Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland - Titanic

Started by smitho, June 22, 2010, 12:49:00 PM

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smitho

Recent news reports about the UK Government recognising British Army atrocities in Northern Ireland on Bloody Sunday all those years ago brought back memories of some bus tours I did through some of the worst affected parts of Derry (Londonderry) and Belfast 5 years ago. We took in the Falls Road and Shanklin Rd districts in an open top bus, quite likely an ex-London cast off, but not a Routemaster.

As this was in the early years after the Good Friday Peace Agreement, tourist buses were able to pass through these once violent districts with little trouble. I later covered much of the same ground on foot. The British Army was still in occupation, patrolling the streets just occasionally and in the safety of all white armoured personnel carriers (dubbed 'ice cream vans). In my travels, I met a former IRA hunger striker just by chance...

While in Belfast, I visited the dock where Titanic was built and launched...all pretty seedy then, but plans were being made to convert the area into a big tourist honeypot, cashing in on its historic significance and the amazing amount of interest people have in Titanic. 

Bus 400

I suppose the dock will be done up for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic launch.

smitho

Yes, that might well be the aim. That'd be 2012 I think.

Bus 400

I just watched a documentary on White Star & how the dock where the Titanic was built closed in 2003. It looks a bit derelict (much like some of the old British car factories look today).
The last remaining White Star ships the SS Nomadic who had pulled up next to the Titanic.


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smitho

The Harland and Wolff Drydock where 'Titanic' was built - and the adjoining pumphouse (pumps water out of the dock to make it dry) - are still in pretty good nick; see the YouTube link following.

The pumphouse was all closed up when I was there in 2005, but I suspect by now it would be open to the public as part of 'Titanic' tours.

Note that there is talk of a life size replica of 'Titanic' being built at the Drydock in 2012 to mark the centenary of the ship's construction.

Titanic Dry Dock, Harland & Wolff Shipyard, Belfast, 30/8/09


smitho

The first episode of the BBC TV series, 'Ships that Changed the World' traces the rise and fall of the Harland and Wolffe shipyard and then addresses the construction of 'Titanic', its sinking and the aftermath.

Also included in this episode are a few brief glimpses of the launching of the P&O liner, 'Canberra', which was built by Harland and Wolffe.

Also shows the launching of the last Harland and Wolffe ship at its Belfast shipyard in 2003.