Stokers and watertight doors

[Max Puente Piró]

Why would all the stokers rush to the wtd like it was their only way out when they could take the ladders that went all the way up to E deck in Scotland road?
I mean, were they restricted from using this emergency exits or what?

 

[Jim Currie]

When did they rush these doors, Max?

 

[Max Puente Piró]

Well I just assumed they did, based on some posts like one talking about how much time did the stokers have before shuting the wtd. Making it look like if they didn't make it passed them, they would drown. But your right. Maybe I just started creating my own story. I guess it also has to do with the dramatic scenes in some titanic films ; p

 

[Jim Currie]

An easy error, Max. but an interesting point.

We have evidence of leading Stoker Barratt and an Engineer, jumping through the descending WT doors, but in reality, they deserted their respective posts because the men they were in charge of were left to dampen down the furnaces and obey the orders from the bridge via the main engine room.

 

[Max Puente Piró]

Thank you so much! pleased to learn new things!

 

[B-rad]

I agree with Jim. Barrett- I have said- had a thing for the dramatic. All his stories of flooding seem to involve large volumes of water which sound as if he was lucky to survive when there is evidence that people survived the flooding of both boiler room 6 and 5 after Barrett had left. Can't blame him, water shooting through any wall of steel when its not suppose to would be terrifying to say the least.
They would not have to rush towards the doors- as like you said there were other means of escape used by everyone else- including Barrett later. There was no limitations to these ladders. My thought is, is that Barrett was possible already at the head of the passageway and decided that was the best way to go. Barrett never stayed around long enough in any boiler room once it started flooding to know exactly the extent of the damage. In a fight or flight scenario he was defiantly the latter.
Reading his testimony I believe that Barrett made it to the WTD before it was released:

"We got through before the doors broke, the doors dropped instantly automatically from the bridge."

"1905. Then what was it that you did?
- Me and Mr. Hesketh jumped into this section, and the watertight compartment closed up."

 

[Michael H. Standart]

The mad rush through the doors thing most likely comes from the movies. In real life, anybody bagging butt outta there went by whatever way was the easiest and most convenient. The rest of the pack would have left by way of the ladders going up to E-Deck.

 

[Samuel Halpern]

If Murdoch did what he was supposed to do, Barrett and Hesketh had about 10 seconds of warning before the switch was thrown.

 

[B-rad]

I agree a 100% but the testimony from below suggests a delay. Makes one wonder if it was the bridge crew, or did the tank top crew get it wrong, or did something happen electrically with the magnetic solenoid to cause a delay??? I'm looking into it, but of course your insight is always highly valued! ☺

 

[Samuel Halpern]

The doors did not just drop close suddenly. It took about 20-30 seconds from the time the switch was thrown. Add about 10s for ringing the warning bell, and you have 30-40 sec before the doors shut tight. A half a minute can be a relatively long time. Time it.

 

[B-rad]

indeed it is. during my class room last year I had a slide of 37 second before impact- in which a propeller sound started right at the begging of the slide. I was able to discuss the slide and still have time to listen to my 'sweet' under water propeller sound (I'm being sarcastic- it wasn't that sweet) before the 'impact' with the iceberg. So 30 seconds is a long time agreed.