Brilliant shot. This is the sort of picture that a Health and Safety consultant would use to illustrate everything that could possibly go wrong... but we did build things then and now we have almost nothing!
What do the wavy lines chalked along some of the seams indicate- caulking required perhaps?
Just a couple of days ago there was a photo of the traditional D shaped Stern Frame where I mentioned that the Titanic and her sisters Stern Frames were cast by Darlington Forge, as you can see this casting was also done by Darlington Forge. Great photo of how things use to be right up to when the Yards closed. In later years pull lifts and chain blocks would be used depending on weight. Not a job you want to do in Winter although the same Gang usually did this all the year round and had the measure of the task with extras drafted in when required. Yes Ian the wavy lines indicate caulking is required which was not unusual with rivetted overlapping plates after Inspection with a Test Knife.
A great set of photographs, not a bowler or hard hat to be seen.
My late father-in-law worked as a driller in John Brown's and helped build her and many more that
were built there. I remember him going to work on a very cold winter morning and thinking what a
hard way to earn a living.
Davie
I assume this is the beginnings of the rudder they are hanging on to the sternpost. Does that mean someone had to be inside the rudder when they rivetted the side plates to the frame we see here, or are the drilled holes tapped for set bolts? If rivetted, would the hot rivet be inserted from inside the rudder and hammered over on the outside, or vice versa? Either way, not a very pleasant job.
The Rudder blade itself would be a pre fabricated build and then bolted to the casting using Tap Bolts and nuts I would suggest in this case, which would mean a rather small person would have to go inside to tighten the nuts up through manholes cut in the rear of the strengthening plates, the bottom of the casting having a manhole cover to be fitted after the job has been done.
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