Olympic v Titanic

[Brent Holt]

This is a slight change of subject, but I have never seen an actual color photo of the interiors of Aquitania. That seems odd since she made it to 1950. I suspect she still looked fine, if worn, during her austerity service to Halifax in the late 40s.

Brent

 

[Grant Carman]

When Aquitania was used as an immigrant ship, there weren't a lot of here interiors there. Most had been stripped out when she was fitted out as a troop transport. My mother took the Aquitania to Canada in 1944, and other than her an 30 odd other women being confined to one section of a deck (30 odd women and a few thousand soldiers coming home), she said that it was bunkbeds. She didn't mention the other areas, as they even ate in their area for their own protection, (the entrances to their area was guarded 24/7), but chances are there were very few of the fittings there. The liners that were used as troop transports had as much stripped out as possible, in order to fit more bunks. Those ships sometimes carried up to 6k troops at a time.

 

[Brent Holt]

I thought I had read somewhere that some of her first class facilities were intact in the late 1940s, such as the smoking room and lounge.

Brent

 

[Grant Carman]

Brent

It;s quite possible, as they might not have wanted to completely strip out an old outdated liner, but in a lot of cases, the passenger accommodation was stripped out, and everything else that they could think of in order to make room for bunks.
The only way to find out is to ask someone a lot more knowledgeable that me.

 

[Mario Hristovski]

Well Olympic and Titanic were about the same-- except the enclosed promenade deck,the gross tonnage, and some the cabins. Well Olypmic was more popular than the Titanic because she was the first of the 3 leviathens. However I have question-is there actual photographs of the Titanic's main Grand Staircase or are all of them Olympics? I read in a previous article which said this was so.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>I have question-is there actual photographs of the Titanic's main Grand Staircase or are all of them Olympics?<<

All the extant and published photos of the Grand Staircase is that of the Olympic's. I would be greatly surprised if a photo of Titanic's Grand Staircase wasn't snapped by a few shutterbugs. However, if any of them have survived to the present day, they are in private hands.

>>Well Olympic and Titanic were about the same-- <<

Well, if you want to be nit picky, that's not entirely accurate. The Olympic and Titanic had the same hull and machinary, but there were some quite signifigent differences in the cabin arrangements as well as the layout of some of the public spaces. Nothing surprising in that sine shipowners are always trying to make the latest and greatest a little bit better then the one that came before.

As to Olympic's popularity, there's very little basis to make a comparision since Titanic didn't even survive her first voyage.

 

[Alexander John Cooley]

They were built the same way. IT is just that they have made some modifications to the RMS Titanic and after the sinking of the Titanic the Olympic was re-fitted and made much better and the Britannic formerly known as Gigantic was from then on to look like if you can never have too many boats.

 

[Jeff Brebner]

>>Mark Chirnside rules!!<<

He does indeed. I just finished his book on the Olympic Class ships and was beyond impressed. Too bad not all authors make that kind of effort towards fairness and thoroughness.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Too bad not all authors make that kind of effort towards fairness and thoroughness.<<

And at such a young age as well. I wish some of the "elder statesmen" among researchers were as thorough as he is and with his talant for critical thinking and an ability to get to the facts.

 

[John Stirling]

I have to admit that the Olympic holds a very special place in my heart, and it was a shame when she was retired - but in my part of the world in the North East of England and particular Tyneside she did bring much needed work during dark times, and there are still little bits of her alive today (The White Swan Hotel in Alnwick) that can give us all a feeling what it was like to be on such a wonder ship

 

[Jeff Brebner]

From the description in Mark's book she was still in pretty good shape for her age when she was scrapped. Hull in good condition, able to maintain the same speed...

 

[Aly Jones]

Yes true she was in good nick at the time she was scrapped.The only reason she was scrapped when she was in good nick is cause the cunard line wanted to get rid of all whitestar line ships.I think if white starline never of folded,Oylimpic may be spared and be an history ship.

 

[Brent Holt]

For more info on Olympic's retirement, see Mark Chirnside's article here: (Scroll to the bottom for the link to the pdf)
http://www.markchirnside.co.uk/RMS_Olympic_Retirement_Introduction.htm
At one time I would have said, like some White Star people did back then, that she was withdrawn because her funnels were the wrong color, but that really was not true.

Brent
www.oceanlinerleviathans.info

 

[Aly Jones]

That sounds to redicloius,to me that is proof that i was right about cunard line trying to get rid of the Oylimpic once and for all, with that crappy excuse.No one will ever believe that,which i can see you're last bit of you're post.

 

[Brent Holt]

I don't totally understand what you mean, but Mark's research is very thorough and I can't say I would have not done the same thing as Cunard did with Olympic in 1935. Olympic is easily my favorite ship but, emotions aside, the Depression, surplus of ships and the takeover by Cunard sealed her fate. The much bigger question is Cunard retaining Berengaria over Majestic. That once is open to the most debate.