RMS Queen Mary, A Conversion Story

[@WilbertVereAwdry]

Nice job illustrating the great liner's retrofitting. Back when this happened, my grandfather had a tugboat business in Long Beach Harbor. His boats were some of the ones that helped oversee this operation. You can plainly see at least two of them at 5:19. It makes me feel proud to know that my family was directly involved in the preservation of one of the greatest Cunard ocean liners of all time. Thank you for the magnificent photos.

[@mrslinarcos]

I'm just glad she was saved, I got to stay aboard her for 3 days last year. Worth every minute. Great video. :)

[@mechwarrior58]

Stunning yet sad. A rare look into the history of the Queen Mary and her conversion. Before I first saw this video I never knew so much extensive work was done to her & that almost everything was gutted out. Though shes had a rough history at least she survives for the world to enjoy , I only hope more ships can be saved like the Mary & Rotterdam for future generations. Well done! Thanks for sharing with the world.

[@eemo1873]

Indeed still beautiful and proud - the sole survivor of a great era. Long may she continue that way.

[@lasuvidaboy]

She was'nt completely rebuilt. Her 1st class interiors are basically still intact. The engine spaces were removed for planned museum and conference space that was not installed. Remember, Long Beach bought her for use as a hotel, conference center and marine museum. They did'nt have much interest in her intact engine rooms. The alternative was she would have been scrapped long ago.

[@maggy59]

Nice to see the video of this lovely old liner. My late uncle was one of the Joiners who helped fit the exotic woods on her and her sister RMS Queen Elizabeth.Thanks for sharing it with everybody.

[@tylerfrederick246]

My, God, I just love this video. Long Live The Queen!

[@jacobolsarnevich2753]

The Queen Mary has been given eternal life, and she will be with us well into 2100.

[@kitt2000car]

Only to be scrapped somewhere. The City of Long Beach has not dry docked her since they bought her. I'am sure the salt water is slowly eating away her lower hull plate's.

[@dawndare3949]

Wonderful archive photos

[@ironsidefan]

My parents and I drove up to Long Beach the day after the Queen Mary docked. We sat in our car for a good while and looked at the now empty and deserted ship, knowing full well what was in store for her. I commented to my father, "just think...as she is at this moment, she could be refueled, the crew and a new raft of passengers could board her, and off she could go on a new voyage!" I also told him I'd give anything to be able to go aboard her right then and there, and given a top-to-botto

[@snakes3425]

@TheFlemingsgarage Jet aircraft were taking over the Trans-atlantic passenger trade and Cunard was hit heavily in it's pocket books with the construction of the QE 2 and a nationwide seaman's strike, but more then anything the people of the UK didn't care about what happened to the Queen Mary. It was only by luck Long Beach was able to get her, most of the offers Cunard was interested in were scrapyards, and to be fair I would rather see her as she is now, a hotel-resteraunt-museum then scrap

[@kj0928]

"Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary" was composed c.1694 by Henry Purcell

[@cadetchris01]

at 3:54, does that show the boiler uptakes as they go from the boilers to the base of the funnels?

[@Jarvisc12]

I have been visiting her since i was a kid. I have seen her turn more from a floating mesuem to a ghost tour. On one of my stays aboard the ship i was able to sneak into the first class pool late at night after the paranormal tour left. It was in shambles. Tile falling apart. The port side cover in equipment like fog machines and lights. The beauty that once was is now let to rot away so the atmosphere can be more spooky. Sad fate for a iconic ship.

[@fionawimber1028]

One word I have to say about that, disgusting! Just disgusting! They gutted her. Very disrespectful. You don't see that done to other museums.

[@adamriffe3520]

+fiona wimber Well if she stayed with you she would've rotted away, her funnels fall apart (potentially kill someone). P.S. the gutting is done to every modern ship every 4 years. You name it they do it.

[@fionawimber1028]

+Fatty Hamster The funnels I can see. But taking out the engines and for what? Some silly ghost story? This is a ship, a highly respected ocean liner, not some Hollywood studio! I think they've forgotten that.

