RMS Olympic Images

Photographs and Illustrations are taken of the RMS Olympic, the sister ship of the Titanic. The images help us understand what the Titanic was like and what it may have been like had it completed her journey.

Fore Deck of White Star Liner Olympic at Dock in New York Harbor 21 June 1911. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (LC-DIG-ds-10959). GGA Image ID # 10d4ed7b9e

Reception Room on the RMS Olympic Photographed by Rev. William Herman 1911. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (LC-DIG-ds-12333). GGA Image ID # 10d4cec0b8

 Arrival of The RMS Olympic in New York. © Bain News Service 1912. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (LC-DIG-ggbain-10339). GGA Image ID # 10d50bdbde

Excello Lamp Lighting Sterage Deck of the "Olympic." Union Electric Co. has kindly furnished us with an illustration which shows an Excello lamp as used on board the new White Star liner “Olympic.” We understand that this photograph was taken during the trials of the liner, and that it shows an Excello lamp as used for the general illumination steerage deck. It is an extremely interesting example of electric lighting, and we hope that it will establish a precedent which will be regularly followed in the future. There should not be the least difficulty in an illumination problem of this kind. Supplement to The Electrician (23 June 1911) p. 71. GGA Image ID # 10f2ccfc07

Charged with Disobeying the Command Unusual of Members of the Crew to Sail Aboard the RMS Olympic. The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 738-739. © Illustrations Bureau. GGA IImage ID # 10681301e1

As Taken Aboard by the Olympic, a Folding Lifeboat. Opening Her out While in the Water: Unfolding a Berthon Collapsible Thrown into the Sea from a Vessel's Deck. The Illustrated London News (18 May 1912) p. 742-743. Drawn by N. Sotheby Pitcher. GGA Image ID # 10683ba80a

Four Decks of the Titanic's Sister Ship - The RMS Olympic. The Loss of the S.S. Titanic (1912) p. 00. Underwood & Underwood. GGA Image ID # 106e8381e7

The White Star Triple-Screw Steamship Olympic. The Largest Vessel in the World. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. Fronticepiece. GGA Image ID # 10b1cffb14

Fig. 22: The Olympic's Keel, Laid 1 January 1909. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 27. GGA Image ID # 10b63e4c62

Fig. 24: Bird's Eye View of the Olympic from Top of Gantry. Photograph dated 15 April 1909. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 28. GGA Image ID # 10b6c36655

Fig. 25: Tank Top and After End Framing of the Olympic. Photograph dated 30 July 1909. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 29. GGA Image ID # 10b6cc6fda

Fig. 26: After End Framing of the Olympic. Photograph dated 30 July 1909. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 30. GGA Image ID # 10b6d91a84

Fig. 27. The Olympic Almost Framed. Photograph dated 18 November 1909. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 31. GGA Image ID # 10b6eb31a6

Fig. 28. Last Frame of the Olympic Being Raised. Photograph Dated 20 November 1909. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 32. GGA Image ID # 10b6f6618d

Fig. 29: View of the Olympic's Shelter Deck, Looking Aft. Photograph dated 31 March 1910. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 33. GGA Image ID # 10b70895fe

Fig 30: The Olympic Plated and the Titanic Framed. Photograph dated 7 April 1910. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 34. GGA Image ID # 10b755aa66

Fig. 31: Progress of Work in the Olympic's First Class Dining Saloon. Photograph dated 6 June 1910. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 34. GGA Image ID # 10b8164bda

Fig. 32: Shoring Under the Olympic's Bottom. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 35. GGA Image ID # 10b8172c9a

Fig. 33: Forecastle Deck of the Olympic, Looking Aft. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 35. GGA Image ID # 10b8a23210

Fig. 35: The Stern of the Olympic Immediately Before Launching. © Frank & Sons. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 37. GGA Image ID # 10b963417c

Fig. 36: Forward Launching Cradle. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 38. GGA Image ID # 10b9b88974

Fig. 37: Forward Cradle and Make-Up of Ways. © Frank & Sons, So. Shields. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 38. GGA Image ID # 10ba8242d3

Fig. 38: One of the Hydraulic Launching Triggers. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 39. GGA Image ID # 10ba8f1823

Fig. 39: Pump and Pressure Gauge Associated with Launching Trigger. © Frank & Sons, So. Shields. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 39. GGA Image ID # 10baa927d0

