Hey Guys
This is always an interesting question relating to the similiarities between Olympic and Titanic's interiors fittings and I think I may be able to help you out at least a little with a few of your questions. Olympic and Titanic's forward Grand Staircases would have been virtually identical. A small set of the interior concept drawings for Olympic and Titanic turned up a couple of years ago which showed that Olympic was made up from a set of Interior concept drawings which the artisans and carvers used to make up the various panels (these images had wall plans, as well as detailed plans which showed the Louis XVI & XIV suites on board Olympic. Also included were images of chair details, table details, wardrobe details, washstand details and dresser details. To say that the designers of Olympic, Titanic and Britannic were festidious and 'over the top' is a bit of an understatement. If I remember rightly, in this small but amazing collection onl the detailing from around the dome of the Grand Staircase was identified. Olympic and Titanic would have been made up from the same interior concept drawings, also interesting to note from these drawings, where differences did occur, like in the A La Carte Restaurant due to her extension and alteration with the success on Olympic, the interior concept drawings were labelled as Titanic, the same interior concept drawings were also used for at least one or two of Britannic's staterooms as Henry Aldridges had an auction a couple of years ago featuring three panels from one Britannic's staterooms, saved from a pub in Belfast which I noticed were also featured in these interior concept drawings. (Sorry I can't post any images as the drawings are part of a private collection and the owner doesn't want any involvement with people like us) But just to say really, what you see on Olympic is what you would have seen on Titanic apart from the well known changes. The reason why Olympic pictures are always featured in place of Titanic is quite simple really, when Olympic was launched and took her Maiden Voyage, she was the first of the class and so needed to be advertised quite widely to get people talking, with Titanic being so identical to the Olympic, meant that only the massive changes were photographed by Harland and Wolff (i.e. the Cafe Parisien and the private promenade on the Millionaires Suite) because it all costs money and there is no point doing something twice with very little gain, so Olympic's images represented her and her younger sister. When I get home from work, if any of you are interested, I will try and post a few images on here for you from my research collection of some sections of wrought ron work from Olympic's forward Grand Staircase and inquiry room which are now located in a Cement works in Lancashire which I found during some research recently (heres a link to the newspaper article that arose from the find). Just as a point Mr Mcmillan, I can provide you with the exact dimensions of Olympic's Aft Grand Staircase dome which were mentioned in Olympic's sale of fittings catalogue in Nov 1935, but please note that the Aft Grand Staircase was actually completely different in dimensions to the Forward Grand Staircase. If you want me to dig that info out for you, drop me a mail and I can send you some info.