THE QUEEN MARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 March 1936, Page 7

THE QUEEN MARY

JOURNEY DOWN THE CLYDE AWKWARD TURNS PERFECTLY NEGOTIATED GREAT CROWD OF SIGHTSEERS (British Official Wireless) (Received 25th March, 11.25 a.in.) RUGBY, 24th March. The liner Queen Mary cast off from her fitting-out basin on the Clyde this morning under good conditions, and began her journey to the sea in the presence of an enormous crowd of sightseers who lined both banks of the river. The delicate task of manoeuvring from the basin was carried out without incident, and all preparations made for her departure proceeded strictly according to plan. For a few seconds the great ship remained motionless in midstream, then began to move slowly down the river. The first of many awkward turnings on Hie course, the Beardmore bend, was perfectly negotiated. Four tugs—two fore and two aft —were in charge, and at these difficult places three additional tugs in attendance nuzzled up to the liner and pushed and coaxed her through tho channel which gave the vessel clearance of only a few feet. A great cheer was raised from the crowds when the manoeuvre was completed and the vessel appeared to move again at an appreciable speed. The Queen Mary successfully completed the first stage of her journey down the Clyde, and early this afternoon she anchored for the night off Greenock. When she proceeds in the morning she will be put through her paces on reaching open water off the Isle of Arran. She is due at Southampton on Friday afternoon. It is reported that the keel touched ground twice for a few minutes, once fore and aft, and the second time the stern only, but it is authoritatively stated that no damage was done.

THOUSANDS CAMPED ON BANKS

Thousands c-amped on the banks of the Clyde all night to witness the Queen Mary make the historic journey to the sea. A slight breeze favoured the voyage as the mighty liner moved slowly from the basin. Two tugs commenced to pull her to mid-channel. Movement at first was imperceptible, and it was fifteen minutes before the liner’s two inside propellers churned the water, and five more tugs took up position. The operations were carried out without a hitch.

The crowd’s thunderous cheers paid a tribute to the completion of the most difficult and intricate operation in the history of Clyde navigation. The Queen Mary began her journey down stream as aeroplanes zoomed overhead and dipped iti salute. She took half-an-hour to negotiate the Beardmore double bend a quarter of a mile from the shipyard. Pilots directed operations by means of electric loud speakers at either end of the ship. After passing Bowling, the most acute bend in the course, the Queen Mary gathered speed for the clear run to Greenock, where she anchored for the night. , ■ i.fcasg-