@@DrewsMiniatures Unfortunately not. He died in 1932 as a result of being gassed in WW1 when my father was 10, who was the one who told me. I'd love to go to Belfast to see if the archive has any information.
It's sad that Archibald Gracie was one of the first Titanic survivors to die. He was diabetic, and the hypothermia he suffered during the shipwreck sent his health into a downward spiral. He died about seven months after the sinking, though he was still able to write a book about it.
I find it particularly interesting that Charles Lightoller, having survived the sinking of Titanic, would later go on to participate in the evacuation of Dunkirk. The boat captain in the recent film was based around his story.
@@ArkansasGamer Possibly they though the original commenter meant Kenneth Branagh's Character who was based on Bertram Ramsay not the guy with his son coming with the little boats.
The entertainment crew of the Océanos organized evacuation of the Océanos when she was sinking and the captain and crew evacuated the ship first. Later, they helped evacuate another sinking ship they were in as well. What are the odds of that?
@@HistoricTravels you're correct about the pic of the grand staircase being from Olympic, have you tried looking at the museum dedicated to the Titanic?
The thing about the movie is Cameron did his research and the sets were built with almost exact accuracy. If companies were still around that were part of building titanic he used them.
The dude nearly built an exact replica of the ship to make the movie. And thing is, adjusting for inflation, he legitimately could have while still being under budget. Hell, he would save on the cost of CGI. One has to wonder, though... somewhere in the world is 80% of the Titanic just... sitting around.
@@trumpetedeagle2 1 DAMN thats dissapointing. For one of the most important set pieces in what was the highest grossing movie of all time I figured at least part of the staircase was somewhere (I know a lot was damaged during the flooding shots). Considering how many Titanic and movie museums there are I'm actually surprised. 2. Yeah, that's movies. I'm sure the film would have looked a lot less good if the escape from D-deck was accurately lit with Edison's shitty 4 amp 1910's lightbulbs.
Wood can survive very long as long it is preserved fully enclosed by water. That's why we stil find (pre)medieval ships these days. As soon as it comes to the surface and gets in contact with oxygen it starts to rot very soon. That's also the reason why poles of landings etc. rotten just above the waterline as they get the ideal mixture of water and oxygen at that level. But, even is the staircase was still in the ship it would have been destroyed by the pressure of the water.
@@gilles111 Correct! As you pointed out, it would have rotted away by now, most likely in a few years. That aside, the pressure down there is a crushing 2 tons per square inch, based on what I've heard and read over the years. Not much can survive that sort of pressure!!!
@@JohnDoeRando Wood preservation underwater depends on the environmental conditions and type of wood. If you have ever watched the Titanic wreck footage from the movie "Ghost of the Abyss" ,they found intact woodwork and stained-glass in the first class dining room. If I'm not mistaken, its because its a more resilient wood type such as oak or teak.
Actually, the Grand Staircase from A-C deck broke free, and the stairs down to D-Deck went with the structure, and that's why the girders from underneath the D-Deck and E-Deck stairs remain. Parks Stephenson, one of the most famous Titanic historians, believes he saw steps remaining on the E-Deck landing portion. Also, the historian who came up with this Theory is Charles Pellegrino, I recommend you read his books. The staircase didn't lift as one, but most likely broke into pieces on ascent. And, one survivor, a First Class passenger named Marjorie Newell, says a 10-15 foot high structure of one of the main Grand Staircases was floating when she was in Lifeboat 14, who was Commanded by Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, went to go back to look for survivors. Scored of bodies were floating around it, as if they were trying to scramble onto it but it kept rolling
oh my goodness! I've been into Titanic nearly my whole life..how did I NOT KNOW there were no photographs of the grand stair case? Fabulous insight...thank you!
Most of Titanic's interiors were never photographed. The reason we have the pictures we do is because Francis Brown took photos before getting off in Queenstown, and he only got off because his employer wouldn't give him time off!
Many ship's crews, from different ships, reported seeing parts of the staircase wood fragments, various luggage, floating debris, and dead, for many weaks after the sinking.
@SlayFNX the entire staircase was recovered and put in the Titanic museum when it was in Nova Scotia, not a guess, because the staircase was intact when I visited the wreck site, even the cherub.
@SlayFNX Not True there is one documented Peace that came from the Ship the rescue crew used it for a picture frame and when looked at it turned out it was part of the staircase
@@michaelmckinnon1591 Lets See wood Warps in water, also the First crews to recover the bodies took a week to begin there is no way that is the Titanic Staircase Considering a lot of the Wood ether got lost or in some instances kept as trophies during the body search. It has to be a reproduction or from the Olympic as i know that the dinning hall was put in a Restaurant when she got scrapped."
Being constructed of wood, and wood being organic material, I expected it would have been consumed long ago by any creatures living down there. That's also why none of the wood deck remains, or slats from benches, etc.
@@oseo943 Yep, deep inside the wreck. I saw a video on here about that. Surprising how some of that woodwork remained. It's funny colored though---from the salt water and pressure, I presume. (Jan Griffiths).
I'm among many here that have been a Titanic fan their whole life. Today you taught me something new, in the form of the story about the survivor Archibald Gracie. A quick google search reveals he did indeed survive the sinking (somehow) but only lived until December of that year (1912)!
Yes, he already had signigicant health problems including diabetes (a much more serious condition back then) which were compounded by being immersed in freezing water, then spending the night on the overturned Collapsible B with several other men including Jack Thayer and Harold Bride, and the resultant hypothermia. At least he was able to tell his story via his memoirs which were published later that year (and apparently remain in print to this day.) He is regarded as one of the heroes of the night for his assistance in loading the women and children into the boats and freeing several of the collapsibles (which is why he was on the roof of the officers quarters when the ship plunged forward and down at around 2.05am.) His last words on his deathbed were apparently 'we must get them all into the boats'.
I remember hearing a report about the crew of the Mackey Bennet finding large pieces of the grand stair case and one even made a frame out of one of the bems so it's likely parts of it still exist in Haifax as refashioned wood
One thing people often forget (or don't know) about the staircase is that it wasn't secured to the steel framework. It just sat on top of it, held in place by gravity (much like the guns on warships) Due to what happened with the replica, James Cameron expressed his belief that the avalanche of water pouring through the dome lifted the staircase in its entirety off of the steel frame and it went down with the ship, the hydrodynamic forces of the descent to the bottom ripping it apart and ejecting it from the ship in pieces. (It's believed that these buoyant pieces of wood, at times thousands of feet below, rocketed back to the surface and killed people in the water) Benjamin Guggenheim also died on the staircase, just outside the D deck reception room. He knew he was going to go down with the ship, and wanted to do so "as a gentlemen". He was last seen sitting in a chair, dressed in his best tuxedo and smoking a cigar with his valet, awaiting his inevitable demise to the cold Atlantic.
If I recall someting I read a while ago correctly - in the period after the sinking when the CS Mackay Bennet was sent out to recover bodies they also recovered various othet items such as deck chairs and I think life belts. They also found a section of carved wood believed to be from the grand stair case that indicated that it had been forcebly smashed from the ship.
This is the first video I've watched from your channel, only thinking that this was a one hit wonder - I clicked on your channel and wow you are answering all the questions I've wondered for years! Definitely worth a sub, love this kinda stuff.
I'm from Southampton and still live there and the berth which Titanic sailed from is still there, we also have many memorials to the crew that died that night as most were from Southampton. As a caveat my sister-in-law's great grandfather went down with the ship!
@@HistoricTravels there were two relatives that lost their lives on the Titanic. One was my sister-in-laws grandfather Francis Akerman who was a Pantry worker, the other was his brother Albert Francis Akerman but we're not sure which part of the ship he worked? Joseph's body was recovered and was buried in Nova Scotia, however Albert's body was never found and is believed to have gone down with the ship.
