Posted by Bob Read on September 20, 1998 at 19:58:50 in pm3-1-096.apci.net:
In Reply to: Re: Forecastle Steam Valves posted by Bruce Beveridge on September 20, 1998 at 15:26:47:
Bruce:
I agree with some of your comments and disagree with others. First, I disagree with your contention that the photo on p. 39 of Marriott's
"Titanic" is of the Britannic and not the Olympic.
No matter what the ventilator configuration (which underwent many changes on the Olympic) what makes this the Olympic and not the Britannic is the fact that "A" deck promenade is clearly open. The Britannic had the forward "A" deck promenade screened in even at the time of her launch.
What I agree with is that I believe the model makers used this and other Olympic photos to model the forecastle and they made the brake wheels the same height as the Olympic. These wheels are still intact on the Titanic and are about the same height as the forward brake wheels that are next to the chain guides. So I now believe that the Titanic had four pedestal mounted steam valves that were in a line from port to starboard in front of the forward hatch. We can debate how far outboard the outer two were. There were also two brake wheels aft of these four but they were not at the same height as the pedestal mounted steam valves but of a similar height as the brake wheels found next to the chain guides.
For now I think that this was the Titanic's configuration. If anybody thinks I'm wrong, sound off.
Regards,
Bob Read
: I think the model shown in F.S.M. is great and accurate except for those six wheels. The four are there as was discussed. The minerature ship has the outer two wheels placed two far out. The Father Browne photo of the starboard forecastle shows this plainly. As for the two extra wheels seen stuck in there and waist hight in the F.S.M. picture, I think those are the brake wheels represented there and they made them two high. Bob, I haven't skimmed through the movie in slow motion yet but I don't believe that there were six waist high wheels. The forecastle picture you refer to is the same picture in "Titanic at Two". They made a mistake in the caption. That is the Britannic not "O". It is missing two cowl vents and the crew skylight on the forecastle. Also look at the way the chain ramps slope up high at the fore end. The fore chain brakes are also waist high. I believe that on "B" the brakes were made waist high as you can plainly see in the picture that the extra two wheels are different then the other four and exactly the same as the type wheel used on the brake. There is a domed shape in the middle and the lack of the extension mounted vertical to the wheel used to turn it with one hand.
: I think Digital Domain used that picture for a reference there (or something)I think it's wrong. If those extra two were there we'd be able to see one in the Father Browne photo or there would be more exidence of those two on the wreck as they would have been attached to the brake box.
: Bruce