Titanic story retold – on water and on land
Titanic story retold – on water and on land
10 March 2009
The City of Belfast once again is preparing to commemorate and celebrate the world`s most famous ocean liner, the RMS Titanic.
Each weekend in March and April, beginning on Saturday 14 March, a series of special tours will bring the story of Titanic, and the people who built her, back to life.
Bus and boat tours will explore the Belfast of the Titanic era, telling the story of the mighty ship and her two sisters, Olympic and Britannic, in the way only Belfast can – at first hand.
The free bus tours will leave from the front of Belfast City Hall at 11am and 2pm each Saturday and Sunday – with daily tours operating at the same times daily between Saturday 11 and Sunday 19 April.
The tour will take in all of the key locations associated with the Titanic story, including the Drawing Offices, where the plans for Titanic and hundreds of other ships were conceived and developed, and the Thompson Dry Dock, which was built especially for the Olympic class liners.
Each bus tour is free, but tickets, available from Belfast Welcome Centre, are needed. The tour lasts around two hours, and appropriate footwear and clothing are recommended. The bus tour is not suitable for children under seven years of age.
The ever popular Titanic Boat Tours also continue throughout March and April, leaving Donegall Quay at 12.30pm and 2pm each Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Additional tours also take place during the Easter week (Saturday 11 – Sunday 19 April), at 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm daily.
Once again, each boat tour takes in the key landmarks associated with the Titanic story – including the Hamilton Dock, Alexandra Dock and Thompson Dock - this time from the waters of the River Lagan and Belfast Harbour. Tickets for the boat tours are on sale at the Lagan Boat Company ticket office, Donegall Quay, between 11.30am and 3pm on tour days. For enquiries call (028) 9033 0844 or visit www.laganboatcompany.com
Saturday 14 March also sees the welcome return of the `Titanic: Designed and Built in Belfast` exhibition to W5 at the Odyssey.
The exhibition, which continues until Sunday 19 April, is a dynamic celebration of Belfast`s rich and illustrious maritime past and takes a unique approach to the well-documented tale of the ill-fated liner, examining Titanic in the wider context with a collection of memories that have been key to the ship`s eternal appeal for generations. For full details, visit www.w5online.co.uk or call (028) 9046 7700.
The exhibition will form the centrepiece of the ninth annual `Titanic Made in Belfast` festival, organized by Belfast City Council, which begins on Saturday 11 April and continues until Sunday 19 April.
Further information, booking details and tickets can be obtained from the Belfast Welcome Centre, by calling (028) 9024 6609, by e mail from events@belfastcity.gov.uk, or online at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic
