Peter Davies-Garner's Model

[Inger Sheil]

Came to the modelling folder feeling sure that Peter's model had a dedicated thread as it's been discussed on the board before and so many of us have seen it, but was surprised to see that this remarkable work - the cover girl for this quarter's Titanic Commutator magazine - doesn't seem to have it's own thread!

It was great seeing it get the coverage in the mag - even for those who, like myself, are never likely to build anything more impressive than a Revell kit. The large size gives you something to look at in 3-D that really imparts a sense of space and the scale of the real thing...going to eye-level and looking along the boat-deck helps visualise the events that took place there in a very immediate way.

Excellent stuff, Peter.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

I couldn't agree more Ing, Peter's model is the most impressive Titanic model I've seen. I have been looking at the photos in amazement and it's absolutely incredible.

It would be great to see it in person one of these days!

 

[Peter Davies-Garner]

Thanks Inger and Jason. I think the front cover of the Commutator is particularly striking and I'm very pleased with the article.

I have been discussing further big Titanic's with all sorts of companies worldwide but as yet I have no confirmed order for one. I'd love to build another one but there are other projects at the moment:

I am currently working on three models of the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse of which one has been sold. I am building two models of her as an ocean-liner and the third as an armed merchant cruiser. This one is spectacular as her complete superstructure was painted black while she was in war-service. I can imagine it's going to be some sight one day when the model is finished. These models are at 1/100 scale (the Titanic was in 1/48) so these are "only" about six feet long.

I addition I have translated my Titanic model book into german and the german edition should be available before next summer.

Thanks again for your kind words about my model.
Peter

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Hi Peter,

I agree, the cover of the Commutator really does stand out and many of the details can be seen.

That's very interesting about the models of the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, all the best with them. No doubt that they will be impressive as well.

Best regards,

Jason

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I was wondering what you guys were talking about then I got my copy of The Commutator in the mail this afternoon. It's really a remarkable peice of workmanship too and a very good read. I'll be looking forward to seeing the end result of Peter's next project.

 

[Jamie Bryant]

It's absolute perfection, but why is there a bell on the bridge?
JB

 

[Dan Cherry]

Jamie,
there was indeed a small bell over the center window of the bridge. You can see it in many Titanic pictures, esp. of her at Southampton. It was the "response" bell, but I think there are others who are more qualified to explain the nuances behind its use.

 

[Jamie Bryant]

Oh yes! I've never noticed that before, probably due to the resolution of many of her pictures.

 

[Lester Mitcham]

I am considering ordering the book, but after viewing an enlarged copy of the cover of the book as it is depicted on the Amazon.com web-site I am puzzled.
On all of the deck plans that I have seen [both Olympic and Titanic] the Crew "only" Staircase that ran down from boat deck to B deck was right next to the cabin housing on A and B decks. It would seem that on Peter's model that the B-deck promenade area is extra wide at this point? Surely that was not so? I simply do not understand how [on Peter's model] on B deck the Crew Staircase can be at some distance from the cabin housing?

 

[Lester Mitcham]

I decided to post a copy of the cover here.
Any thoughts about the Crew "only" Staircase at the B-deck level and the apparent greater width [compared with A-deck] of the B-deck promenade at this point?

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Peter,

Actually I *always* wondered about that. I knew that the crew staircase had a set of rails on either side of the steps at B deck, but I thought it was still right next to the cabin wall, just as it is on A deck. As far as I knew/thought, the deck houses at B and A deck levels fore were the same width, and as such the crew staircase ran down these decks adjoining the walls.

Here's the famous Southampton photo which actually looks straight onto this section. Not only do both B and A deck cabin houses look like they were the same width, but the dark area immediately to the left and adjoining the B deck cabin housing suggests that was the crew staircase:

One other thing that puzzled me was a cabin window on A deck which was on this crew staircase housing/encasement. However it is missing on some photos so I assume you fixed up this mistake Peter? This window was on the actual cabin wall and not on the staircase wall.

Daniel.

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Jamie,

And while I have this photo, here's the section that shows the bell:

Daniel.

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hello Daniel,

The photographs are too unclaer for me to make out all of the required detail, but are you saying that all the deck plans are misleading and that in fact there was a gap [what distance are we talking about?] between the Crew Staircase and the cabin housing on B-deck? - Your photograph [perhaps because it is more straight on than the picture on the cover of Peter's book] indicates that the A and B-deck cabin housings are in line with each other, while the book cover gives me the impression that on B-deck the cabin housing is further inboard than it is on A-deck. - So at this point did the B-deck promenade area extended further inboard than it did on A-deck?

Regards,
Lester

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

Lester,

I'm agreeing with you, as far as I knew both A and B deck cabin housing were the same width, and the staircase was right next to the house with no gap at either A or B deck. This is also the case on all the deck plans that I have seen, so I was quite surprised this is not the case on Peter's model.

On the 1st photo I posted, I know the area in question is rather dark, but if you squint, you can see a slightly dark-er area on B deck just left of the B deck housing. In any case, the staircase ran in a straight line from boat to B deck. It is very clear the housing is the same width, it is also clear where the staircase is on A deck, so the only option for it, is to be right under that on B deck, which is where you can see the slightly dark-er area. Which leaves no gap between the housing on B deck and the staircase.

Daniel.

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hello Daniel,

I'm afraid my eyes are not up to the detail of a squint. What I understand is that the inside rail was right alongside the cabin-housing on B-deck.

I also note you say: "One other thing that puzzled me was a cabin window on A deck which was on this crew staircase housing/encasement. However it is missing on some photos so I assume you fixed up this mistake Peter? This window was on the actual cabin wall and not on the staircase wall."

Does this mean on Peter's model that he has a window or windows on the external wall of the surround for the Crew staircase on A-deck? - I thought it was rooms A-7 and A-8 that each had a window looking into the staircase, with the passageways that gave access to rooms A-5 to A-11 and A-6 to A-12 being aft of the staircase surround? - which was solid except for a doorway at the mid-section where the A-deck landing was. - Did that door have a window?

Lester