fire detection systems

[Keith Tindell]

With all the modern detection systems that exist today, reminded me of when i had reached the dizzy heights of bridge boy on the Stirling Castle late 1958, part of my job was to check a large glass cabinet at the rear of the wheel every hour, the glass cabinet consisted of a whole group of tubes which were labelled with the different areas of the ship, and the idea being that with a fire in any area, smoke would percolate up into the cabinet, at that point i would alert the OOW. That is as i recall it, mind you that was nearly 55years ago, so i could be mistaken. Does anyone else recall said cabinet? regards KT

[robpage]

With all the modern detection systems that exist today, reminded me of when i had reached the dizzy heights of bridge boy on the Stirling Castle late 1958, part of my job was to check a large glass cabinet at the rear of the wheel every hour, the glass cabinet consisted of a whole group of tubes which were labelled with the different areas of the ship, and the idea being that with a fire in any area, smoke would percolate up into the cabinet, at that point i would alert the OOW. That is as i recall it, mind you that was nearly 55years ago, so i could be mistaken. Does anyone else recall said cabinet? regards KT

I believe it was made by Kidde Rich and was around from the 1920's . The cabinet was connected to a vacuum pump that sucked air from the compartment , I think there was a small impeller in the tube so you could see air was being extracted , and I believe a smoke alarm that told you when there was a problem .

[Jim Brady]

I have never told this story before to anyone but I imagine it's now time barred for me to be locked up.Remember the days when the teeth used to fall out of combs quite easy.I was bellboy on the Britain,we were in Montreal,I was walking along A Deck and picking my teeth with a tooth of the comb.Remembe the fire alarms where the glass cover had a hole in it for testing well I for some reason as I was walking past one of these fire alarms decided to poke the tooth of the comb through onto the red button.All hell broke loose,fire alarms going off all over the ship,all hands told to muster the whole of the Montreal Fire Brigade on the quay a major incident and you reading this are the first to know.I imagine if it would've been known that I had done it I would've got a Double DR and never gone to sea again.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[robpage]

I don't expect you were the only one to try that , later designs require a test key inserted from the side

[Lou Barron]

Yes Keith does it notgive you the self importance of being a bridge boy i thought it was the most important thing in my life at that time i cannot remember about thr fire thing as for Jim did you do it to see if it would work???

[j.sabourn]

Used to light a cigarette and blow smoke into sensor, or in some cases shine a light at. With the no smoking ethics of today, must use something else to simulate smoke. John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

I assume the Titanic had the old radial davits for her boats. Trying to remember how many men it took to launch such. I think it was about 6 persons. Boat had to be lifted off the blocks manually with a 3 fold fall. Pulled ford or aft, davit stays tossed over the davit heads , davits turned outboard. Boat was lowered by hand on the falls. Not forgetting to put the plug in of course. Never really took much notice of Hollywoods version of same, did they follow the normal boat launching procedure?? Cheers John Sabourn.

[Captain Kong]

Hi John,
I thought it was ten men to launch a life boat, One in the boat to insert the plug, one to ship the rudder, two on the gripes and chocks, then heave up on the falls to clear the chocks, two each end to swing out each radial davit, Push the boat aft then swing out the forard davit and pull it forard then push the boat forard then swing the after davit round make fast then one each on the lowering horns. I am now getting confused, I am losing count now, What a pain in the bum all that was. the ship would have sunk by then. near sixty years since I last did that. Most were the wind out ones, before the gravity ones which were easier. and all the heaving to recover the boat, that really was a pain.
Brian

[Keith Tindell]

My first trip to sea on the Treworlas, had radial davits, had to work as a team to achieve a smooth launch, i dont think as a first tripper i would have had a job of too much importance. the ol Stirling castle must have been converted to gravity davits, i know this because on one drill my job was to throw the griping wire clear, and the guy on the brake released too soon, and took the end of my finger off in the track. KT

[Captain Kong]

Hi John
I have a photo of TITANIC and looking at it with my magnifying glass she appears to have the Wind out davits, cant remember the name now. not the radial davits,
Cheers
Brian.