@@Wtf0069 I am from Southampton and still live here in the same street since 1959. My great grandfather was supposed to be on the Titanic to the extent that the neighbours came around to commiserate. My great grandmother said no "My Minter's home up in bed !" The way it worked was that crew and staff were taken on voyage by voyage so there was no surprise that chopping and changing took place. My great grandfather did become a Chief Bedroom Steward on Olympic until health made him leave the sea.
@@Wtf0069 There are websites that have all kinds of information about the crew. Mr. Joseph Francis Akerman (known as Frank) was an assistant pantryman. He perished at the age of 37, and his body was recovered and buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Mr. Albert Edward Akerman was a 3rd class steward and perished at the age of 31. His body, if found, was never identified. Both men had previously worked on the RMS Oceanic, another White Star Line oceanliner, as stewards. Oceanic was later converted for use as a warship during WWI. Charles Lightoller, the Titanic SO, was her FO! She was accidentally grounded in the Shetland Islands about a month after being put into service for the Royal Navy, and couldn't be recovered, but the crew survived. She was later scrapped.
I always considered/thought that it had simply rotted/dissolved away for being underwater at such depth and with such water composition for so long, like it happened with the bodies that sunk with the ship.
I was waiting to see if you included the clip of the making of from the movie. There's were Cameron realized what could of happened. Not because I think that is right or not but because it shows that you care about all the theories and present them. That and your way of explaining things so clearly have earned you a subscriber and a regular viewer. Keep up the good work mate, really enjoy your videos!
A good analysis- Cameron may have stumbled onto how the staircase, which was constructed as a unit, exited the ship as it sank. If it floated to the surface as large sections, it would have been an unstable life raft for survivors trying to climb out of the water.
The Olympic class actually had two grand staircases. There was a second one between the third and fourth funnels that ran from A-C Deck, though the aft staircase lacked elevators or a fancy clock.
Exactly. Considering that the ship split at the point of the aft grand staircase, I suspect most of the floating wood debris is actually from that one.
It's interesting, many of the accounts I've read over the years posited that the staircase was simply eaten away by the same undersea microbes that have eaten much of the unpainted wood in the wreck, but your model makes so much more sense. If indeed the staircase simply deteriorated within the wreck, we would expect to see linoleum tiles and iron railings scattered in the wreck, but to my knowledge, we haven't. It also accounts for why the iconic cherub statue from the A-Deck landing was found in the debris field (if I recall correctly).
The stairs would have all crashed to the bottom of the stairwell when she struck the seabed and were eaten away by microbes. As far as I am away, no rov has gone to the very bottom and seen what is down there, yet alone find any remians of linoleum.
Even if the grand staircase hadn't floated out of the ship, it still wouldn't exist today because it would have completely rotted away after only a few decades
Thanks for all the great information in your videos! Who knew that James Cameron's Titanic movie would turn out to be an experiment in forensics of sorts in regards to what might have happened to the grand staircase. And Ken Marshall's painting are wonderful! When you look at the painting featured here, peering down through all the layers of staircases, and all the passengers scurrying upwards in their life jackets, you can't help but get a ominous chill down your spine. Even though the amount of ocean water seen is probably less than 5% of the painting, it's a clever and eerie way of hinting at the foreboding situation at hand, and the inevitability of their fate.
Thank you for the comment I am glad you like my video. The purpose of my channel is to try and give out as accurate information as possible about the Titanic. There is so much fake information on youtube.
That's so crazy, I hadn't really thought of it having done what it did.. But when you think of how much wood was floating around a ship made of steel, it makes a ton of sense... Even if it's very strange to think an entire staircase could do that.
It completely caught the film crew by surprise. Honestly it was a miracle no one was hurt. Imagine how much pressure the cast and crew were under filming that dome breaking then while dealing with the water, the staircase beneath you shoots up.
@@HistoricTravels That may have been how the staircase, in several large sections, exited the ship as it sank. It might have popped to the surface after the front section went under.
Aesthetically I would say the replica was accurate but not the way it was contructed in comparison to the real one. Think of the size and density of the real stairs and just floating away out up through a smashed (lol) dome and then passing through the top gantry facade above the dome. It is more reasonable to say that on impact with the sea bed, The stairs collapsed downinto the depths of the ship.
I'm a steel engineer, I know steel. One look at the forward section tells me that the ship did not 'crack in two', it bent down, the sides bulging and breaking apart outward, this left only the bottom & keel left holding, which of course broke off at some point, no one knows for sure. Note the bend effect, there was not enough stern weight to cause 'cracking', the tensile strength of steel is far more than you think and ... the steel used was the best, not some 'under grade' as some speculate. One inch steel is relentless, go look at this again. W. Sjoberg
I saw a documentary on tv a few years back which it indicated that the steel used on the Titanic might have been defective. In this show a metallurgist examined leftover or sample scraps of the exact steel the ship was made from and found a large number of impurities in it.
Are you taking into account the temperature causing the steel to have more brittle characteristics than normal? In WWII several Liberty ships literally split in half because the steel became so brittle. Of course those ships were welded and not riveted so I’m not implying that it’s a direct comparison but the temperature should not be discounted. Moreover the steel was likely grade 36 structural steel so my AISC book says it would have an fu of 58 ksi
The keel and the plate bottom were not one-piece forged. If the aft section of the ship is rising into the air, that's 30-odd THOUSAND tonnes. That kind of weight must surely be capable of breaking her back?
Hm, interesting. I wonder how many people died when the dome of the Grand Staircase imploded and created this giant vortex, plus suction. I mean, the remaining crowd, or at least a lot of the remaining people on board, probably accumulated where the last lifeboats would've been lowered. Therefore they would have been in close proximity to the staircase and could've been sucked away. What a scary thought.
when the first funnel fell it created a wave which pushed collasiple lifeboat A and B further away from the Titanic which seconds later the dome of the grand staircas imploded if the funnel hadn't pushed those two lifeboats away everyone aboard them would've died
@@TV-ly3dp Where are people getting this nonsense about the dome collapsing in? If that collapsed then the top level of the staircae would have to be almost full of water at the same time.
I think the idea with this theory is that the grand staircase became an air pocket for a short period of time meaning that the outside water was higher.
Huh, after all this time, I just assumed the Grand Staircase decayed away. Never knew of the mishap on the Cameron film. Sounds like that gave a number of people some pause.
That's really interesting. It would be interesting to know what happened to the clock. It would undoubtedly have floated off attached to a piece of the staircase. You have to wonder where it went from there. We'll probably never know. Thank you for this great video. I enjoyed it.
@@sabrinastratton1991 It is a shame, but at the same time, sadly, it's likely Olympic would have only survived long enough to get bombed to smithereens by the Germans during the Blitz. :(
Eva Hart was 7 years old and on the Titanic with her parents. She was interviewed several times before her death in 1996. Her story was accurate and never change the many times she told it. Very interesting to listen to her memories. She lost her father on the Titanic.
I became the 6.1k (up from 6k) to like your video. That's awesome when the like rating is so high and you can clearly see your support made a difference. That said, great and informative content man -- keep up the great work!
Also for anyone interested, I'd highly recommend "A Night to Remember" audio book I heard here on UA-cam. Not being interested in the Titanic before, I thought the book would be a kinda boring or dry, and I couldn't have been more wrong. The author weaves together dozens of survivor accounts into a full narrative of the sinking, from start to finish, from the perspectives of the people who experienced it. I listened to the whole thing in A DAY doing housework lol Edit: after commenting I just looked up Ken Marschall because of your mention....only to realize the cover of "A Night to Remember" is one if HIS paintings! Wierd huh?
Thank you my parents enjoyed this! This is how Titanic Honor and Glory started off as before doing what they did. Thank you again for providing something new! I was looking desperate for somebody like you.
