Queen Elizabeth Maiden Voyage 3740 Unpublished Photo

[Mark Chirnside]

PS thanks again, and I've e-mailed you my list of Aquitania's wartime services that I promised you back in 1979.

 

[Steve Anderson]

Mark:

Thanks for the List of Aquitania War crossings, I will review it with my other paperwork when I have more time.

As for your comment on the Queen Mary's time Trials, I went searching through my various stuff and the only reference I could find relating to the trials comes from the Shipbuilder Reprint by Bonanza.

"Leaving Southampton on the evening of the 15th, April, the "Queen Mary" arrived in the firth of Clyde on the evening of the 17th, preparatory to undergoing progressive speed trials over the Admiralty course off Arran. Advantage had been taken of the journey North to carry out continuous steaming trials in the Irish Sea, and the measured-mile trials were begun early on the morning of the 18th April, a large number of runs being made in each direction. These speed trials were followed by turning trials preformed opposite the Kildonan coast guard station, and the vessel later left for Southampton, arriving in Cowes Roads in the late evening of the 19th April and berthing in Southampton the following Day. No Official results were made public regarding the ship's trial-trip preformance, but it is understood that from every aspect her preformance fully realized the expectations of owners and builders."

Ocean Liners of the Past: The Cunard White Star Quadruple-Screw Liner Queen Mary Page 192

The statistic's of her Maiden Voyage which are well published are then discussed.

Of note on the Mauretania thread which we have also been discussing.

Mauretania's time Trial Statistic's are as follows and come from "The Mary" by Potter and Frost, page 14.

"On Trials the Mauretania averaged 26.04 knots and later, over the measured mile, she reached 26.75 knots."

And from a hand written note on the back of an Aquitania photograph of her entering the Gladstone Graving Dock after her Trials in 1914

Cunard Line 45,647 tons 4 Funnel - did the trial run at 23.62 knots

 

[Mark Chirnside]

Hi Steve,

It may have been Potter and Frost's QM work that mentioned some people claiming that the QM had exceeded 32 knots and perhaps done 33 knots. I may well have to try harder to find it.

I'm glad you got the Aquitania list, I thought it would be of interest.

Best regards,

Mark.

 

[robert Mesman Schultz]

Hello Mark,

I have read both in books and on the internet that the speed of the QE was a wartime secret, and that she was capable of doing much more than 30 knots easily, and that even in peace-time her actual speed was never quite clarified. Have you picked up the same rumours?

 

[Chris Mazzella]

Steven do you have any photos of the QE launch?

 

[Steve Anderson]

Chris

I am now checking over some old threads - The images I would have of the Queen Elizabeth's Launch would come from the John Brown archive and are currently still under British copyright.

 

[Richard Ferreira]

I've been curious of the Queen Elizabeth's top speed as well. I have read "Queen Elizabeth - Destiny's Daughter", "Queen Elizabeth - From Victory to Valhalla", and "Queen Elizabeth - The Beautiful Lady", and the highest quoted speed I was able to find was 30.69 knots. Unfortunately, I can't recall which book I read this in. I will check and repost after I've had the opportunity to recheck. I'm fortunate in that I own all three books. Although I can certainly understand why Cunard would not want to publicly demonstrate that the QE could outrun the QM, I find it hard to believe there isn't some evidence in Cunard's company records regarding the top speed attained by the QE during her career, both in wartime and during her peacetime service. I would think the Captain's logs would have recorded this data and it must exist somewhere.