Engineers Ireland

Joint Heritage Society and Mechanical and Manufacturing Division event

About the speaker:

David Livingstone Chartered Engineer and Member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.  David joined Harland and Wolff as a Student Apprentice in 1961 and remained there for 43 years working in a variety of roles in ship design and associated fields.    He has made three dives to the wreck of Titanic.

About the event:

Titanic is the most famous of the three White Star liners of the Olympic Class designed and built by Harland and Wolff.  At the time of conception of this class of ship, significant advances were being made both in the size and performance of passenger vessels in what was a golden age for shipbuilding and heavy engineering.  Many claims were made about the luxury and safety of these vessels.  Considering the fate that befell Titanic, were these claims well founded?

This presentation looks at some of the issues surrounding her design and sinking.  The author also describes his experiences of diving to the wreck.

The Speaker will:

• Discuss the rapid development of passenger liners in the early part of the century, outlining how the White Star Company promoted these vessels and compare the White Star ships with those of their main rival.

• Discuss the safety features of the design and the reasons for using the chosen criteria. In the light of future events, examine if these ambitions were met.  Describe the sinking process and put forward an explanation why the ship is in her current condition.

• Examine some of the many myths surrounding the sinking.

• Describe the experience of diving to the wreck and the observations made.

Admission:  Free.  All welcome!