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Post by RitaLittlewood on May 3, 2005 17:24:53 GMT
From the Southern Daily Echo:
Date Published: Tuesday 03 May 2005
Many happy returns QE2
by Keith Hamilton
IT was a birthday party fit for a queen when the world's most famous liner celebrated her 36th anniversary in Southampton yesterday.
Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 has notched up yet another maritime milestone in her long career that began on May 2, 1969 when she left Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage.
QE2's place in the record books is assured as she has sailed more then 5.3 million miles, equivalent to travelling to the moon and back more than 11 times.
To mark the occasion guests including nine former captains of QE2, television personalities and actors, attended a reception while the liner was alongside the Eastern Docks.
Among the guests were Coronation Street actors Peter Baldwin and Thelma Barlow, who played Derek and Mavis as well as Roy Barraclough who was Alec Gilroy in the television series.
As well as being the setting for a Coronation Street special, QE2 has also been the setting for an episode of the hit TV comedy, Keeping Up Appearances and Judy Cornwall, who played Daisy in the programme was also on the guest list.
Sir Jimmy Savile, who is a regular traveller on the ship also joined in the celebrations.
Captain Ian McNaught, the liner's present master, said: "QE2 is a piece of maritime history.
"There will never be another like her, she is unique and I hope she travels for many years to come.''
Later this year, on September 4, QE2 will become the longest-serving Cunarder when she exceeds the 36 years four months and two days' service of Scythia that sailed from 1921 to 1957.
After the celebration lunch, QE2 left Southampton for a Mediterranean cruise.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Aug 29, 2007 12:21:51 GMT
Thought as I'm about to mention Roy Barraclough in the same cyber breath as the QE2 I'd post this here. In the new QE2 book by Carol Thatcher she mentioned the video in a small paragraph and quotes Roy saying they had a wonderful time then he went on about the ship and crew. It also reckons the vid was the best selling of all time. If it had been people wouldn't have bought it for the ship but because it was Corrie. Cunard propaganda again like the Falklands. Grrr! Anyway, there was no mention of anything else filmed aboard which surprised me. At the back is the usual stats as found on the Cunard site www.cunard.co.uk/AboutCunard/default.asp?Active=Heritage&Sub=Famous and it's amazing how many past and present Corrie stars have been aboard. Patsy |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 17, 2007 11:12:37 GMT
Another couple of Corrie stars onboard. Must ask Pam to nab them and get autographs. From the Southern Daily Echo:
A life on the ocean wave
By Keith Hamilton
The ship departs on her round-Britain cruise to music from the Royal Marines band.
THE occasion was all so terribly British.
The late summer afternoon sun glinted on the ripples of Southampton Water and the band of the Royal Marines caught the moment perfectly as they struck up Rule Britannia.
As the stirring music flowed out from the quayside, the most famous liner in the world, Southampton's icon of style and elegance, Queen Elizabeth 2 pulled herself away from her usual berth to begin a voyage that is to be far from usual.
Three deep, booming blasts, that could be heard ten miles away, shuddered through the air from QE2's powerful whistle, the water between dockside and ship boiled and churned with the movement of the great Cunarder and with another resonating blare she was off heading out to sea.
The Royal Marines, resplendent in traditional white pith helmets, marched along the dock, by now appropriately playing A Life on the Ocean Wave and that was exactly what this special, memorable event was celebrating.
QE2 was setting sail on her 1,400th voyage, a "lap of honour'' around Great Britain, to mark the 40th anniversary of her launch by the Queen back in 1967.
Over those decades QE2 has become a major part of Southampton's maritime heritage and has carried the city's name, emblazoned on her hull, across the great oceans to all corners of the globe.
So it was only right that the anniversary celebrations should begin in her home port of Southampton with a gala reception and lunch for more than 330 speciallyinvited guests on Saturday.
Heading the exclusive gathering was former Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher, wearing a bright blue dress, who was escorted into the liner's Queen's Room, where she was met with a round of applause, by the liner's master, Captain Ian McNaught, and Cunard president, Carol Marlow.
Margaret Thatcher has a unique link with QE2 as it was while she was in Downing Street that the order went out to call-up the liner as part of the South Atlantic Task Force during the 1982 Falkland War.
The reception and lunch was quite a Thatcher family affair as her daughter, Carol, has her name on a new book tracing the history of QE2 from her inception right up to the present day.
Mingling with the guests was also the author, Dame Beryl Bainbridge, who once famously wrote: "To sail on QE2 is to know why Britain was once the envy of the world.
'' Former hostage Terry Waite, Jennie Bond, the BBC's one time royal correspondent and contestant in I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, Coronation Street favourites Peter Baldwin, who played Derek Wilton in the long running soap opera, and Thelma Barlow, his long-suffering television wife, Mavis, and many retired captains of QE2 all raised a glass to toast the ship's anniversary.
Over the next week the voyage, which was sold out almost immediately it went on sale, will see QE2 visit Newcastle, South Queensferry for Edinburgh while tomorrow, the actual date of the anniversary, the liner will be making an emotional return to the River Clyde where she was built in the 1960s.