[@adamriffe3520]

Well 35 passenger 1 was brutally murdered, + the 5000 German POW's, and the allied soldiers discharged with major injuries, some could've died. But yes taking out the engines I don't understand, and I'm American. I guess I kind of understand why the engines were taken out. Considering if she was to sail again, she would be a competitor of the Cunard line.

[@fionawimber1028]

+Fatty Hamster Most ships when they become museums don't expect to have their engines taken out! I can see the restaurants, i can see replacing the funnels. (overhauls are necessary for parts like that) but I can't see why they'd take out the engines and the boilers and 3 of the 4 propeller shafts. (Why the shafts? That leaves a hole in the hull.) Those are the very things that make Queen Mary a ship. Again, I think they did it for marketing. But I don't think it was necessary. They could've left the engines alone and used them as a whole new part of a guided tour.

[@SouthernPacific8984]

The engines and boilers were originally taken out to create giant exhibit halls for "A Museum of The Sea" which never came to pass. The remaining engine room became the most visited area on the ship and the new owners started kicking themselves for tearing the rest of the power train out. The gutted boiler rooms sat for decades before they started using them as part of the ghost tour.

[@tylerfrederick246]

I just love this video. If people, like those in Long Beach, could do this to every Liner. The scrap merchants would be out of a job.

[@tylerfrederick246]

I understand. The original funnels were falling apart.

[@perrystudios9187]

I want to go cry in a corner now :(

[@SteveAugieri]

It just kills me the number they did on such a historic ship. I'm glad that it wasn't scrapped and all, but, to think what a grand vessel she once was, and now they went and tore her apart. I think someone should have the heart to restore the ship to be at least somewhat close to its origional state

[@meltondaniels2825]

Steve Augieri

[@kthoennes]

We stayed on the QM just last week. Very sad, shabby, just a sliver of the former grace and glory. A grand ship can only be hacked and chopped and renovated and then left to deteriorate so much before it's not really the old ship anymore. The experience was so sad it made me think she should have been sold for scrap after all, rather than rust away painfully neglected in Long Beach.

[@kitt2000car]

During the rip out. Does anybody know if this was done at the drydock or where she is now. Theres a debate going on at another video. If the Queen could be safely moved to a drydock for some much needed repairs.

[@kj0928]

Most of them from a book, "God Saved the Queen"

[@travelinben1966]

Visiting the Queen Mary is like seeing an old friend after a long time.Can’t explain it really,but if you ever visit her,you may know exactly what I mean.

[@ElectronicsForFun]

to be fair, the smoke stacks fell apart when they where removed. that is why they were scraped.

[@davyboy98]

Suppose they where all rusted after 32 years

[@chefjason1983]

I was on the queen a few weeks ago. as part of the tour they say that the smoke stacks were held together by 150 layers of paint and nothing more so the originals had to come off.

[@mikemancini313]

@@chefjason1983 Rip

[@Dallas_K]

Funnels are the thinnest plating on a ship, to avoid excess weight and topheaviness. They would rust through long before hull or even superstructure steel. Corrosive gases in the exhaust would further speed up the rusting.

[@shawmanstudio]

I know some people will see what they did to her as disrespectful, but I'm actually okay with it. They really only gutted the parts of the ship that most people don't see anyway. Plus, think of the alternative. If she hadn't been purchased by Long Beach, she would have been sold for scrap and broken apart. So I'll take slight alterations over complete destruction any day.

[@gladgurkan91]

@Abricialio "Yellow"? Ever heard about the "White Star Buff"?

[@ragemanchoo82]

Great video. I've never seen about 97% of the images here. Odd music choice. Any particular reason? (It got adapted for the Clockwork Orange soundtrack, I recognize it from there) 1:57 - 2:10, construction of that stupid propeller viewing box thing. :P

[@majaorca100]

the box attached to her hull looks hideous, it's a shame they added it...well, at least she is still with us...it's also a shame they removed her boilers

[@richardhill3531]

Since I was a boy I've loved these ships. Have worked on 8 lines 12 ships. re: Funnels removed. So what? When the ship was launched it didn't have funnels. Let's be happy that she did not turn into razor blades.