An excellent, sensible presentation! Thanks! There's also the series of illustrations usually attributed to Jack Thayer, but in reality was done by Lewis P. Skidmore on the Carpathia based on Thayer's description. The 3rd panel shows the Titanic with its bow fully submerged and with the water up to the 3rd funnel - which we now know is about where the ship broke. The 4th panel is curious. It shows something that could simply never have happened, the so-called "V Break," with the bow suddenly rising up out of the water and pointing to the sky. I've wondered - since by that point, the ship's lights had gone out, and if Skidmore's sketch bears any likeness at all to what Thayer told him - whether, instead of seeing the bow rise up again, perhaps Thayer vaguely saw the Grand Staircase come crashing up through the roof? It's speculations like that that keep the Titanic fascinating - and yes, the above is definitely speculation. :-)
I would love a video on this too. To the best of my knowledge the clock on the grand staircase was a "slave" clock controlled from the bridge. When you consider the time difference the ship would have encountered from the start of the voyage to the finish it makes sense to use one "master" clock controlled from the bridge rather than changing all the public clocks separately.
Really no photos of Titanic's grand staircase wow I've never heard that before! You really know everything all the way down to the little details. Great informative video! :)
Thank You! I am glad you liked the video. I do not know everything about Titanic but I try my best to give accurate information. There is so much fake information on youtube about Titanic I try my best to be accurate. Thank you :)
I think there is something less than 40 actual photos of the interior of the Titanic known to exist. Most of them are of the areas that are different than the Olympic. the new dining areas and such that were just open decks on Olympic. I think the channel Titanic University has a video that goes in to good detail on it. They just hadn't gotten to taking press photos of anything that was the same... cause it was the same, so no need to photograph it for promotional stuff.
I would have to go back through my collection of books to be absolutely sure, but it seems to me that in one of them I vaguely recall seeing at least one photo of Titanic's Grand Staircase. The ornate clock (symoblizing Honor and Glory crowning Time) had not yet been installed.
@@danielwitham2793 There is a story presented in the book Titanic Voices that says the clock may not have been fully installed before Titanic set out, with plans to install her in the first day setting out along the hop to the first stop, however there is no real evidence presented one way or the other. That is suggested as the reason no official photos were taken. From what i can tell the only difference between the Titanic and Olympic is that the former had a lion's head while the latter a ram's head carved in to the clock. The rest of the staircase was most likely identical. I find it more likely that they just didn't bother taking a photo of something that was the same as the other ship but for a detail no one would notice in typical promotional material. All that to say, there are no known photographs of Titanic's grand stair case in the public record, and anyone that has one could likely sell it for a Titanic sized boat load of cash.
I wasn't particularly looking to watch videos about the Titanic but I just sort of happened upon one of your videos and have been hooked. Great job keep up the excellent work.
As a female electrician, I have often wondered about the 100 volt DC generators. How long did they run while submerged, as well as the 100 volt DC contact with salt water. That level of voltage would "crack" water into its individual elements of hydrogen & oxygen (creating Brownian gas - H2O) which is extremely explosive. Makes me wonder if there were any deaths or injuries pertaining to that. Also, the very very early Marconi wireless telegraph was powered by 100 volt batteries in the bowel of the ship, meaning they would have been the first to be submerged, yet they were still able to transmit for another 45 minutes.
I am no electrician or an expert in the Titanic power system and i could be wrong about this. But I do know the marconi system had an emergency battery back up system. That was what they were planning to use if the Titanic power failed during the sinking. However Harold Bride said they were operating off ship power for most of the evening. That might be why. Again I am no expert in the Titanic power system so this is just a guess. I believe Titanic last message was sent around 1:45am about 35 minutes before the final plunge. After that time other ships thought they could hear messages but were not sure.
@@HistoricTravels just very impressed at the battery supply (probably augmented by the DC generators) .... ALLLL at the bottom of the ship, AND it still kept "chugging" along until the last minute. : (
@@MikinessAnalog As I understand it, the firemen were some of the last people to leave their posts, keeping the boilers fed and the engines running nearly until she went down. With the pitch of the ship the engine rooms didn't actually flood until very far along and I think the generators were still producing power as she went down... at least en every depiction I've seen the lights are still on. No expert on it, but I would think the power would go out very quickly once the boilers and engines are submerged. it doesn't take much ocean to leach all the heat out of them and bring everything to a halt.
Hello, I hope you are doing well. As much as this seems to be a good way to look into this subject, there are a number of problems with it. First of all, I would like to point out that as much outstanding the 1997 movie staircase looks like, it wasn't built exactly like Titanic. Titanic's grand staircase had various structural supports which included iron frames, strong bolts and various other structures to keep it tied together and stable. In other words a much better built structure. Cameron's staircase was entirely made of wood held together by nails, a much weaker piece in comparision. Cameron's staircase did float up during filming but where and why? It broke off where the staircase half-landings meet up with the stairs themselves. That part on Titanic was a very strong piece of steel framing. It is extremely unlikely that this piece on Titanic would have broken so easily. The next question is: why it broke? It could not sustain the huge flow of water coming from the dome but here is where comes the main problem with that: the flooding of the dome was controlled. It wasn't cause by the flow of water coming over it naturally, it was intentionally caused by dramatic purposes. The whirlpool seen may have been a number of things, including a funnel casing. It is highly improbable the staircase as whole lifted up and floated out of the ship, there were far too many steel structures on it's way and the staircase itself had iron pieces that would have prevented the wood to properly flood. A detail: The fact that wood was seen after she sank, does not mean that it was from the grand staircase, Titanic was almost entirely built with wood, including the Lounge which was broken apart during the breakup. So it isn't as easy as simply saying it was from the grand staircase, specially considering there is a piece of the lounge recovered that was floating. Finally, it is important to consider what the wreck tells us, not a movie set. On the wreck, most of the staircase pieces found are located directly aft of the bow section, and nothing in the surrounding structure indicates a "lifting up" scenario. No steel support, beam or part of the ship's floor/roof is bent upward as would be expected if the movie scenario had happened. The steel frames on C and D deck are not looking like they have been pulled up, as, again, would have been expected. The most likely scenario so far, and that has been supported for a number of credible people I have seen, is that the incoming flow of water pushed the staircase down and aft as the ship was sinking, trapping pieces inside and some coming out by the breakup area, landing aft of the bow where they still are today. As much as people like te Cameron proposal, is far from accurate and does not take into account the evidence from the ocean bottom.
Thank You for the comment, I have recently been made aware of this theory. I dont think the entire staircase, all the way down to the bottom of the ship would of floated out, I only think its possible that sections of it would of. Other parts may have done exactly what you said. If I remake the video I will be sure to mention this theory. Thank You!
Not being up to date on all the Titanic theories and information out there, just sort of looking at the physics of it, I don't doubt that the staircase would have broken apart and not come out as like one single piece. However, a big hole running the height of the ship does seem the optimal path for air to take on it's way out of the ship on her way down. Seems at least plausible that there would be quite the rush of air through the stair well as the bow sank, with the power to rip pieces away with little trouble.
It is funny how things I have changed since the British Movie Titanic, and A Night to Remember, to the James Cameron movie Titanic and new knowledge and ideas today. I have been fascinated by the sinking of it and many other ships for over 50 years. You do a great job, on your channel
Interesting perspective and this is useful for context. One point though, Lightoller did not use the Grand Staircase to judge the ingress of the water level. he used a crew companionway near the Bridge to do just that, see the level of water - but you make a good point about how he judged the sinking rate.
The aft staircase was completely destroyed in the breakup as it was part of the aft tower section. The only part of it that remains, or has ever been found, anyway, is the frame of the dome.
A friend who is a volunteer on the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, the Liberty Ship in San Francisco Bay, said the engine room scenes for Titanic were filmed on that ship.
I design buildings, including staircases as grand as this one, for a living. I seriously doubt this one was just resting on its bearings via gravity on a ship designed to deal with the rolling and pitching of high seas.
worth mentioning also how all the wood left just got consumed by the underwater fauna. To be frank i thought that was the case for all the staircase too, but yet again this ship has more for us to discover
Firstly, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Even after 108 years, many of the Titanic's mysteries still remain to be solved. Today, the rafter supports for the Grand Staircase still exist on D-Deck. Also, in some interior video footage, the steps from E-Deck going down to F-Deck can still be seen. For several reasons, I have my doubts whether it floated up and out of the ship; A - The weight of the water rushing downwards. B. The weight of the wrought iron balustrades. C. The structure of the staircase was probably anchored too strong to simply lift and float out. If it did in fact rise and float out of the ship (assume 3 decks of it) than, why did the Mackay-Bennett not find floating wreckage of it (as it found pieces of the Lounge, Dining Saloon chairs and etc)?
