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Farewell to RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 :o(

Discussion in 'Everything Else Heritage' started by 60017, Nov 9, 2008.

  1. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    As I'm sure most people know, this grand old lady will leave Southampton for Dubai on Tuesday - just 48 short hours from now.

    The 'event' is well reported here;

    http://www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/e ... arture.asp

    Goodbye old girl :smt039 :smt022
     
  2. Guest

    Guest Part of the furniture Account Suspended

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    If you have Sky look out for Channel 984 - BBC South

    They are broadcasting an hour long special on Tuesday evening

    I have thought long and hard, but as she sails I'll be in the Buffet Bar at Stalybridge, with a pint of Tim Taylors and my thoughts, recalling memories of the evening of the 21st October as she fell astern of us bathed in the glow of her very last Atlantic sunset.

    I'll borrow this one from Gari from CC

    GOODBYE



    ‘Goodbye. Goodbye’. The seagulls cry

    The band plays “Auld Lang Syne”.

    ‘Farewell. Farewell’ The voices swell.
    ‘Ye’ll no come back again’.
    -
    The sobbing whistle’s triple blast
    Starts a prickle in the eye.
    It echoes back ‘The last, The last
    The final ‘Sailing By’.
    -
    Hoses still the tugs turn home
    The small craft fall behind
    Soton fades into the gloam
    And salt is on the wind.
    Goodbye.
    -o-o-o-
    Strange seabirds cry ‘Dubai, Dubai.’
    The heaving lines fly ashore
    Dubai, Dubai, for aye and aye
    Your voyages are o’er.
    -
    Dubai Dubai. The heaving lines fly
    The mooring cables strain
    Goodbye Goodbye, Goodbye Goodbye
    The passengers’ sad refrain.
    -
    ‘Goodbye Goodbye’ the passengers sigh
    Walking down the quay
    ‘For aye, for aye’, Dubai’s reply
    ‘For aye she’ll bide wi’ me.’
    Goodbye.
    -o-o-o-
    All gone, all gone, the people gone
    The Champagne and the bands.
    And Gulliver’s made fast at last
    By Lilliputian hands.
    -
    The desert night comes creeping in
    The desert wind blows chill.
    And deck by deck the lights go out
    The ship lies dark and still.
    -
    She waits the dawn, her final dawn
    When men will come with tools
    To finish her pelagic life.
    She must learn a captive’s rules.
    -
    But for tonight, Hold tight, hold tight
    Hold tight while you're still whole
    For one last night, hold tight, hold tight
    Hold tight onto your soul.
    Goodbye
    -o-o-o-

    Ah!.
    If steel could dream,
    What dreams, what dreams.
    What dreams would this steel dream?
    If steel could dream
    Would this steel dream
    Of all the things it’s seen?
    -
    Of gliding through the tropic blue,
    Of balmy palmy bays.
    Of fragrant days and star jewelled nights
    The ocean all ablaze.
    Goodbye
    -
    Of slamming through Atlantic wrack
    Its great waves green and grey
    Her mighty forefoot stood them down
    To say, 'Make way', 'Make way'
    Goodbye.
    -
    The lift and 'scend as Southern Swells
    House high beneath it sigh
    The high and chilly latitudes
    Where the albatross hangs high
    Goodbye
    -o-o-o-

    A thousand seas a thousand lands
    And millions brought safe home.
    For forty years I’ve plied my trade
    But they won’t let me home.

    In Glasgow yard
    From Scottish steel
    Is where I came to be.
    But now I’m sold for foreign gold
    And banished from my sea.
    Goodbye
    -
    My engine’s warmth is cooling now
    The dawn draws swiftly on
    The foreign dockyard mateys come
    It’s over now, I’m gone.
    Goodbye.
    -o-o-o-

    Ah!

    If steel could dream
    What dreams, what dreams
    What dreams would this steel dream?
    If steel could dream
    Would this steel dream
    Of when it was a Queen.
    Goodbye.

    Goodbye indeed -to British craftsmanship and style
     
  3. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Thats amazing Frank, fair brought a tear to my eye.

    I was going down to Soton to see her off, but I just can't face it. I said my goodbye when I came ashore on 22nd October.

    I was 16 yrs old when I took the train from Lancaster - Southampton in April 1969 to see her when she was new. She was 'stuck' in the Ocean Dock/Terminal having a turbine re-built, but to a kid from 'up north' she seemed awesome. Four years later I was 'guarding' her as a BTP constable in Soton docks - something I did many times over a two-year period. You could always nip on board for a 'brew' or something stronger LOL. She did an overnight stopover in those days - something thats not acceptable in todays 'turnaround' culture.
     
  4. Reformed Sniper

    Reformed Sniper New Member

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    The last of the great ocean liners and the only one still doing what she was designed to do up until the end. What are the plans for her retirement?
     
  5. BristleGWR

    BristleGWR Member

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  6. Nick Gough

    Nick Gough Well-Known Member

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  7. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Indeed Nick !

    She has joined the 'Brambles club.' Both the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth grounded there in their careers - I guess QE2 didn't want to be left out! I feel sorry for Captain Ian McNaught, he'll never live that one down - although she would have been under the guidance of a pilot at the time.
     
  8. channel

    channel Member

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    Master still has full command even if a Pilot is aboard . .

    Chris
     
  9. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I think most people know that. I still feel sorry for him - he's a nice guy and not the 1st Cunard Captain to be caught this way and probably not the last !
     
  10. stan the man

    stan the man Member

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    Good Bye old lady, you have done your job well and served your country in times of war.

    A very sad day.

    Bon Voyage

    Jim S
     
  11. channel

    channel Member

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    I see Peter Shanks of Carnival UK managed to dodge around the question of why she has been sold out of the UK on BBC News - despite there being interest from a variety of investors who had various plans.

    How the hell can he state she will be the same ship in Dubai, and look the same . . . despite the iconic funnel being chopped off!

    Cheers
    Chris

    ps - it would be nice if the BBC could have managed a full evening of coverage for her final goodbye . . . and not cut off as she left the berth!
     
  12. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Live coverage on BBC News 24 has been good so far - they are coming back to the story later this hour.
     
  13. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    There is a lot of difference between investors with plans and investors with the money...
     
  14. channel

    channel Member

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    . . . . and there's also a difference to a ship being marketed for sale and being shoehorned into a buyers hands . . .
     
  15. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

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    The News MultiScreen via the red button on the BBC News channel has had the BBC South live coverage all the way through, still on now (20.14).
     
  16. James

    James Part of the furniture

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    Good to see (briefly) and hear the SS Shieldhall giving her a good few farewell whoops!
     
  17. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Far better she goes to a warm dry climate where people are going to chuck unlimited funds at her than being run up an Indian beach for scrapping or, god forbid, left to rot in a British Port whilst people launch several and hopeless fund raising efforts to preserve her. Cynical ? yes - realistic?- also yes.
     
  18. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Totally agree!
     
  19. 5596

    5596 Member Account Suspended

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    That was some departure, but no less heartfelt than at Greenock or Newcastle last month.

    It is fitting that she showed her contempt for her pen pushing owners last night by clocking 30.1 knots as she headed away into the ocean for one last time!

    Way to go girl - Way to go!
     
  20. channel

    channel Member

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    She was going well down the channel too. Last AIS position received showed her clearing casquets separation scheme at 26 knots which given sea conditions is bloody impressive.
     

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