Fig. 40: The Launch of the Olympic - 20 October 1910. © Frank & Sons, So. Shields. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 40. GGA Image ID # 10bafda314

Fig. 41: Floating Crane Lifting a Boiler on Board the Olympic - 9 November 1910. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 41. GGA Image ID # 10bc208fd9

Fig 42: The Olympic in Graving Dock - 1 April 1911. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 41. GGA Image ID # 10bc53fb27

Fig. 43: Olympic Almost Completed. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 42. GGA Image ID # 10bca27be9

The 31st May, 1911, will remain notable in the annals of shipbuilding and ship owning as witnessing the launch of the Titanic and the departure from Belfast of the Olympic, two vessels which may truly be said to mark an intensely interesting epoch in the history of the mercantile marine.

Together they represent an addition to the world’s merchant shipping of about 90,000 gross tons and a capital outlay of some three millions sterling, while for the White Star Line there are now waterborne the two largest steamships so far constructed.

On the 2nd May, the Olympic Trials of the underwent her basin engines being turned while the vessel was securely moored in the deep-water fitting-out basin, and this preliminary test, proved entirely satisfactory.

Prior to leaving for her trials at sea, the ship was thrown open for public inspection, and some thousands of visitors paid 5s. each during the first two hours and 2s. for the remaining three hours, the proceeds—a very considerable sum— being handed to the Belfast hospitals.

Fig. 146: The Olympic on Trial Trip. The Shipbuilder (Midsummer 1911) p. 128. GGA Image ID # 10e523fbd3

The Olympic took on board 3,000 tons of best Welsh coal for her sea trials, and 250 runners were sent over from Liverpool to assist in the navigation of the vessel. At high water on the morning of the 28th May, the task of swinging the liner was entered upon, the Mersey tugs Wallasey, Alexandra, Hornby, and Herculaneum, as well as Messrs. Harland & Wolff’s tug Hercules, completing the operation without a hitch.

On the morning of the 29th May, she proceeded down Belfast Lough to adjust compasses and to carry out her steaming trials, the five tugs just named assisting in getting the ship under way and her departure being witnessed by an immense crowd of spectators.

The sea trials extended over two days, and the results obtained greatly exceeded the expectations of both builders and owners. Statistics with regard to the speed, power, consumption, etc., will not be made public ; but it is understood that the designed speed of 21 knots was exceeded, and speeds of 21 1/2 and 21 3/4 knots recorded during the various tests.

The new White Star tenders Nomadic and Traffic, designed for the company’s service at Cherbourg and which were completed by Messrs. Harland & Wolff within a month of their launch, were in attendance on the Olympic during her trials.

A large party of guests, who had accepted the invitation of the White Star Line to be present at the launch of the Titanic, were conveyed from Fleetwood to Belfast by the specially chartered cross-channel steamer Duke of Argyll ; and as that vessel approached Belfast in the early hours of the 31st May, these visitors had a splendid view of the first of the two great sister ships as she lay in the Lough.

The photograph which we reproduce above in Figure 146 well illustrates the beautiful lines and stately appearance of the ship. So perfect are her proportions that it is well-nigh impossible for the inexperienced to grasp her magnitude except when seen alongside another vessel.

Passengers on Titanic's Sister Ship Olympic Awaiting Events. The Truth About the Titanic (1913) p. 104. GGA Image iD # 107106f4f2

The RMS Olympic - The Largest Steamship Afloat. The Universal Engineer (December 1911) p. 408. GGA Image ID # 1097b785bb

The Olympic on a Sea Trial Trip. The Universal Engineer (December 1911) p. 410. GGA Image ID # 1097b9e53d

The Olympic Entering Dry Dock at Belfast. The Universal Engineer (December 1911) p. 417. GGA Image ID # 1097d81450

The RMS Olympic Reaches New York on Her Maiden Voyage. The Unsinkable Titanic (1912) p,. 97. GGA Image ID # 1079f986d2

Passengers on the Olympic Visiting the Second Class Purser's Office, Located on Upper Deck E, Aft. The Arrangement Would Be Very Similar If Not the Same on the Titanic. GGA Image ID # 10f3c0f32e

The RMS Olympic. White Star Line Brochure Olympic & Titanic (1911) p. 17. GGA Image ID # 10abe4b5e2

The RMS Olympic. White Star Line Brochure Olympic & Titanic (1911) p. 18. GGA Image ID # 10abe6022c