The Construction of the Titanic!

Unlike other shipyards, H&W built not only the superstructures (the hulls) of vessels but also could manufacture most of the necessary mechanical and engineering equipment.

When Wite Star's orders for three new ships arrived at H&W, the Belfast workforce gasped: never before had man built a ship of gross tonnage- 45,000; 883 feet in length and 92.5 feet width!

Until now, the world had considered Cunard liners to be giants, but H&W were being invited to construct ships 90 feet longer, 4 feet wider and weighing 14,000 tons more! And not just one- but three!

The workforce listened in amazement to the specifications required for one of these giants- the Titanic:

Overall length 882'9"
Extreme breadth 92'6"
Depth, moulded, keel to top of beam, bridge deck 73'6"
Total height from keel to navigating bridge 104'0"
Displacement (approximately) 60,000 tons
In horse-power of reciprocating engines 30,000
Draft horse-power of turbine engines 16,000
Speed 21 knots

This would be a tremendous challenge. In the building to the right of our picture,
the designers set to work.