[@Dallas_K]

Those funnels were ready to crumble anyway. They had to be replaced.

[@MultiRaZoR47]

if the RMS Queen Elizabeth was moored beside the Hotel Queen Mary, it is awesome and beautiful to see the 2 1930's star sit side by side but in 1968, an hong kong businessman bought the RMS Queen Elizabeth.

[@Mark.Parent]

Why couldn't they leave the ship the way she was built? I wanted to go to the Queen because I wanted to see the original things. They completely rebuilt her! Its sad.

[@blunite545]

So sad, they should have left her as is. At least she is still here and not scrapped as so many majestic ships are these days.

[@morevexar2870]

great video.

[@college388]

Meanwhile the SS United States is still docked in Philadelphia with its life awaiting a conversion like this (probably based in Manhattan) or the scrapper if that doesn't happen. I can't believe that it's so hard to find a developer to finance the project!

[@tylerfrederick246]

Who care about the ss united states? The Queen Mary is far more prettier.

[@college388]

Wait until the QM2 gets to be older and then you won't think she's so pretty and won't even care about her too!

[@tylerfrederick246]

Tyson, what you read was the person that I used to be.

[@tylerfrederick246]

MarioRich09, that comment about my distaste for the United States is almost 2 years old. I love the United States now, My friend and Sensei, Jordan Morris, cure me of that. The United States is beautiful.

[@tylerfrederick246]

No problem. Im happy that my friend help me see the light regarding the United States.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Part of the sale agreement was that the QM never sail again because she would be possible competition for her original owners; she had to become inoperative as a ship and is now classified as a building. When the funnels were removed they fell apart; they were dangerous and their removal and discarding really were for the best.

[@JonyIveDesignsThings]

what if it went to a private owner and was only used privately not commercially

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Michael Cui That's a very interesting scenario. If someone did want buy the Queen just for their own use and enjoyment and if Cunard were to sell the ship the cost and trouble for the new owner would surely be so great then something would probably have to be done once again with the ship and she might be sold to a Cunard competitor though with her age, size, and condition that would be unlikely. I think the most realistic plans in the 1960's were to have the ship made unable to sail or to have her scrapped.

[@JonyIveDesignsThings]

Andrew Brendan it costs around 200 million to buy a running ship like this, i am making plans to buy it if i have money then somehow fix it up and make it run on diesel

[@AbeBSea]

I suddenly crave Drencrom.

[@trekzilladmc]

What exactly is the point of removing the engines if the ship was no longer going to be running? Seems to me it would be less costly to just leave them in place.

[@Dallas_K]

They wanted to use the huge spaces for other purposes. It is a sad truth that the ship was needing to bring in enough revenue to pay for massive upkeep costs. It is mind-blowing to see the math for even the most basic maintenance for something so enormous.

[@BrookieCooki84]

I’m grateful she wasn’t scrapped. But man, does it kill me to see her so torn apart today.

[@simonsteam]

The engines and boilers were taken out (except 2 engines) to make way for a huge confrence area,That was the plan anyhow.once it was all ripped out they decided not to bother! as far as im aware the area thats left is huge but its all rusted and dirty.there are pictures of it on the queen mary website.

[@majaorca100]

They shouldn't have removed her boilers and stuff...and they shouldn't have added that ugly propellor box at 02:06. But at least she is still here. Great video

[@ironsidefan]

(continued from previous post) bottom tour of every single one of its myriad levels of rooms before the Long Beach Shipyards crews got their hands and equipment in her and on her.

[@barryrosen405]

when she was being work on that is when the people from the city must have had time to fine a place to put her

[@theklb1]

Those fools had no idea what they were doing, that wasn't a conversion, it was a destruction. I was born, and raised in Long Beach CA. I used to see her every day when I lived there.