Thank you and I am glad you liked the video. As I said in the video it was all just a theory but I do think its possible that the staircase broke up and floated out, however I dont think it was a big mass. After I made this video I became aware of another theory that the staircase broke up and could of gotten pushed toward the mid section of the ship, which is also possible. I think its most likely that what happened to the staircase was a combination of the two theories. I think sections of it broke up and began to float and yes some could of floated out. But I also think its possible big sections of the staircases broke up and got pushed deep inside the ship. If I had been aware of this theory at the time of making the video I would of incorporated it. Thank you for the comment :)
@@HistoricTravels Very interesting. Now, I would lean more towards that theory as the weight of the water gushing in from the glass dome would've created pressure and a whirlpool effect. Whatever the case may be, here we are 108 years later still trying to piece together what happened that night. What always fascinates me is how, within the wreck, certain objects such as water carafes & bedposts are still upright in their original positions while, other elements are completely gone or destroyed. I really enjoyed your video, wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2021.
Thank You! I wish you the same as well and thank you for watching my video I am glad you enjoyed it. The primary purpose for my channel is to try and be as accurate as possible with my videos. So many videos on youtube spread inaccurate information about Titanic.
@@HistoricTravels Yes, and I just browsed your channel and see that you have many videos. I have been fascinated with the Titanic since I was a child. Back then, without the internet, all I had to rely on were books and old movies (which were very difficult to find). Looking forward to watching your other videos.
Don't hold me to this, but I recall reading an account from a Mackay Bennet crew member mention seeing sections of the staircase...Maybe it shattered because of the water pressure when the boat deck went under and the dome imploded. Maybe we'll never know...
Thank you for the excellent video! You may want to change one thing, however; the first ship you show & identify as The Olympic is in fact The Titanic. They are easy to tell apart because The Olympic- the first of the three ships built- had an open, unenclosed Promenade Deck. After Olympics' maiden voyage in 1911, it was found that the Promenade Deck was prone to wetting & ocean spray, and so on the Titanic (and later Britannic) this deck was enclosed with a white wall that has a distinctive curve at each end.
awesome post, there were two grand staircase the bow - which is the one mentioned here and the other near the rear 1st class area which is in the "split" area
I think this was one of your first videos if I'm not mistaken... And it is so awesome to see how your channel has grown. I think I left a comment like this on another one of your videos. But it can't be overstated how good of a guy you are. Genuine. Kind. Smart. Entertaining! Thank you for all the knowledge you have given us over the last few years!
That staircase is in Heaven. Its how you arrive back Home to Heaven. Up the staircase where your Soul mate is waiting for you Amen xxxxxxx That's how you are welcomed back Home To Heaven Amen xxxxxxx with all of our Ever Growing Ever Loveing Heavenly Family who are surrounding the staircase and the surrounding floors on the levels as you arrive back Home To Heaven Amen xxxxxxx
Love the Titanic thank you so much for making this I will definitely subscribe to you and good luck on your career of being a UA-camr I hope you get a thousand subscribers
Loved hearing the love for Ken Marschall. It says a lot about how influential his paintings were on how we visualize the events when so many rendered images of Titanic in the Cameron movie are essentially copies of various Marschall paintings
I grew up being told that some of my grandfather's greatest work went down on the Titanic. He was one of the wood carvers who made the staircases.
That's sad but also made his work more memorable in a weird way
Wow he was very talented. That’s awesome
Probably a long shot, but do you know which public rooms he worked on?
@@DrewsMiniatures Unfortunately not. He died in 1932 as a result of being gassed in WW1 when my father was 10, who was the one who told me. I'd love to go to Belfast to see if the archive has any information.
Wow
It's sad that Archibald Gracie was one of the first Titanic survivors to die. He was diabetic, and the hypothermia he suffered during the shipwreck sent his health into a downward spiral. He died about seven months after the sinking, though he was still able to write a book about it.
No doubt the stress of the event and trying to survive. 😞
Gracie is a character in the 1959 film “A Night to Remember.”
@@MightyMezzo Wasn't it a 1958 film?
You’re right. It opened in the USA in 1959.
It got wet during the sinking
titanic - floods
grand staircase- ight imma head out
😂 true
Hahahhaha🤣🤣😂
I find it particularly interesting that Charles Lightoller, having survived the sinking of Titanic, would later go on to participate in the evacuation of Dunkirk. The boat captain in the recent film was based around his story.
no
@@Stem_Cie why no?
@@Stem_Cie wtf? Who just responds with ‘no’?
@@ArkansasGamer Possibly they though the original commenter meant Kenneth Branagh's Character who was based on Bertram Ramsay not the guy with his son coming with the little boats.
The entertainment crew of the Océanos organized evacuation of the Océanos when she was sinking and the captain and crew evacuated the ship first. Later, they helped evacuate another sinking ship they were in as well. What are the odds of that?
Finally someone who knows that the photos of the staircase were of Olympic!
Haha thanks
I knew for a long time
Don’t blame u dude
Yup
@@HistoricTravels you're correct about the pic of the grand staircase being from Olympic, have you tried looking at the museum dedicated to the Titanic?
The thing about the movie is Cameron did his research and the sets were built with almost exact accuracy. If companies were still around that were part of building titanic he used them.
I may be wrong here, but didn't Cameron bring in Ken Marschall as his lead technical advisor on all things Titanic?
The dude nearly built an exact replica of the ship to make the movie. And thing is, adjusting for inflation, he legitimately could have while still being under budget. Hell, he would save on the cost of CGI.
One has to wonder, though... somewhere in the world is 80% of the Titanic just... sitting around.
Yes Marshall was a consultant and a lot of the scenes were reproduced from his paintings.
@@NexusProductions-rz1sv unfortunantly no. The set was disassembeled. He also admitted he added more lights, so the scenes could be brighter.
@@trumpetedeagle2 1 DAMN thats dissapointing. For one of the most important set pieces in what was the highest grossing movie of all time I figured at least part of the staircase was somewhere (I know a lot was damaged during the flooding shots). Considering how many Titanic and movie museums there are I'm actually surprised.
2. Yeah, that's movies. I'm sure the film would have looked a lot less good if the escape from D-deck was accurately lit with Edison's shitty 4 amp 1910's lightbulbs.
114 dislikes from conspiracy theorists who believe that the Titanic’s grand staircase was abducted by aliens.
Fu*k too it was. It was removed seconds before sinking whisked away too some oligarchs in Russia..
😁😆
Difficult to make a case for that.
Nooooo it was clearly taken by an angry ice burg
No, it was taken by collapsible A
I believe you are right. But even if some of it was left attached, I think it would have rotted away by now.
It was recovered and is in the Titanic museum
Wood can survive very long as long it is preserved fully enclosed by water. That's why we stil find (pre)medieval ships these days. As soon as it comes to the surface and gets in contact with oxygen it starts to rot very soon. That's also the reason why poles of landings etc. rotten just above the waterline as they get the ideal mixture of water and oxygen at that level.
But, even is the staircase was still in the ship it would have been destroyed by the pressure of the water.
@@gilles111 Correct! As you pointed out, it would have rotted away by now, most likely in a few years. That aside, the pressure down there is a crushing 2 tons per square inch, based on what I've heard and read over the years. Not much can survive that sort of pressure!!!
@@gilles111 for example. I have a piece of wood in my fishtank. I got it second hand and it's almost 20 years old now.
@@JohnDoeRando Wood preservation underwater depends on the environmental conditions and type of wood. If you have ever watched the Titanic wreck footage from the movie "Ghost of the Abyss" ,they found intact woodwork and stained-glass in the first class dining room. If I'm not mistaken, its because its a more resilient wood type such as oak or teak.
