Titanic Day Out

Top left: The Thompson Dry Dock which was the largest in the world back when it was completed in 1911. It was built to accommodate the White Star Olympic Class liners which were to be constructed by Harland & Wolff at their yard in Belfast. Its most famous occupant was RMS Titanic. After the shell of the ship was launched she sat moored to a wharf for fitting then moved into the Thompson Dry Dock ten months later for completion
Top right: The former drawing rooms of Harland & Wolff where the Olympic class Liners 'Olympic', 'Titanic' and 'Britannic' were designed. Large windows in the ceiling allowed in natural light to aid the draughtsmen. Harland & Wolff moved to new offices in the 1990s. Since then the old offices sat empty but now they are to be converted into a very luxurious hotel as part of the regeneration of the area.
Bottom right: SS Nomadic (again) which is one of two tender vessels that serviced 'Olympic' and 'Titanic' at the port of Cherbourg in France which for a long time was not deep enough to allow large liners to dock in harbour. Passengers were carried, segregated by class of course, on these tenders. 'Nomadic' had a long history as a tender, then a tug, then back to a tender, troop ship and entertainments venue moored in Paris.
Bottom left: Inside the pump house that controlled the filling and emptying of the Thompson Dry Dock. Originally steam powered the pumps were converted to electricity in the 1950s. They were maintained by a large overhead crane hence the large space.