Answered Fireman's Tunnel

[Andy A Carter]

Was just watching a Demo on Titanic Honor & Glory.

In the Fireman's Tunnel there are signs posted saying, Break Step.

I could understand this on a Bridge with many people but why would you need to in the Fireman's Tunnel?

Regards

Andy Carter

 

[Thomas Krom]

Hello Andy, how are you?

As you may know there were three watches for the engine crew, one from 00:00 to 04:00/12:00 to 16:00, one from 04:00 to 08:00/16:00 to 20:00 and one from 08:00 to 12:00/20:00 to 00:00. These watches normally existed out of of 54 firemen, 24 trimmers and 5 leading firemen (the amount of greasers depended on the watch). One side of the tunnel was for the watch coming on duty, while the other was for the watch returning to their bunks or their messes up on C-deck to eat.

I hope this might helps,

Kind regards,

Thomas

 

[Bill West]

Hi Andy. The problem might be one of the noise echoing through a steel ship. Breaking step would turn a strong beat into a dull roar.

Bill

 

[Kevin Sharbaugh]

Greetings, Andy,

It's important to understand the context of why marching in lockstep, even unintentionally, was such a concern.

This was nearly within living memory of an incident in which just 74 soldiers crossing a bridge just once was enough to destroy said bridge. Now, remembering what Thomas said:

As you may know there were three watches for the engine crew, one from 00:00 to 04:00/12:00 to 16:00, one from 04:00 to 08:00/16:00 to 20:00 and one from 08:00 to 12:00/20:00 to 00:00. These watches normally existed out of of 54 firemen, 24 trimmers and 5 leading firemen (the amount of greasers depended on the watch). One side of the tunnel was for the watch coming on duty, while the other was for the watch returning to their bunks or their messes up on C-deck to eat.

... and playing that out on a daily basis for about a week, you can understand why the shipbuilders were keen on those men breaking step while in the fireman's passage. Especially considering they were trampling right on top of the ship's keel.

Kevin

 

[Andy A Carter]

Hi Andy. The problem might be one of the noise echoing through a steel ship. Breaking step would turn a strong beat into a dull roar.

Bill

Hey Bill,

I doubt with all the other noises going on in the Ship - main Engines, Turbine running, moving coal about, many Aux Steam Engines running, Generators, hundreds of People walking about, talking, Pionos, Lifts moving, the Kitchens working, Wind noise, plus lots of other stuff - a few people changing shift right in the bottom of the Ship would be heard at all.

Also to add to my original post I had a further thought. The Crew using the the Fireman's Tunnel wouldn't be marching in step anyway and I don't think they would be all in it at the same time, for instance a crew member wouldn't leave a Boiler until the new shift member got to him.

Best regards Bill,

Andy

 

[Andy A Carter]

Greetings, Andy,

It's important to understand the context of why marching in lockstep, even unintentionally, was such a concern.

This was nearly within living memory of an incident in which just 74 soldiers crossing a bridge just once was enough to destroy said bridge. Now, remembering what Thomas said:

... and playing that out on a daily basis for about a week, you can understand why the shipbuilders were keen on those men breaking step while in the fireman's passage. Especially considering they were trampling right on top of the ship's keel.

Kevin

Hey Kevin,

the Crews changing shifts or using the Tunnel, wouldn't all be in it at the same time and wouldn't be marching in step.

The Fireman's Tunnel didn't sit directly on top of the Keel, it was above it, but even if it did, the Keel is one, if not the strongest part of a Ship and I can't see a few people walking on it doing anything.

I would like to see the primary source / some real evidence that that sign was used in the Tunnel.

Best regards

Andy

 

[Stephen Carey]

Breaking step in the army was indeed required when I was in the army and crossing an insubstantial bridge. This was to avoid (to me) the almost infinitesimal chance that the marching in step would match the resonance of the bridge, amplifying the oscillations and collapsing the bridge.
A similar event on the London Milennium Bridge was put down to this, though not confirmed.
However I can see no reason why there would be a sign in the firemen's tunnel unless practice had shown that it amplified the noise. That area of the ship was far from any machinery noise but tunnels do have sound amplification properties. As for damaging the keel or any other structure... No.
I find it a great pity that there are little or no photographs of the working areas of the ship, just a top-heavy amount of 1st Class accommodation we've all seen a thousand times before... Is the tunnel mapped out by H&G, anyone?

 

[Chris Coles]

Having spend some time teaching troops to march IN step, it was very hard for them to actually break step when going over bridges. I yelled a lot as there was a bridge to a training area that we marched over regularly. "Get out of step, you 'orrible lot !!!" just felt wrong !

 

[Stephen Carey]

Squad! Breaaak Step! Is the command, but you're right, they're so used to being in step that they can't break out of it.

 

[Samuel Halpern]

I would like to see the primary source / some real evidence that that sign was used in the Tunnel.

I'd like to see that also.