Stephen Payne's "owners manual" on Queen Elizabeth 2

Stephen Payne now has a Haynes "owners' manual" for the QE2, covering 1967-2008. I've not obtained a copy yet but it was just published in December in the UK and in March in the US.

He's used the "RMS" prefix which has often been used in popular references to the ship despite her never having been an official Royal Mail Ship. As I recall Cunard thought the prefix outmoded and stodgy and specifically didn't seek it for the QE2. Fast forward to 2003 and they did a 180 for QM2.

In the past he has given presentations on the service life of the QE2 but apparently never while on board a Cunard ship as an Insights speaker. I wonder why not since many who miss the ship would love to hear it. Perhaps Cunard is afraid it would stir up anger at her retirement and uncertain future? To be fair to him it would not be his choice, as whatever topics he would like to present are subject to review.

Thanks for this, I bought the QM2 version onboard but as I don't have any cruises booked I have had to resort to Amazon for this one.

Ooh, what a nice companion to the one for QM2! Another reason to be glad I booked a crossing!

For those who have been on QM2 recently, has the bookshop improved at all in recent months?

Ooh, what a nice companion to the one for QM2! Another reason to be glad I booked a crossing!

 

For those who have been on QM2 recently, has the bookshop improved at all in recent months?

I thought the bookshop was no more on the Cunard ships?:eek:

Or was it something else they got rid of ...

I thought the bookshop was no more on the Cunard ships?:eek:

 

Or was it something else they got rid of ...

I'd heard that it had no Cunard/ship related books right after the refit. At Christmas there were some maritime books (including the QM2 owner's manual), but the wonderful Ocean Bookshop products (those gorgeous journals!) were gone. Lots of mass-market paperbacks, which is a good idea, but the removal of the maritime books was a shame, and the place looked a bit thin. I was hoping they were gradually bringing back some of the better books.

Hi,

I have sailed aboard the QM2 twice since the remastering: September 2016 (Canada/New England) and April 2017 (World Cruise segment from Hong Kong to Singapore). The bookshop has improved since September (more Cunard and maritime books), but it still has not fully recovered.

I have the "owners' manuals" for both the QM2 and QE2. These are excellent books.

Chuck

I bought the book from Amazon as soon as it was available and was greatly disappointed. The one on the QM2 was so much better in my opinion, only lacking detailed deck plans. There are better books around of the QE2.

But great to hear that the bookshop is getting better.

I bought the book from Amazon as soon as it was available and was greatly disappointed. The one on the QM2 was so much better in my opinion, only lacking detailed deck plans. There are better books around of the QE2...

Your view is in line with one of the more disparaging reviews out there - that the book is surprisingly lacking in technical detail for an author who is a naval architect. I have not yet received my copy but look forward to seeing how he handles her evolution over 40 years. The Glasgow Riverside Museum has the QE2 builder's model from John Brown - complete with mod tiles around her aft pool. She evolved from from trailer trash to grande dame.

Mr Payne has given several talks on the QM2 on that ship. I have been present at at least two of them. He is quite a good speaker. If you get an opportunity to hear him aboard a Cunard ****, by all means go.

My copy arrived this morning, I have only had a skim through but I thought there was quite a lot of technical detail.

I enjoyed the fact that the microprocessor installed as part of the engine control room after the change of engines is the same one still in use in part of my workplace !