[@tylerfrederick246]

It was eerily cool when I saw the Queen Mary with no funnels. She look quite bald without her funnels.

[@tylerfrederick246]

The launching was exciting, but the removal of the funnels temporary took the grace of the great Queen of Scots.

[@Raceproved]

I wonder why they never made a "dry dock" for her to rest (sit) in ? She would have lasted forever then ?

[@prckay]

do you think she sail again

[@prckay]

@mattlolproductions her bottom still there but they could put newer engines that are dieasal

[@cunardwhitestar34]

The funnels were removed in order for work crews to get into the machinery spaces, so that they could be removed as well. Sad isn't?

[@DamienQuille]

Tres interessant

[@MBrocky26]

4:57 ... omg wow ghost ship!!

[@deloreanman14]

I had no idea they scrapped the original funnels. What a shame.

[@Dallas_K]

They were thoroughly rusted from the inside. Their most solid remainder was the thick coats of paint that hid the decay.

[@barryrosen405]

well she had a good life on the sea

[@King.of.Battleships]

They should have preserved her as she was. Instead of Gutting her. Instead they gutted everything thing below R Deck. C Deck was Removed from the stern to amidships the boiler Rooms, 1 Engine Room and both Tirbo Generator rooms. All the 2nd class and 3rd class cabins crew spaces the 2nd class pool. ALL GONE.

[@Ichigo_Keba]

I cried this is so sad I maybe never be able to look at Queen Mary the same again the pain she had felled know what your going to say that the Queen Mary is a non-living thing that can't feel pain. but a fames story told by a captain "When the whistle blew it felled as if the Queen Mary had a soul and was alive." now with that in mind the fame of her will live on she was a legend to travel on and she still is. but WHY DID THEY TAKE OUT THE BLOODY BOILERS AND OTHER THINGS INSIDE I LIKE WHAT THE ****** IF THEY NEED TO TAKE HER OUT FOR A REPAIR IT BE EASYER TO WITH ALL OF THE DRIVING PARTS INSIDE!

[@Flodder450]

its been more then 40 years since drydock god knows what stuff is on her keel 0_o

[@chrysler238]

Everything under is still the same its just full of algae

[@boataxe4605]

Lv. And rust, she leaks like a sieve .

[@caseywagner8656]

They should have left the boilers inside her so people when they take the tour can see what they looked like and they should have left the propellers on her. The SS Rotterdam still has her engines in her.But the Queen Mary is still Magnificent.

[@btomimatsucunard]

They made so many mistakes when converting her, they could have kept so many things and changed some things to make her better.

[@chrysler238]

Yeah sadly they regret it they say

[@edeancozzens3833]

Now the whole thing in Long Beach is bankrupt. Might have to be scrapped.

[@CrazyBrosCael]

10 years old

[@thefathat9490]

One thing that I feel is completely unnecessary and an example of why I “hate” what Long Beach did was use her synagogue as a broom closet. You’re telling me, they didn’t have any extra space anywhere else in the ship… for example the gutted 3rd class rooms for supplies that they used a synagogue wich was made for Jewish refugees who rode on the Queen Mary. A historic “artifact” used for a broom closet is just plain stupid

[@prckay]

they should have left her engine room alone

[@Bbhamadama888]

They have to do it, or else, what happens if somebody accidentally hits the engine and the queen Mary starts move away

[@boataxe4605]

Brandon Sam Animations You mean a crew of dozens accidentally fire up the 24 boilers and build up steam, which would take several hours?

[@kitt2000car]

Picture's don't lie.

[@just8310]

So the Queen Mary was converted to a religion

[@thewonderfulworldofderek6087]

Jack scary Mary movie made mazes magic years Documentary biography Tcm oascr awesome awards New queen Mary haunts the pool

[@barryrosen405]

to bad she was not put in dry dock

[@Flodder450]

yeah,the "funnels" you see pon hertoday are dummys,made of stainless steel its a shame the gutted her,leaving only a mere shadow of the once great ocean liner