Titanic sinking theory

neil_g · 2 Jan 2017 at 22:47

Glaucus said:
why and how, it sounds like usual channel 4 junk.

just seemed logical in its explanation to my "not a metal expert" mind. also why it steamed full whack into ice if they were shovelling all that coal into the engine.

before someone chimes in with "OMG don't be so stupid", im not saying the theory is correct. just sounds like it could have happened.

Feek · 2 Jan 2017 at 22:48

SexyGreyFox said:
However they had to keep filling the engines with coal because it was on fire which meant the Titanic was doing full speed when they were told to slow down because of icebergs.
The speed did have an effect on the damage.

Well no, the speed was probably because Captain Smith was unofficially going for a record. It was nothing to do with the fire which had been extinguished before the iceberg strike.

Destination · 2 Jan 2017 at 22:53

Perhaps it was the fire that meant the stokers didnt resign, rather than they all thought they were on an old ship.

SexyGreyFox · 2 Jan 2017 at 22:54

Feek said:
Well no, the speed was probably because Captain Smith was unofficially going for a record. It was nothing to do with the fire which had been extinguished before the iceberg strike.

Well there were reports that it hadn't been extinguished. Not sure if they said there were on board firemen and none were called to the hearing.

Jambo · 2 Jan 2017 at 22:57

Feek said:
Well no, the speed was probably because Captain Smith was unofficially going for a record. It was nothing to do with the fire which had been extinguished before the iceberg strike.

I'm sure the documentary mentioned that Titanic wasn't capable of breaking any records and the speed was likely to do with the fire. They said they couldn't slow down because they didn't have enough fuel to get back up to speed and reach their destination.

Housey · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:03

Sliver said:
Clearly CT crap. The ship has been discovered and researched. It is the Titanic and not the Olympic.

This is an indisputable fact. We can disregard this story as it's refutable on many different levels and really stemmed from Robin Gardiner's book, which has been proven to be significantly flawed and little more than a hypothesis based on some very bad conjecture.

It was not common but not unheard of for ships to put to sea with coal fires, certainly with coal smoking and very hot or close to igniting. The program was interesting and has merits, but the reason the Titanic sunk is it hit an iceberg, put a significant hole down the starboard side and the flooding could not be contained by the bulkheads due to the length of the gash. If it had not have hit the iceberg it would not have sunk, this again is a fact. If it had have hit the iceberg and it had not had a fire I think most experts would suggest it would have still sunk, but that perhaps needs some further consideration from a wider group.

Interesting program though.

Gerard · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:07

SexyGreyFox said:
Well there were reports that it hadn't been extinguished. Not sure if they said there were on board firemen and none were called to the hearing.

I think in that video its claimed that White Star said none survived the sinking, but a few did but none were called. Don't remember the exact wording but at least 1 of them was mentioned as having survived it.

Housey · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:14

The coal fire theory has also been around for some years now, it's not a new thing and the CH4 program was over dramatic...like most modern documentaries. 'Gotta keep them from changing over when the adverts come one' after all.

rubberduck · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:21

Out of interest did any of the survivors ever put pen to paper and write a full account of their perspective of events. If so is it worth a read?

adolf hamster · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:36

the cause of the titanic disaster wasn't specific to the titanic, but the attitudes of shipbuilding and running in the period. someone had the bright idea to call her unsinkable as if that wasnt testing fate.

the titanic (tragic as it was) just happened to be the comet of the golden age of shipbuilding, the one big disaster that made everyone wake up to safety being something you should pay attention to. if it hadn't been her it would still have happened eventually, perhaps the britannic (which still sank albeit a lot more survived)

its sad that so many had to die in disasters like this but i guess it's the only way humanity is gonna learn how not to do things.

Gerard · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:40

adolf hamster said:
someone had the bright idea to call her unsinkable as if that wasnt testing fate.

The unsinkable claim supposedly only done the rounds after it sunk, probably some newspaper coined it just to sell more copies.

adolf hamster · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:43

Gerard said:
The unsinkable claim supposedly only done the rounds after it sunk, probably some newspaper coined it just to sell more copies.

i do know it was never claimed as such by harland and wolff, that it was a media creation, although not so up on exactly when it was published with that wording.

Feek · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:51

I believe the claim was "virtually unsinkable".

Housey · 2 Jan 2017 at 23:56

This is an interesting website for those seeking to learn a little more. The deckplans (for me at least) are fascinating and their a full list of passengers and crew, together with the names and backgrounds on all those who perished.

https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/

Feek · 3 Jan 2017 at 00:16

Good site, thank you. A few years ago I spent quite a long time devouring any books I could find about the Titanic. I think I read pretty much everything there was in print at the time so this site will no doubt give me hours of further reading material.

Housey · 3 Jan 2017 at 00:26

Feek said:
Good site, thank you. A few years ago I spent quite a long time devouring any books I could find about the Titanic. I think I read pretty much everything there was in print at the time so this site will no doubt give me hours of further reading material.

I'm up to well over 200 books now (paper & kindle) on maritime and naval history and technology. My main interest is naval history from the end of the 1700's through to circa 1945, though I do have lots of books on the more modern navies of the world. It is, for me at least, an addiction/affliction and even in the last 7 days I've taken delivery of 5 new books, proper ones with paper n stuff.

Efour · 3 Jan 2017 at 05:32

Sounds like some 9/11 melting steal conspiracy guys transferred their theory to something unrelated

diamount · 3 Jan 2017 at 05:58

Stop taking C4's documentaries seriously after they 'investigated' a supposed serial killer in Manchester called 'The Pusher' when there was no evidence to substantiate it. Just complete fearmongering.

SexyGreyFox · 3 Jan 2017 at 07:41

Nobody has mentioned the wonderful technique of turning 2D pictures into 3D film.
I don't think I've ever seen that before.

TheMightyTen · 3 Jan 2017 at 08:19

Jokester said:
It was relatively normal for ships to sail with coal bunker fires.

This

It amazes me that pseudo-scientists are given air time when all you need do is talk to the few remaining merchant seaman who are still around from the days of coal powered fleet. My family has a long line of members of the merchant marine and my great grandfather and grandfather told lots of tales of sailing around the world in ships with ongoing bunker fires, it was just an accepted practice of the day and the risk was managed accordingly.