First full-size digital scan of Titanic

 

The first full-sized digital scan of the Titanic, which lies 3,800m (12,500ft) down in the Atlantic, has been created using deep-sea mapping.

It provides a unique 3D view of the entire ship, enabling it to be seen as if the water has been drained away.

Titanic: First ever full-sized scans reveal wreck as never seen before - BBC News

The scan captures the wreck in its entirety, revealing a complete view of the Titanic. It lies in two parts, with the bow and the stern separated by about 800m (2,600ft). A huge debris field surrounds the broken vessel.

The front of the ship is recognisable and reasonably intact. 

Titanic 3D Scan front of ship

Titanic 3D Scan Bow Section

Titanic 3D Scan Bow Section and Bridge

Titanic 3D Scan Boat Deck
The large hole to right is the location of the Grand Staircase

The stern section is a chaotic mess of metal. This results from the art of the section collapsing as it corkscrewed into the sea floor.

Titanic 3D Scan Stern Section

Titanic 3D Scan Stern Section

Titanic 3D Scan Stern Section and Propeller

RMS Titanic

RMS Titanic
Maiden Voyage April 12th 1912

On the 12th April 1912 the RMS Titanic left Southampton on her maiden voyage bound for New York.

The ship had been conceived to outclass the White Star Line's main rival, Cunard, on the trans-Atlantic route. The Titanic would never reach New York. At 11:40 PM ships time (23:40) 14th April 1912 the Titanic struck an iceberg  620 km (400 miles) south of Newfoundland and sank two hours later.

RMS Titanic
Striking Iceberg 11:40 pm 14th April 1912

Titanic Sailing Route

RMS Titanic
Sinking 15th April 1912

 

RMS Titanic
Report of the sinking

RMS TITANIC TRAIL

 

 

London - Downshire House

Downshire House Berkley Square London

Downshire House, 24 Berkley Square, was the London residence of Lord Pirrie, Chairman of the Harland And Wolf Shipyard.  

Berkley Square London

In July 1907, Bruce Ismay, Chairman of the White Start Line, dined  with Lord Pirrie. The topic at dinner was the White Start Lines rivals on the Atlantic Crossing, ,Cunard, newset ships the Lusitania and the Mauretania. The question as how would the White Star Line compete with Cunard.

Lord Pirrie                                                   Bruce Ismay

After dinner, Ismay and Bruce discussed the construction of three sister ships. The White Star Line looked to provide the most luxurious and comfortable accommodation, primarly aimed at wealthy passengers, though all three would have to be capable of significant speed. As a result, these three ships would make the White Star Line once again prominent on the Trans-Atlantic route.

The chosen names ascribed the three ships would signify might and powerful,t he biggest the world had ever seen; the Titanic, Olympic and Gigantic (would be actually named Britannic).


The Olympic and the Titanic would be nearly one and a half times larger than Mauretania and the Lusitania. Rough drawings were made of the three ships which envisaged three funnelled ships each with two or three masts. The final plans added a forth "dummy funnel" for ventilation but the ships would only have two masts.

Titanic Sketch - three funnels

Downshire House Berkley Square London
February 2019

Belfast - Harland & Wolf Offices

Harland and Wolf were formed in 1861 with a shipyard on Queens Island, Belfast. The Company was successful and to meet the needs of the expanding business, two drawing offices were built in 1885. Between 1900 and 1906 additional offices were added, including the Accounts Office. An administrative block was built in 1910, and an entrance block in 1911. In the following decade an additional floor was added.

Harland and Wolf Offices Belfast

Harland and Wolf Offices development

The Harland & Wolf Offices and Drawing Offices are now the Titanic Hotel Belfast.


Titanic Hotel Belfast

Titanic Hotel Belfast
Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Titanic Hotel Belfast
Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Titanic Hotel Belfast

It Belfast Drawing Offices of Harland and Wolf the concept of the Olympic Class ships was converted into detailed drawings. Under the direction of the chief draughtsman, Thomas Andrews, teams of draughtsmen and marine engineers created the plans for the new ships.

Thomas Andrews
Chief Draughtsman Harland and Wolf

Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Titanic Hotel Belfast
Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Titanic Hotel
Harland and Wolf Drawing Offices Belfast

Olympic Class Ships Blueprint

 

Olympic Class Ships Blueprint

Olympic Class Liner Drawing



In July 1908 the directors of the White Star Line travelled to Belfast to examine the final designs of the new Olympic Class ships.

Plans and models of the ship would have been shown in the Presentation Rooms.

Harland and Wolf
Presentation Room

Titanic Hotel Belfast
Presentation Room

Titanic Hotel Belfast
Titanic Model

On  the 31st July 1908 White Star Line signed the agreement with Harland & Wollf for the building of the Olympic Class Ships.

Belfast - Titanic Slipway

Harland and Wolff signed the agreement with the White Star Line to build the Olympic Class Ships on 31st July 1908. At 260 metres (850 feet) long, 28 metres (92 feet) wide and 46,000 tons the ships would be the biggest in the world, a problem for Harland & Wolff as they did not have a slipway big enough to build the ships.

To facilitate their construction two new slipways were built, big enough to allow two ships to be built along side each other. 


Harland and Wolf Shipyard Plan

A giant gantry was constructed around the two slipways by Sir William Arrol and Co of Glasgow. The structure was 256 metres (840 feet) long, 83 metres (270 feet) wide, 69.5 metres (228 feet) high. It had 4 electric lifts and a central crane imported from Germany to move the materiel for the construction of the ships.

Harland and Wolff Belfast
Arrol Gantry Plan

Harland and Wolff Belfast
Building the Slipways

Harland and Wolff Belfast
Constructing the Arrol Gantry



Harland and Wolff Belfast
Arrol Gantry



Harland and Wolff Belfast
Offices and Gantry

 The two ships were designated 400,the Olympic and 401, the Titanic. 

The keel of the Olympic was laid on 16th December 1908, and by the middle of March 1909 the double skinned bottom of the vessel was built and riveting was in progress. 

 

Harland and Wolf Belfast
Titanic Slipway and Olympic Slipway

Harland and Wolf Belfast
Olympic and Titanic Slipways

Titanic Slipway Belfast

Titanic Slipway Belfast



Titanic Slipway Belfast
VM in the Bow of the Titanic

Titanic Slipway Belfast
IJ in the Bow of the Titanic