Actually, the Grand Staircase from A-C deck broke free, and the stairs down to D-Deck went with the structure, and that's why the girders from underneath the D-Deck and E-Deck stairs remain. Parks Stephenson, one of the most famous Titanic historians, believes he saw steps remaining on the E-Deck landing portion.
Also, the historian who came up with this Theory is Charles Pellegrino, I recommend you read his books. The staircase didn't lift as one, but most likely broke into pieces on ascent. And, one survivor, a First Class passenger named Marjorie Newell, says a 10-15 foot high structure of one of the main Grand Staircases was floating when she was in Lifeboat 14, who was Commanded by Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, went to go back to look for survivors. Scored of bodies were floating around it, as if they were trying to scramble onto it but it kept rolling
Actually, how do you come to this conclusion about the stairs breaking free?
oh my goodness! I've been into Titanic nearly my whole life..how did I NOT KNOW there were no photographs of the grand stair case? Fabulous insight...thank you!
Don't feel bad. I didn't know either until now.
Most of Titanic's interiors were never photographed. The reason we have the pictures we do is because Francis Brown took photos before getting off in Queenstown, and he only got off because his employer wouldn't give him time off!
Staircase literally said screw this I’m leaving
This is great :) really made me laugh lol
DJDNDBDHS I MEAN ESSENTIALLY THATS PROBABLY WHAT HAPPENED
Good one that was so funny
Ha ha ha! Apparently it floated and a lot of people sank.
dont be so childish !
So years after the Titanic sank, some kid was collecting drift wood off a beach not knowing what it was.
No recovered by the expedition crew for the museum
Many ship's crews, from different ships, reported seeing parts of the staircase wood fragments, various luggage, floating debris, and dead, for many weaks after the sinking.
@SlayFNX the entire staircase was recovered and put in the Titanic museum when it was in Nova Scotia, not a guess, because the staircase was intact when I visited the wreck site, even the cherub.
@SlayFNX Not True there is one documented Peace that came from the Ship the rescue crew used it for a picture frame and when looked at it turned out it was part of the staircase
@@michaelmckinnon1591 Lets See wood Warps in water, also the First crews to recover the bodies took a week to begin there is no way that is the Titanic Staircase Considering a lot of the Wood ether got lost or in some instances kept as trophies during the body search. It has to be a reproduction or from the Olympic as i know that the dinning hall was put in a Restaurant when she got scrapped."
Fun fact. There were actually two grand staircases on Titanic. The other one was closer to the stern of the ship near the first class smoking room
imagine floating around in the water and then getting sucked back in after the dome broke. So unlucky.
It's been a while since I thought about why the staircase was not there when they discovered it, thank you💙
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.
Being constructed of wood, and wood being organic material, I expected it would have been consumed long ago by any creatures living down there. That's also why none of the wood deck remains, or slats from benches, etc.
It's in the Titanic museum
@@gregorymoore2877 That is not true, wood panels, decorations and furniture are everywhere visible inside the ship.
@@oseo943 Yep, deep inside the wreck. I saw a video on here about that. Surprising how some of that woodwork remained. It's funny colored though---from the salt water and pressure, I presume. (Jan Griffiths).
Your references and research are top-notch. Great job!
Much appreciated!
I'm among many here that have been a Titanic fan their whole life. Today you taught me something new, in the form of the story about the survivor Archibald Gracie. A quick google search reveals he did indeed survive the sinking (somehow) but only lived until December of that year (1912)!
Yes, he already had signigicant health problems including diabetes (a much more serious condition back then) which were compounded by being immersed in freezing water, then spending the night on the overturned Collapsible B with several other men including Jack Thayer and Harold Bride, and the resultant hypothermia. At least he was able to tell his story via his memoirs which were published later that year (and apparently remain in print to this day.) He is regarded as one of the heroes of the night for his assistance in loading the women and children into the boats and freeing several of the collapsibles (which is why he was on the roof of the officers quarters when the ship plunged forward and down at around 2.05am.) His last words on his deathbed were apparently 'we must get them all into the boats'.
I remember hearing a report about the crew of the Mackey Bennet finding large pieces of the grand stair case and one even made a frame out of one of the bems so it's likely parts of it still exist in Haifax as refashioned wood
I was going to comment on this! It was in an episode of History Detectives on PBS.
More than likely the rear stair case sections.
One thing people often forget (or don't know) about the staircase is that it wasn't secured to the steel framework. It just sat on top of it, held in place by gravity (much like the guns on warships)
Due to what happened with the replica, James Cameron expressed his belief that the avalanche of water pouring through the dome lifted the staircase in its entirety off of the steel frame and it went down with the ship, the hydrodynamic forces of the descent to the bottom ripping it apart and ejecting it from the ship in pieces. (It's believed that these buoyant pieces of wood, at times thousands of feet below, rocketed back to the surface and killed people in the water)
Benjamin Guggenheim also died on the staircase, just outside the D deck reception room. He knew he was going to go down with the ship, and wanted to do so "as a gentlemen". He was last seen sitting in a chair, dressed in his best tuxedo and smoking a cigar with his valet, awaiting his inevitable demise to the cold Atlantic.
If I recall someting I read a while ago correctly - in the period after the sinking when the CS Mackay Bennet was sent out to recover bodies they also recovered various othet items such as deck chairs and I think life belts. They also found a section of carved wood believed to be from the grand stair case that indicated that it had been forcebly smashed from the ship.
It was from the aft grand stair case which torn up.
Actually, the carved wood was part of the door frame from the lounge!
This is the first video I've watched from your channel, only thinking that this was a one hit wonder - I clicked on your channel and wow you are answering all the questions I've wondered for years! Definitely worth a sub, love this kinda stuff.
Thanks man! To be honest I am stunned with the growth of this channel! Couldnt do it without you.
I'm from Southampton and still live there and the berth which Titanic sailed from is still there, we also have many memorials to the crew that died that night as most were from Southampton. As a caveat my sister-in-law's great grandfather went down with the ship!
That’s crazy and I am sorry to hear that. You wouldn’t know her name would you? Love to look her up.
@@HistoricTravels there were two relatives that lost their lives on the Titanic. One was my sister-in-laws grandfather Francis Akerman who was a Pantry worker, the other was his brother Albert Francis Akerman but we're not sure which part of the ship he worked?
Joseph's body was recovered and was buried in Nova Scotia, however Albert's body was never found and is believed to have gone down with the ship.
@@Wtf0069 I am from Southampton and still live here in the same street since 1959. My great grandfather was supposed to be on the Titanic to the extent that the neighbours came around to commiserate. My great grandmother said no "My Minter's home up in bed !" The way it worked was that crew and staff were taken on voyage by voyage so there was no surprise that chopping and changing took place. My great grandfather did become a Chief Bedroom Steward on Olympic until health made him leave the sea.
@@Wtf0069 There are websites that have all kinds of information about the crew. Mr. Joseph Francis Akerman (known as Frank) was an assistant pantryman. He perished at the age of 37, and his body was recovered and buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Mr. Albert Edward Akerman was a 3rd class steward and perished at the age of 31. His body, if found, was never identified. Both men had previously worked on the RMS Oceanic, another White Star Line oceanliner, as stewards. Oceanic was later converted for use as a warship during WWI. Charles Lightoller, the Titanic SO, was her FO! She was accidentally grounded in the Shetland Islands about a month after being put into service for the Royal Navy, and couldn't be recovered, but the crew survived. She was later scrapped.
I always considered/thought that it had simply rotted/dissolved away for being underwater at such depth and with such water composition for so long, like it happened with the bodies that sunk with the ship.
I always thought that the Staircase Collapsed in on itself as the Ship Sunk...
Same here. I was under the understanding that micro organisms had eaten all of the woodwork in the ship.
The chemicals used to finish wood would hold up to the ocean. Metal is by far the weakest element under salt water.
I think so too. Is there any wood remaining on Titanic?
There's still a lot of teak wood.
