etc. Basically, the ship is demolished from the top down. (Although sometimes they start from the bow or stern)
3. In the Olympic's case, the hull was partially scrapped and then moved to Inverkeithing for final demolition since Jarrow did not have the necessary facilities to complete the scrapping.
The steel removed from the ship is melted down in furnaces before being recast and reused. Much of Olympic’s steel was used for common items, I believe, and not anything particularly special. (I remember reading about what it was used for, but can’t recall anything else.)
The scrapping of a ship is actually a complex process because great care must be taken to make sure the remains of the ship do not capsize as material is removed.
Brent
1. The ships fittings, ranging from chairs, paneling, light fixtures, and other items are stripped and sold at auction. (Not sure about the teak on the exterior decks)
2. The scrapping begins with the removal of the superstructure, upper decks, funnels, etc. Basically, the ship is demolished from the top down. (Although sometimes they start from the bow or stern)
3. In the Olympic's case, the hull was partially scrapped and then moved to Inverkeithing for final demolition since Jarrow did not have the necessary facilities to complete the scrapping.
The steel removed from the ship is melted down in furnaces before being recast and reused. Much of Olympic’s steel was used for common items, I believe, and not anything particularly special. (I remember reading about what it was used for, but can’t recall anything else.)
The scrapping of a ship is actually a complex process because great care must be taken to make sure the remains of the ship do not capsize as material is removed.
Brent
Mark Chirnside
Member
Hi!
Thanks for the url, Brian. There's a good collection of pictures there. The mid-1935 photos are interesting; there was canvas like that on the ship during the 1928 refit, and a photo exists dated late-January 1928 which shows this. The ship looks sad there, just rusting with no one painting her or looking after her. The lack of maintainence during the latter part of 1935 especially, I understand, created several places of bad rust that wasn't there before.
Brian: Always interesting to me that the D deck first class cabin ports seem to show up much better in the 20s and 30s than they did pre war.
It is to me too, do you think that they changed the portholes in some way?
Brent, I seem to recall a source saying that some of the melted down metal went into Britain's 1936-onward re-armament program, which began modestly then massively speeded-up in 1938-1939.
Best regards,
Mark.
Thanks for the url, Brian. There's a good collection of pictures there. The mid-1935 photos are interesting; there was canvas like that on the ship during the 1928 refit, and a photo exists dated late-January 1928 which shows this. The ship looks sad there, just rusting with no one painting her or looking after her. The lack of maintainence during the latter part of 1935 especially, I understand, created several places of bad rust that wasn't there before.
Brian: Always interesting to me that the D deck first class cabin ports seem to show up much better in the 20s and 30s than they did pre war.
It is to me too, do you think that they changed the portholes in some way?
Brent, I seem to recall a source saying that some of the melted down metal went into Britain's 1936-onward re-armament program, which began modestly then massively speeded-up in 1938-1939.
Best regards,
Mark.
Brian Hawley
Guest
Thanks Mark, those photos are all unpublished and from my personal collection. As time and money permits more will be added. Brent the scrap yard did make parts of Olympic's hull into souvenirs. For example about six months ago a memorabilia dealer had a bronze model of Olympic made from her props. It was $2,500 so far out of my price range. Also some items made from her decking occasionally turn up, although not nearly as much wooden decking turns up for Olympic as you see for Mauretania.
By the way I have about 47 post cards for Olympic and have been thinking about putting them on the web. Do you guys think it would be too much to download? Or should I post only the uncommon cards?
Brian
By the way I have about 47 post cards for Olympic and have been thinking about putting them on the web. Do you guys think it would be too much to download? Or should I post only the uncommon cards?
Brian
Mark Chirnside
Member
Hi Brian!
Do post here when new photos are added, I'm sure we'd love to see them. I am always surprised that so few seem to exist of Olympic compared to other liners -- I mean, she was afloat for a quarter of a century. I know the problems with money, I am heading towards the red after paying more than £50 a go to reproduce some UFTM photos.
Best regards,
Mark.
Do post here when new photos are added, I'm sure we'd love to see them. I am always surprised that so few seem to exist of Olympic compared to other liners -- I mean, she was afloat for a quarter of a century. I know the problems with money, I am heading towards the red after paying more than £50 a go to reproduce some UFTM photos.
Best regards,
Mark.