Friday will be another nostalgic day with QE2 alongside Liverpool, so long the base for Cunard, where, at the city's Anglican cathedral, a concert is to be held featuring the opera singer, Lesley Garrett, the Band of the Scots Guards and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 17, 2007 21:46:05 GMT
There was a pic of Thelma and Peter in tonight's Echo. They haven't changed a bit.
Patsy
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Post by CG Wendy on Sept 18, 2007 13:09:58 GMT
Derek should never have been killed off - never! They could both still be in Coronation Street to this day.
Seems so unfair. I didn`t care much for Mavis, but I loved Derek.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 18, 2007 14:26:57 GMT
If I can't find the pic online I'll scan it. They do look excellent.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 18, 2007 15:19:20 GMT
I think the photographer had too much bubbly.  Patsy |
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Post by sallywebster on Sept 18, 2007 16:38:14 GMT
Derek should never have been killed off - never! They could both still be in Coronation Street to this day. Seems so unfair. I didn`t care much for Mavis, but I loved Derek. I was the other way around - I didnt care much for Derek but Mavis was fab. I preferred scenes with Mave and Reet rather than Mave and Derek. |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 18, 2007 16:55:36 GMT
Yeah but you have to admit, looking at the pic, it's like they never went away.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 18, 2007 17:49:39 GMT
Oh wait a minute. If that pic was taken on the ship, well she did have a starboard list while docked..... LOL!  Pam said she was looking down on her mum from the portholes. Not so bad departing    The list went port as they travelled up to Newcastle apparently. Patsy |
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Post by amyablume on Sept 18, 2007 18:11:17 GMT
Shes soooo pretty! :*
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 18, 2007 18:11:46 GMT
Thelma?
Patsy
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Post by amyablume on Sept 18, 2007 18:15:37 GMT
Oh yes I mean I'm not lusting after a ship... not at all...
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 18, 2007 18:23:58 GMT
LOL! Course not.  That's Mavis. She was better than Norris. I know you find it hard to believe, knowing how you love Norris, but it's true.  Patsy |
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Post by sallywebster on Sept 18, 2007 21:25:44 GMT
Far far better than Norris!
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 19, 2007 12:24:26 GMT
I was thinking yesterday about this double act thing. Reet and Mave were a double act. Mave and Derek were a double act. They were entertaining. Reet and the peasant are boring because all they do is tied in with each other. There's very lttle respite from it. It's also repetitive and the writing isn't as witty as for Reet and Mave. We saw how they tried to recreate that last year but it fell flat. It would have worked with Mavis. She is still sorely missed in The Kabin.
Patsy
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Post by CG Wendy on Sept 19, 2007 14:50:14 GMT
I know I`m in the minority, but I just couldn`t stick Mavis....she was always moaning. Whether she was complaining to Reet about Derek, or complaining to Derek about Reet or just complaining full stop. She never seemed happy.
I remember years ago before she even met Derek she was mad at Emily because Emily had a boyfirend (Ernest) and she didn`t. Some friend she turned out to be...she was so jealous.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 19, 2007 16:04:48 GMT
Lane hates her too.
If you were involved with Derek, wouldn't you moan? And if you had to put up with Reet's singing, I mean trials and tribulations wouldn't you moan? I wonder how far things would have gone with Mave and Jerry Booth if Graham Haberfield hadn't died?
Mavis may have been annoying at times but out of her and Norris give me Mave's moaning any day.
Patsy
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Post by amyablume on Sept 19, 2007 17:36:57 GMT
LOL! Reet's gonna disown you, Patsy!
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 19, 2007 17:45:12 GMT
Reet or Barbara? Barbara hates me already so there's no hope. LOL!
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Sept 19, 2007 19:10:30 GMT
I preferred Mave and loved it when Reet used to wind her up about stuff and Mave would then give as good as she got.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 20, 2007 11:31:27 GMT
Me too. That made for better viewing. Norris is just a sour misery. I've brought Mavis back in a couple of my fan fics briefly and enjoy writing those two together. She's making another comeback in the one I'm currently doing when Reet visits her in Cartmel. It's on the other machine so it's taking longer than planned.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 20, 2007 17:55:18 GMT
Ooh I'm so happy and Amy hates me for this. Pam phoned as they were leaving Greenock after these 40 years since launch celebrations and as we were talking, Lizzie blasted several times!!!! Pam hadn't expected her to do it again. She said I can say I heard the QE2 blasting on the Clyde. ;D
Tomorrow I'll pump her for celebrity goss if I remember. I want to know if Thelma and Peter are there.
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 21, 2007 13:36:14 GMT
Pam's not giving me a chance to ask about these stars she's hobnobbing with. It's all about herself and what a fab time she's having. LOL!
Patsy
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 21, 2007 22:13:45 GMT
Okay I am officially jealous of Pam now. She phoned just after the fireworks started so I could hear them. Bloody hell they were loud! I'm nearly deaf! There are some celebs on board but she hasn't really bothered with them.
Patsy
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