Belfast - Titanic

The RMS Titanic sank on it's maiden voyage in the early hours of the morning 15th April 1912 after hitting an iceberg. The ship was built in the Harland and Wolf Shipyard in Belfast. In the Titanic Quarter of Belfast the Slipway where Titanic was built is marked out next to the a visitor centre, the Titanic Experience, which tells the ship's story. The old Harland and Wolf Offices are now the Titanic Hotel Belfast.

Titanic Experience and slipway

In 1907 the White Star Line conceived the idea of two trans-Atlantic liners to rival their rivals, Cunard Line, which were to be the largest and most luxurious ships afloat. The concept was given to Harland and Wolf Shipyard in Belfast, a company with a long standing relationship with the shipping line.

The plans for the two Olympic class-liners were drawn up in Harland and Wolf's Belfast drawing office and presented to the White Star Line on 29th July 1908.

Harland and Wolf Offices Belfast
now Titanic Hotel Belfast

Harland Wolf Drawing Office 2 1912

Harland & Wolf Drawing Office 2
Titanic Hotel Belfast

Titanic Hotel Belfast Drawing Room 2
Enjoying a Guinness

Harland and Wolf Presentation Room
Titanic Hotel Belfast

The plans were approved and letters of agreement made for the two new ships, at that point only known as ship 400 and 401.  The two ships were built along side each other. Two slipways, numbers 2 and 3, were built specifically for the Olympic class-liners and gantries constructed by Sir William Arrol and Company.



Harland and Wolf
Number 2 and 3 Slipways and Arrol Gantries

The location of the two slipways and the pylons of the Arrol Gantry are now marked out next to the Titanic Experience centre.


Belfast Titanic Quarter
Slipway 2 and 3 Location

 The keel of the first ship, Olympic was laid down on 16th December 1908.  Three months later, 31st March 1909,the keel of ship 401, Titanic, was laid.


Titanic Keel Commemoration

The story of the Titanic is chronicled in the Titanic Experience Visitor Centre. This is located next to the Slipway 2 and 3, and opposite the Titanic Hotel.

Titanic Experience and Slipways

Titanic Experience Visitor Centre Belfast

Titanic Visitor Centre Belfast

The construction of the ship took place between December 1908 and May 1911.



Titanic under construction 1911




Titanic Slipway

The Titanic was launched on 31st May 1912 into the River Lagan.

Titanic Launch 31st May 1911

  

Titanic Slipway River Lagan

 The ship at this stage was only a shell and still needed to be fitted out, as well as constructing the upper superstructure and funnels.

Titanic Launch 31st May 1911

Fitting out was completed 31st March 1912 and sailed from Belfast on 2nd April 1912 bound for Southampton.

Titanic leaves Belfast 2nd April 1911

Titanic arrived in Southampton on 3rd April 1911. There it took on board crew and supplies, before the passengers were embarked. It left Southampton on 10th April 1912, sailing to Cherbourg to pick more passengers. The following day more passengers were embarked at Queenstown (now Cobh), before sailing into the Atlantic towards New York.

 

Titanic - New York bound

 

 

 

On the Deck of the Titanic

Titanic Voyage

 On the  14th April 1912, at around 23:40 ships time the Titanic hit an iceberg. The ship had swerved to miss the iceberg and in doing so opened open a long opening approximately 90 metres long below the waterline.

Titanic hits iceberg

The watertight compartments began to flood and Titanic began sinking, eventually breaking in two and disappearing below the waves over two and half hours later.

Titanic sinking

Unfortunately the Titanic did not carry sufficient lifeboats to hold all those on board, and sadly this resulted in the deaths of over 1,500 people.

Titanic Lifeboat



New York Times announces the disaster

The exact location of the wreck of the Titanic was not discovered until September 1985, over 73 years after it's sinking. The expedition looking for the wreck discovered the Titanic had split into two and debris was strewn over a wide area.

Titanic Wreck Ste map

The Titanic Experience includes a cinema which shows am exploration of the wreck and debris field. A Perspex floor allows one to walk over the site. 


Wreck of the Titanic Bow Section

Titanic Experience - Wreck of the Titanic Bow Section