67

NAME

QUEEN ELIZABETH 2

CLASS

LINER

LAUNCHED

SEPTEMBER 20th 1967

BUILT

JOHN BROWN & CO / CLYDEBANK / SCOTLAND

WEIGHT

65,863 TONS

LENGTH

963 FEET

WIDTH

105 FEET

SPEED

28.5 KNOTS

PROPELLERS

2 - 5 BLADES - 22 FEET DIAMETER FITTED 1986

ENGINES

2 - DOUBLE REDUCTION STEAM TURBINES - 110,000 HP

The second Cunard Queen Elizabeth (QE2) was the last large Trans Atlantic liner built in the 20th Century. Originally designed to be 75,000 tons, this had to be scaled down so she could transit the Panama Canal. As QE2 was nearing completion, Cunard took their aging liners Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary out of service. Cunard were intending to operate QE2 on the Atlantic run in summer and as a cruise ship winter. After her preliminary sea trials had been completed in the Irish Sea, she set out on a cruise from Southampton - Las Palmas April 22nd 1969. QE2’s first world cruise in 1975 attracted a total of 3,965 passengers, over various stages, and covered 38,000 miles.
QE2

After the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands April 2nd 1982, Cunard’s QE2 along with P&O’s 45,000-ton Canberra were requisitioned by the British Admiralty to serve as troopships. QE2 was fitted with two helicopter decks and a modern communications system before setting out for South Georgia May 12th 1982, carrying the 5th Infantry Brigade consisting of Scots Guards, Welsh Guards and Ghurkhas. After arriving at South Georgia May 27th, her troops were transferred to Canberra to make the final 1,550-mile trip to the Falklands. The decision to use Canberra to land QE2’s troops on the Falklands was taken as British intelligence had warned the Argentines were eager to sink the ship named after the United Kingdom’s Queen. Cunard’s flagship arrived back at Southampton June 11th 1982, three days before the official surrender of Argentine servicemen on the Falkland Islands.

Cunard put QE2 into Lloyd Werfte/Bremerhaven in November 1986 to have her original steam turbines replaced by a diesel electric system. She was fitted with nine medium speed MAN L58/64 nine-cylinder turbo charged diesel engines, each the size of a double decker bus weighing 120 tons. The diesel engines power G.E.C generators that in turn drive two main propulsion motors, each nine meters in diameter weighing over 400 tons. These motors turn two propellers 22-foot in diameter that gives her a top speed in excess of 32 knots. The new propulsion system is expected to save around £12 million a year on fuel costs. QE2 now travels about 50 feet per gallon of diesel fuel.

QE2

Since returning to her normal service between the Atlantic run and cruising, she has only been out of service for a short time to undergo refits in 1994 and 1996. QE2 has made 27 world cruises so far with many more intended as she is expected to stay in service well into the 21st Century. Her main itinerary's are from Southampton - Mediterranean, Southampton - Scandinavia and Southampton - Quebec. World cruises are divided into stages such as Southampton - New York, New York - Los Angeles, Los Angeles - Sydney, Sydney - Hong Kong, Hong Kong - Cape Town, and Cape Town - Southampton.

Websites, US: www.cunard.com UK: www.cunard.co.uk.