I was waiting to see if you included the clip of the making of from the movie. There's were Cameron realized what could of happened. Not because I think that is right or not but because it shows that you care about all the theories and present them. That and your way of explaining things so clearly have earned you a subscriber and a regular viewer. Keep up the good work mate, really enjoy your videos!
A good analysis- Cameron may have stumbled onto how the staircase, which was constructed as a unit, exited the ship as it sank. If it floated to the surface as large sections, it would have been an unstable life raft for survivors trying to climb out of the water.
I once heared somewhere that the grand staircase of the Titanic just collapsed when the Dome broke and water came in.
a survivor ?
The Olympic class actually had two grand staircases. There was a second one between the third and fourth funnels that ran from A-C Deck, though the aft staircase lacked elevators or a fancy clock.
Exactly. Considering that the ship split at the point of the aft grand staircase, I suspect most of the floating wood debris is actually from that one.
It's interesting, many of the accounts I've read over the years posited that the staircase was simply eaten away by the same undersea microbes that have eaten much of the unpainted wood in the wreck, but your model makes so much more sense. If indeed the staircase simply deteriorated within the wreck, we would expect to see linoleum tiles and iron railings scattered in the wreck, but to my knowledge, we haven't. It also accounts for why the iconic cherub statue from the A-Deck landing was found in the debris field (if I recall correctly).
The stairs would have all crashed to the bottom of the stairwell when she struck the seabed and were eaten away by microbes. As far as I am away, no rov has gone to the very bottom and seen what is down there, yet alone find any remians of linoleum.
Even if the grand staircase hadn't floated out of the ship, it still wouldn't exist today because it would have completely rotted away after only a few decades
Thanks for all the great information in your videos! Who knew that James Cameron's Titanic movie would turn out to be an experiment in forensics of sorts in regards to what might have happened to the grand staircase. And Ken Marshall's painting are wonderful! When you look at the painting featured here, peering down through all the layers of staircases, and all the passengers scurrying upwards in their life jackets, you can't help but get a ominous chill down your spine. Even though the amount of ocean water seen is probably less than 5% of the painting, it's a clever and eerie way of hinting at the foreboding situation at hand, and the inevitability of their fate.
Thank you for the comment I am glad you like my video. The purpose of my channel is to try and give out as accurate information as possible about the Titanic. There is so much fake information on youtube.
I'm happy to hear this. I was always concerned the dramatic grand staircase flooding in the James Cameron movie was just for the film.
That's so crazy, I hadn't really thought of it having done what it did.. But when you think of how much wood was floating around a ship made of steel, it makes a ton of sense... Even if it's very strange to think an entire staircase could do that.
It completely caught the film crew by surprise. Honestly it was a miracle no one was hurt. Imagine how much pressure the cast and crew were under filming that dome breaking then while dealing with the water, the staircase beneath you shoots up.
@@HistoricTravels Thank God that no one got hurt.
@@HistoricTravels That may have been how the staircase, in several large sections, exited the ship as it sank. It might have popped to the surface after the front section went under.
Aesthetically I would say the replica was accurate but not the way it was contructed in comparison to the real one. Think of the size and density of the real stairs and just floating away out up through a smashed (lol) dome and then passing through the top gantry facade above the dome. It is more reasonable to say that on impact with the sea bed, The stairs collapsed downinto the depths of the ship.
I'm a steel engineer, I know steel. One look at the forward section tells me that the ship did not 'crack in two', it bent down, the sides bulging and breaking apart outward, this left only the bottom & keel left holding, which of course broke off at some point, no one knows for sure. Note the bend effect, there was not enough stern weight to cause 'cracking', the tensile strength of steel is far more than you think and ... the steel used was the best, not some 'under grade' as some speculate. One inch steel is relentless, go look at this again. W. Sjoberg
Wow!, very interesting, good information to know. I love the ship very much., and want to learn as much as I can. 😊⛵🛳
I saw a documentary on tv a few years back which it indicated that the steel used on the Titanic might have been defective. In this show a metallurgist examined leftover or sample scraps of the exact steel the ship was made from and found a large number of impurities in it.
Are you taking into account the temperature causing the steel to have more brittle characteristics than normal? In WWII several Liberty ships literally split in half because the steel became so brittle. Of course those ships were welded and not riveted so I’m not implying that it’s a direct comparison but the temperature should not be discounted. Moreover the steel was likely grade 36 structural steel so my AISC book says it would have an fu of 58 ksi
The keel and the plate bottom were not one-piece forged. If the aft section of the ship is rising into the air, that's 30-odd THOUSAND tonnes. That kind of weight must surely be capable of breaking her back?
Based solely on the image of double bottom pieces, it was well on it's way to the bottom when they broke away.
I thought I knew most of what’s to know about the Titanic but you just proved me wrong. Thank you. It’s always nice for me to learn more 🙂
Love the channel. I was obsessed with titanic as a kid. It's fascinating
Hm, interesting. I wonder how many people died when the dome of the Grand Staircase imploded and created this giant vortex, plus suction. I mean, the remaining crowd, or at least a lot of the remaining people on board, probably accumulated where the last lifeboats would've been lowered. Therefore they would have been in close proximity to the staircase and could've been sucked away. What a scary thought.
when the first funnel fell it created a wave which pushed collasiple lifeboat A and B further away from the Titanic which seconds later the dome of the grand staircas imploded if the funnel hadn't pushed those two lifeboats away everyone aboard them would've died
@@TV-ly3dp Where are people getting this nonsense about the dome collapsing in? If that collapsed then the top level of the staircae would have to be almost full of water at the same time.
I think the idea with this theory is that the grand staircase became an air pocket for a short period of time meaning that the outside water was higher.
Huh, after all this time, I just assumed the Grand Staircase decayed away. Never knew of the mishap on the Cameron film. Sounds like that gave a number of people some pause.
That's really interesting. It would be interesting to know what happened to the clock. It would undoubtedly have floated off attached to a piece of the staircase. You have to wonder where it went from there. We'll probably never know. Thank you for this great video. I enjoyed it.
When they where making the 1997 titanic movie if the Olympic was still around they would probably use it to film a lot of scenes on it
I always lament that they scrapped her in the 1930s. Should've kept her as a floating hotel/museum. 😭 She and her sisters were. Beautiful ships
@@sabrinastratton1991 It is a shame, but at the same time, sadly, it's likely Olympic would have only survived long enough to get bombed to smithereens by the Germans during the Blitz. :(
@@sabrinastratton1991 yeah 1937 was NOT a great year for Ol Reliable (Olimpyc)
Eva Hart was 7 years old and on the Titanic with her parents. She was interviewed several times before her death in 1996. Her story was accurate and never change the many times she told it. Very interesting to listen to her memories. She lost her father on the Titanic.
I became the 6.1k (up from 6k) to like your video. That's awesome when the like rating is so high and you can clearly see your support made a difference. That said, great and informative content man -- keep up the great work!
Awesome! Thank you!
I guess something unexpected happened during the filming of the movie when their replica broke free and showed what really happened to the original.
Interesting Grand Stair Case
Mystery solved Pretty Much
Also for anyone interested, I'd highly recommend "A Night to Remember" audio book I heard here on UA-cam. Not being interested in the Titanic before, I thought the book would be a kinda boring or dry, and I couldn't have been more wrong. The author weaves together dozens of survivor accounts into a full narrative of the sinking, from start to finish, from the perspectives of the people who experienced it. I listened to the whole thing in A DAY doing housework lol
Edit: after commenting I just looked up Ken Marschall because of your mention....only to realize the cover of "A Night to Remember" is one if HIS paintings! Wierd huh?
You are such a thoughtful researcher. Love your analysis.
This is amazing keep up the good work.☺️
Tata Rose Luy gmfamfmccnzhxd
You have the best videos!!
Staircase: “I’m so damn tired of you fancy fools walking on me, so I’m walking out of here. Y’all can drown.”
I have Archibald Gracie’s book of his account of being on the Titanic. I need to re-read it!
That’s really cool!
