Part 2 - Belfast - Conception & Birth.
29 July 1908 - 8.00pm, 2 April 1912
29 July 1908 -Thomas Andrews, nephew of Lord William James Pirrie, has designed the new Olympic-class ships and the plan is officially approved by the White Star Line. 31 July 1908 - A contract is signed for the first two ships, Olympia and Titanic, and the third sister ship, Gigantic, or Britannic by the time it came to build her, to follow later. There was no budget, the White Star line had asked for the biggest and most sumptuous, luxurious ships ever made. Harland & Wolff have to build new docks and specially strengthened slips for the liners as they are so big and heavy, also a huge gantry is built spanning the two sisters. 16 December 1908 - Olympic is born as her keel is laid down in yard number 400 at Harland & Wolff, Belfast. 31 March 1909 - The keel of Titanic laid down in yard number 401 and Titanic is born. 20 October 1910 - Olympic's hull is successfully launched to sea. Olympic is the largest man-made moving object in the world, she is the same size as Titanic, but she will weight less, therefore Titanic overtakes her later on. 31 May 1911 - Noon - Titanic's hull is launched successfully in front of a crowd of over 100,000 people. She is greased and lathered up with twenty-two tonnes of tallow, soap and train oil to move her vast weight from the slipway bed at yard 401 into the water to protect the freshly-painted hull. She is towed by tugs to the fitting-out basin and outfitting the giant lady begins, most of this work includes both the interior pieces such as the electrics, wall coverings and furniture and the installation of pieces exterior, such as smoke stacks and propellers. 14 June 1911 - Olympic sets sail from Southampton with her Captain, Edward John Smith, who will later captain Titanic’s maiden voyage. July 1911 - Harland & Wolff and the White Star Line agree to make the 20 March 1912 the proposed date for Titanic’s maiden voyage. 20 September 1911 - Work on Titanic is slowed as the hull of her sister ship, Olympic, is badly damaged in a collision with a Royal Navy cruiser, H.M.S. Hawke, workers and materials are required to divert to her attention to get her fixed as quick as possible. Titanic’s departure date is amended to a later date. 11 October 1911 - The new date of Titanic’s maiden voyage is officially announced by the White Star Line in the London Times as being 10 April 1912. January 1912 - Sixteen wooden lifeboats are fitted onto Titanic. It was the genuine belief of all who knew her that they would never be used. Four more collapsible lifeboats will be added before she sets sail. 3 February 1912 - Titanic is dry-docked at Harland & Wolff’s Thompson Dry Dock. March 1912 - Engineers begin to assemble, with some living on board. 8 March 1912 - Titanic leaves the dry dock and returns to the fitting-out wharf. 25 March 1912 - Titanic’s lifeboats are tested and put back on board. 31 March 1912 - Titanic is pretty much complete with the exception of some interior decoration and work, every screw and rivet is in place ready for launch. 1 April 1912 - Sea trials of Titanic have to be delayed because of high winds. 2 April 1912 - 6.00am- With no captain, Chief Officer (later First Officer) William McMaster Murdoch is in charge and the postponed sea trials of Titanic go ahead, she sails for the first time under her own power after being led by tugs through Victoria Channel to Belfast Lough. Everything on board is tested as well as her speed and handling, turning and emergency stops. 2.00pm - After running tests which have been conducted for two hours in the Irish Sea, she is deemed fit for travel before the day is out as all tests meet with Board of Trade Standards. 8.00pm - Titanic leaves Belfast for Southampton, William McMaster Murdoch is in charge of her until Captain Edward John Smith arrives on board at Southampton. |