The Titanic

TITANIC - BELFAST

The Harland & Wolff Shipyard is where the Titanic and many great ships of the world were built.  When we visited 2 years ago, we walked throught the doors of Harland & Wolff office and saw the drafting and drawing rooms.  We walked through the gates where thousands of workers entered everyday.  We walked through the ship yard and the pump house. But not today.

Today we went into the new exhibit hall.  It was amazing. The exhibits were exquisitely presented.  Well worth it; but plan to spend at least three hours.

Here is the SS Nomadic.  On April10 1912 she ferried out 142 First class passengers to the Titanic. The only surviving vessel of the White Star Line that had owned the Titanic.

Coming up to the exhibit building. This massive structure opened for the centennial of the Titanic represents the three great sister ships: Titanic, Olypic and the Britannic.

Inside the many floors which cover aproximately 130,000sq ft.of exhibits from the beginning of Boomtown Belfast of 100 years ago to the Titanic below the sea viewed through a glass floor. You travel through the building of the Titanic upon an actual ride through images of building the ship which explains the grueling work. You continue through the staterooms, the ship and the voices of people on the ship.  The next  area is the sinking of the ship and the aftermath.

To the right of the Titanic sign is the red brick building where the drafting was done. There are plans to turn it into a conference centre / hotel.  But no changes to date.

The huge boilers

The Titanic had 4 stacks for show but only three were smoke stacks and the 4th used for ventilation.

The three huge propellers

An example of the first class stateroom.

A second class room.

A third class room

Some of the facts of the Titanic.- 14,000 gallons of drinking water every 24 hours, 40,000 fresh eggs, 1,500 gallons of milk, 600 gallons of condensed milk, 1,200 quarts of ice cream, 6,000 lbs of butter. 75,000lbs of fresh meat, 7,500lbs of ham and bacon, 25,000 lbs of poultry, 11,000 lbs of fresh fish, 4,000 lbs salted and dried fish.2,200 lb of coffee 800 lbs of tea, 11,000lbs of sugar 1,120 lbs of marmalade and jam, 40 tons of potatoes 15,00 bottles of ale, 1,000 bottles of wine 850 bottles of liquor, 8,000 cigars..I could go on with the fruits and vegtables but as you can see it is massive. As for the other items: 29,000 peices of glassware, 44,000 pieces of cutlery and 57,600 peices of crockery.

View from the museum looking back at the city as the sun was setting.

It was a great and very interesting exbit.  The movement through the building was very well organized.  I cannot begin to imagine the work of the architects in creating the overall design.

Moving on .  Cheerio :-)