I heard during the sinking sequence of 1997 "Titanic" the staircase actually lifted UP because of the sudden rush of water. Scary stuff
Thank you my parents enjoyed this! This is how Titanic Honor and Glory started off as before doing what they did. Thank you again for providing something new! I was looking desperate for somebody like you.
An excellent, sensible presentation! Thanks! There's also the series of illustrations usually attributed to Jack Thayer, but in reality was done by Lewis P. Skidmore on the Carpathia based on Thayer's description. The 3rd panel shows the Titanic with its bow fully submerged and with the water up to the 3rd funnel - which we now know is about where the ship broke. The 4th panel is curious. It shows something that could simply never have happened, the so-called "V Break," with the bow suddenly rising up out of the water and pointing to the sky. I've wondered - since by that point, the ship's lights had gone out, and if Skidmore's sketch bears any likeness at all to what Thayer told him - whether, instead of seeing the bow rise up again, perhaps Thayer vaguely saw the Grand Staircase come crashing up through the roof? It's speculations like that that keep the Titanic fascinating - and yes, the above is definitely speculation. :-)
Likes on every video, subscribed, and post notifications turned on. Been binging your content, it’s very good.
Ushers: "Don't panic, stay in your rooms!"
Staircase: "Aight I'mma head out"
Love history... Love the Titanic... good luck with the channel 👍🏻😁
I would like to see a video about all the clocks, watches onboard. Who made the (company) mechanical, or electrical....
I would love a video on this too. To the best of my knowledge the clock on the grand staircase was a "slave" clock controlled from the bridge. When you consider the time difference the ship would have encountered from the start of the voyage to the finish it makes sense to use one "master" clock controlled from the bridge rather than changing all the public clocks separately.
Thanks for showcasing the case of the staircase..
Really no photos of Titanic's grand staircase wow I've never heard that before! You really know everything all the way down to the little details. Great informative video! :)
Thank You! I am glad you liked the video. I do not know everything about Titanic but I try my best to give accurate information. There is so much fake information on youtube about Titanic I try my best to be accurate. Thank you :)
I think there is something less than 40 actual photos of the interior of the Titanic known to exist. Most of them are of the areas that are different than the Olympic. the new dining areas and such that were just open decks on Olympic. I think the channel Titanic University has a video that goes in to good detail on it. They just hadn't gotten to taking press photos of anything that was the same... cause it was the same, so no need to photograph it for promotional stuff.
I would have to go back through my collection of books to be absolutely sure, but it seems to me that in one of them I vaguely recall seeing at least one photo of Titanic's Grand Staircase. The ornate clock (symoblizing Honor and Glory crowning Time) had not yet been installed.
@@danielwitham2793 There is a story presented in the book Titanic Voices that says the clock may not have been fully installed before Titanic set out, with plans to install her in the first day setting out along the hop to the first stop, however there is no real evidence presented one way or the other. That is suggested as the reason no official photos were taken. From what i can tell the only difference between the Titanic and Olympic is that the former had a lion's head while the latter a ram's head carved in to the clock. The rest of the staircase was most likely identical.
I find it more likely that they just didn't bother taking a photo of something that was the same as the other ship but for a detail no one would notice in typical promotional material.
All that to say, there are no known photographs of Titanic's grand stair case in the public record, and anyone that has one could likely sell it for a Titanic sized boat load of cash.
There is a photo as it was filling up with water mentioned on utube as Rare.photo.
I wasn't particularly looking to watch videos about the Titanic but I just sort of happened upon one of your videos and have been hooked. Great job keep up the excellent work.
Wow, thank you!
As a female electrician, I have often wondered about the 100 volt DC generators. How long did they run while submerged, as well as the 100 volt DC contact with salt water. That level of voltage would "crack" water into its individual elements of hydrogen & oxygen (creating Brownian gas - H2O) which is extremely explosive. Makes me wonder if there were any deaths or injuries pertaining to that.
Also, the very very early Marconi wireless telegraph was powered by 100 volt batteries in the bowel of the ship, meaning they would have been the first to be submerged, yet they were still able to transmit for another 45 minutes.
I am no electrician or an expert in the Titanic power system and i could be wrong about this. But I do know the marconi system had an emergency battery back up system. That was what they were planning to use if the Titanic power failed during the sinking. However Harold Bride said they were operating off ship power for most of the evening. That might be why. Again I am no expert in the Titanic power system so this is just a guess. I believe Titanic last message was sent around 1:45am about 35 minutes before the final plunge. After that time other ships thought they could hear messages but were not sure.
@@HistoricTravels just very impressed at the battery supply (probably augmented by the DC generators) .... ALLLL at the bottom of the ship, AND it still kept "chugging" along until the last minute. : (
@@MikinessAnalog As I understand it, the firemen were some of the last people to leave their posts, keeping the boilers fed and the engines running nearly until she went down. With the pitch of the ship the engine rooms didn't actually flood until very far along and I think the generators were still producing power as she went down... at least en every depiction I've seen the lights are still on. No expert on it, but I would think the power would go out very quickly once the boilers and engines are submerged. it doesn't take much ocean to leach all the heat out of them and bring everything to a halt.
You made a outstanding theory of the grandstair case
Some of that floating debris from Titanic should have washed ashore, somewhere. Any info on that?
Out of all the videos about the Titanic your videos are the best
Hello, I hope you are doing well.
As much as this seems to be a good way to look into this subject, there are a number of problems with it.
First of all, I would like to point out that as much outstanding the 1997 movie staircase looks like, it wasn't built exactly like Titanic. Titanic's grand staircase had various structural supports which included iron frames, strong bolts and various other structures to keep it tied together and stable. In other words a much better built structure. Cameron's staircase was entirely made of wood held together by nails, a much weaker piece in comparision. Cameron's staircase did float up during filming but where and why? It broke off where the staircase half-landings meet up with the stairs themselves. That part on Titanic was a very strong piece of steel framing. It is extremely unlikely that this piece on Titanic would have broken so easily. The next question is: why it broke? It could not sustain the huge flow of water coming from the dome but here is where comes the main problem with that: the flooding of the dome was controlled. It wasn't cause by the flow of water coming over it naturally, it was intentionally caused by dramatic purposes. The whirlpool seen may have been a number of things, including a funnel casing.
It is highly improbable the staircase as whole lifted up and floated out of the ship, there were far too many steel structures on it's way and the staircase itself had iron pieces that would have prevented the wood to properly flood.
A detail: The fact that wood was seen after she sank, does not mean that it was from the grand staircase, Titanic was almost entirely built with wood, including the Lounge which was broken apart during the breakup. So it isn't as easy as simply saying it was from the grand staircase, specially considering there is a piece of the lounge recovered that was floating.
Finally, it is important to consider what the wreck tells us, not a movie set. On the wreck, most of the staircase pieces found are located directly aft of the bow section, and nothing in the surrounding structure indicates a "lifting up" scenario. No steel support, beam or part of the ship's floor/roof is bent upward as would be expected if the movie scenario had happened. The steel frames on C and D deck are not looking like they have been pulled up, as, again, would have been expected. The most likely scenario so far, and that has been supported for a number of credible people I have seen, is that the incoming flow of water pushed the staircase down and aft as the ship was sinking, trapping pieces inside and some coming out by the breakup area, landing aft of the bow where they still are today.
As much as people like te Cameron proposal, is far from accurate and does not take into account the evidence from the ocean bottom.
Thank You for the comment, I have recently been made aware of this theory. I dont think the entire staircase, all the way down to the bottom of the ship would of floated out, I only think its possible that sections of it would of. Other parts may have done exactly what you said. If I remake the video I will be sure to mention this theory. Thank You!
Not being up to date on all the Titanic theories and information out there, just sort of looking at the physics of it, I don't doubt that the staircase would have broken apart and not come out as like one single piece. However, a big hole running the height of the ship does seem the optimal path for air to take on it's way out of the ship on her way down. Seems at least plausible that there would be quite the rush of air through the stair well as the bow sank, with the power to rip pieces away with little trouble.
