The Construction and Launch of the R.M.S. Olympic

The Olympic-class ocean liners

An introduction into the most famous ocean liners ever built. What where these ships, why where they built and who built them? This part describes the construction, her service and the destruction of the R.M.S. 'Olympic'.

R.M.S. Olympic

The Olympic, The Titanic and the Brittanic

The Olympic-class ocean liners were a trio of British Ocean Liners, built by the Harland & Wolff shipyard, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was built for the White Star Line during the early 20th century. They were Olympic (1911), Titanic (1912) and Britannic (1915). All three were designed to be the largest and most luxurious passenger ships in the world of that time. They where designed to give White Star an advantage in the transatlantic passenger trade.

The White Star Line competed with Cunard Line but as Cunard Line had faster ships, The White Star Line wanted to compete by creating the most largest and luxury ships of the early 20th century.

The Beginning of R.M.S. Olympic

The Royal Mail Ship (RMS) Olympic was the first ocean liner of the Olympic ocean class liner to be build by Harland & Wolff in 1911. The three ships; the Olympic, Titanic and Brittanic had their beginning in a discussion in 1907 between the White Star Line's English businessman and chairman, J. Bruce Ismay, and the American financier and banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street: John Pierpont Morgan, that controlled the White Star Line's parent corporation, the International Mercantile Marine Co. The White Star Line faced a growing challenge from its main rivals, especially Cunard Line, which had just launched the Lusitania and Mauretania, the fastest passenger ships at that time. Bruce Ismay preferred to compete with Cunard line on size and luxury rather than speed and it was decided to create a new class of liners that would be much bigger, have more comfort and luxury then other passenger ships. Three of the largest ships in the world, with so much luxury, that was never seen before.

John Pierpont Morgan, April 17, 1837

Joseph Bruce Ismay in 1912

Harland and Wolff put their leading designers to work designing the Olympic-class vessels. The project was overseen by Lord Pirrie, a director of both Harland and Wolff and the White Star Line; naval architect Thomas Andrews, the managing director of Harland and Wolff's design department; Edward Wilding, Andrews' deputy and responsible for calculating the ship's design, stability and trim; and Alexander Carlisle, the shipyard's chief draughtsman and general manager. Carlisle's responsibilities included the decorations, equipment and all general arrangements, including the implementation of an efficient lifeboat davit design.

The Olympic was on of the largest vessel ever build at that time by the British shipping company The White Star Line. Harland and Wolff, who had a long-established relationship with the White Star Line would create these three vessels, starting with the Olympic.

This blueprint of the Olympic is a drawing of the full starboard profile of the ship.

This blueprint is a drawing of the full port profile of the ship.

The Construction of R.M.S. Olympic

Harland and Wolff began construction of the Olympic on December 16, 1908, in Belfast with the laying of the keel. After the keel was finnished, construction on the hull and the main superstructure began.

Olympic's keel, laid January, 1st, 1909. Yard No. 400.

Olympic's Vertical Keel Plate and Floors, 18 February 1909

View from above of the Top of Olympic's Gantry, 15th April, 1909

Tank Top and After End Framing of the Olympic, 20th July, 1909

After End Framing of the Olympic, 30th July, 1909

The Olympic almost framed, 18th November, 1909

Last Frame of the Olympic being Raised, 20th November, 1909

White Star ocean liners RMS Titanic (left) and RMS Olympic (right) in the Summer of 1910. View of bows in shipyard construction. The Olympic was launched on October 20, 1910.

the Titanic followed suit on May 31,1911.

THE following are the leading sizes of the Olympic and Titanic as constructed:

DIMENSIONS.

Length over all. 882' 9" Length between perpendiculars . 850' 0" Breadth extreme.92' 6" Depth moulded to shelter deck. 64' 3" Depth moulded to bridge deck. 73' 3" Total height from keel to navigating bridge.104' 0" Loaddraught. 34' 6" Gross tonnage.45,000 Indicated horse-power of reciprocating engines. 30,000 Shaft horse-power of turbine engine... 16,000

The launch of R.M.S. Olympic

The Olympic was launched on October 20, 1910. At the time of its completion in 1911, the Olympic was perhaps the world’s most luxurious liner. It was also the largest, with a length of approximately 882 feet (269 metres) and a gross tonnage of 45,324. It could carry more than 2,300 passengers.

LAUNCHING PARTICULARS

Draught forward, 15ft. 8in.; aft, 20ft.; mean, 18ft. 0½in.

Launch weight excluding cradle.24,600 tons.

Length of standing ways..about 850 feet.

Length of sliding ways.about 750 feet.

Standing ways, of oak.. 0ft. 9in. wide.

Sliding ways, of pitchpine. 6ft. 3in. wide.

Pressure per sq. ft. of bearing surface 2’6 tons.

Declivity of ways, ⅜in. per foot for forward half length, increasing to ½in. per foot.

Tallow...15 tons.

Tallow and train oil, mixed.5 tons.

Soft soap...3 tons.

Time from start till vessel left ways. 62 seconds.

Maximum velocity.12½ knots per hour.

Drags, 3 anchors each side and 80 tons cable, all disposed in the bed of the river.

The R.M.S. Olympic was launched on October 20, 1910

Olympic's launch, 1910

Olympic's launch with small boats called: tugs, who keep an eye on her and keep her stable.

The Olympic changed dramatically from when she was launched till the time she was severely damaged in 1911 and 'repaired'. She had uneven small windows with openings when she was built. After Olympic was 'repaired' just before April 1912, she suddenly had even windows just like Titanic had.

This little film shows the original R.M.S. Olympic under construction. This remarkable human and technologial achievement, especially at that time, was carried out at Belfast's, Northern Ireland, Harland & Wolff shipyards between 1908 and her launch in October 1910. The Olympic was supposed to be the most largest and luxurious passenger ship of the world and when she was launched she was opened for the public. The Olympic was very famous and well known. She was photographed many times at the beginning of her career.

The Giant White Star Liner "Olympic" in process of completion, being painted and installing her four funnels, showing the use of a 200 ton floating crane

Olympic under construction

The R.M.S. Olympic is finnished on May 31, 1911. She had 16 portholes and uneven windows

Olympic's lifeboat arrangement around 1911–12 was identical to Titanic's – as they looked so much like each other. Olympic had fourteen regulation boats, two emergency cutters and the White Star complement of four collapsible boats. Two collapsibles were stored broken down under the lead boats on the port and starboard sides. The final two collapsibles were stored on the top of the officers' quarters on either side of number one funnel.

The Olympic leaving Southampton, June 1911 to New York City. The maiden voyage was captained by Edward Smith.

The R.M.S. Olympic arriving at New York on her maiden voyage, June 21, 1911

The Olympic in New York, June 14, 1911

110 years ago, on June 14, 1911, the R.M.S. Olympic maiden voyage commenced from Southampton, reaching New York City on June 21

The R.M.S. Olympic begins her Transatlantic crossings in 1911. As the largest ship in the world, and the first in a new class of superliners, Olympic's maiden voyage attracted considerable worldwide attention from the press and public. Following her arrival in New York, Olympic was opened up to the public and received over 8,000 visitors. More than 10,000 spectators watched her depart from New York, for her first return trip.

Painting of the Olympic in New York.