It is funny how things I have changed since the British Movie Titanic, and A Night to Remember, to the James Cameron movie Titanic and new knowledge and ideas today. I have been fascinated by the sinking of it and many other ships for over 50 years. You do a great job, on your channel
Extremely Interesting....
Very informative videos. Really enjoy watching these
The wood could have also rotted away when it went down over time the wood decomposed
I hadn't thought about it too hard, but it does make perfect sense, especially with an accidental proof of concept.
video idea: what happend to the compass tower on the titanic?
I actually never thought about that. I will do some research, thanks!
@@HistoricTravels No prob, thank you! :)
Even Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic wreck, considers the fate of the compass tower to be a mystery.
Keep up with the great videos I love watching your channel at night to relax and learn
5:58 this just makes me sick seeing those divers just standing their do nothing , they could have saved so many people during the whole sinking smh.
😂😂😂
Happy?
It's fake
•Hawke SFM• yes thats the joke mate
ok
Interesting perspective and this is useful for context. One point though, Lightoller did not use the Grand Staircase to judge the ingress of the water level. he used a crew companionway near the Bridge to do just that, see the level of water - but you make a good point about how he judged the sinking rate.
What about the Second grand stairs case? Close from were the ship broke, I feel like that would be a surprise being inside there while It happens
There was a second grand staircase?
@@itsme-sn5gi Aft Grand Staircase, which went from A deck down to C deck.
It’s probably destroyed, based on where it was on the ship at the time of the breakup
The aft staircase was completely destroyed in the breakup as it was part of the aft tower section. The only part of it that remains, or has ever been found, anyway, is the frame of the dome.
Yes I get that is destroyed, but don't you guys think that there were people inside while it brooke? I wonder what they saw..
Great Job! Quality straight forward explanations..
Grand Staircase: Ight Ima Head Out,
Titanic: Wtf
A friend who is a volunteer on the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, the Liberty Ship in San Francisco Bay, said the engine room scenes for Titanic were filmed on that ship.
You are such a cutie, and extremely knowledgeable. Keep up the impressive work!
Thank you so much!
I have been studying the 3 sisters for years and you have done some great research. Well done keep the videos coming.
The staircase on the Titanic wasn't attached to the ship. That's why it floated up and out.
How. Its wood so it probably got destroyed by the water
@@aysekonas3577 yeah wood is actually very buoyant so it would have floated out of the ship
I design buildings, including staircases as grand as this one, for a living. I seriously doubt this one was just resting on its bearings via gravity on a ship designed to deal with the rolling and pitching of high seas.
@@negativeindustrial it was slotted into a metal shoe but it was never fixed properly
The support columns on which each of the landings rested still seen to be on the ship
worth mentioning also how all the wood left just got consumed by the underwater fauna. To be frank i thought that was the case for all the staircase too, but yet again this ship has more for us to discover
Dome: s m a s h
Staircase: Okay guess i'll die
Roblox titanic player huh?
Also your name is outdated it's 2021 not 2020
@SlayFNX oh so a NOOB HAHAHHAHA (jk)
This was so extremely fascinating and educational and I do thank you so much. Really enjoyed this video.
Firstly, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Even after 108 years, many of the Titanic's mysteries still remain to be solved.
Today, the rafter supports for the Grand Staircase still exist on D-Deck. Also, in some interior video footage, the steps from E-Deck going down to F-Deck can still be seen.
For several reasons, I have my doubts whether it floated up and out of the ship; A - The weight of the water rushing downwards. B. The weight of the wrought iron balustrades. C. The structure of the staircase was probably anchored too strong to simply lift and float out.
If it did in fact rise and float out of the ship (assume 3 decks of it) than, why did the Mackay-Bennett not find floating wreckage of it (as it found pieces of the Lounge, Dining Saloon chairs and etc)?
Thank you and I am glad you liked the video. As I said in the video it was all just a theory but I do think its possible that the staircase broke up and floated out, however I dont think it was a big mass. After I made this video I became aware of another theory that the staircase broke up and could of gotten pushed toward the mid section of the ship, which is also possible. I think its most likely that what happened to the staircase was a combination of the two theories. I think sections of it broke up and began to float and yes some could of floated out. But I also think its possible big sections of the staircases broke up and got pushed deep inside the ship. If I had been aware of this theory at the time of making the video I would of incorporated it. Thank you for the comment :)
@@HistoricTravels Very interesting.
Now, I would lean more towards that theory as the weight of the water gushing in from the glass dome would've created pressure and a whirlpool effect.
Whatever the case may be, here we are 108 years later still trying to piece together what happened that night.
What always fascinates me is how, within the wreck, certain objects such as water carafes & bedposts are still upright in their original positions while, other elements are completely gone or destroyed.
I really enjoyed your video, wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2021.
Thank You! I wish you the same as well and thank you for watching my video I am glad you enjoyed it. The primary purpose for my channel is to try and be as accurate as possible with my videos. So many videos on youtube spread inaccurate information about Titanic.
@@HistoricTravels Yes, and I just browsed your channel and see that you have many videos.
I have been fascinated with the Titanic since I was a child. Back then, without the internet, all I had to rely on were books and old movies (which were very difficult to find).
Looking forward to watching your other videos.
Don't hold me to this, but I recall reading an account from a Mackay Bennet crew member mention seeing sections of the staircase...Maybe it shattered because of the water pressure when the boat deck went under and the dome imploded. Maybe we'll never know...
I love your channel! Thank you for all of the info you give is. Titanic sinking interests me so much, I love reading up on it.
Does that mean that the cherub on the staircase broke off and fell to the depths?
It's in the Titanic museum
What’s a sherub
@@changingupmychannelforabit9554 the angle light on the grand s staircase
@@nathanfredbearbyrnes4020 thank u
@@changingupmychannelforabit9554 The small statue figure in the photograph.
Thank you for the excellent video! You may want to change one thing, however; the first ship you show & identify as The Olympic is in fact The Titanic. They are easy to tell apart because The Olympic- the first of the three ships built- had an open, unenclosed Promenade Deck. After Olympics' maiden voyage in 1911, it was found that the Promenade Deck was prone to wetting & ocean spray, and so on the Titanic (and later Britannic) this deck was enclosed with a white wall that has a distinctive curve at each end.
The staircase probably went with one of the lifeboats haha
awesome post, there were two grand staircase the bow - which is the one mentioned here and the other near the rear 1st class area which is in the "split" area
My great uncle was actually on the Olympic when it was requisitioned by the Canadian government during the First World War
I think this was one of your first videos if I'm not mistaken... And it is so awesome to see how your channel has grown. I think I left a comment like this on another one of your videos. But it can't be overstated how good of a guy you are. Genuine. Kind. Smart. Entertaining! Thank you for all the knowledge you have given us over the last few years!
That staircase is in Heaven. Its how you arrive back Home to Heaven. Up the staircase where your Soul mate is waiting for you Amen xxxxxxx That's how you are welcomed back Home To Heaven Amen xxxxxxx with all of our Ever Growing Ever Loveing Heavenly Family who are surrounding the staircase and the surrounding floors on the levels as you arrive back Home To Heaven Amen xxxxxxx
All that glitters is gold.
Love the Titanic thank you so much for making this I will definitely subscribe to you and good luck on your career of being a UA-camr I hope you get a thousand subscribers
Amazing. Can i add you in Facebook? :-D
Loved hearing the love for Ken Marschall. It says a lot about how influential his paintings were on how we visualize the events when so many rendered images of Titanic in the Cameron movie are essentially copies of various Marschall paintings
Are you the younger brother of Tom Lynsky, you look a like
haha no, I have no relation to Titanic Honor and Glory. I really admire the work they do though!
Love your channel and I just discovered you yesterday! Glad to subscribe and I love your content.
Remember there is some pieces of the staircase in The Halifax museums
I've seen it 😍😍
I love any video that talks about the Titanic
Very interesting. I learned about events I did not know.
I love your videos, you teach me a lot of cool things. Keep up the great work Sam