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Titanic Model

Canada Science and Technology Museum's scale replica of the Titanic (accession number 1981.1622).

Canada Science and Technology Museum's scale replica of the Titanic (accession number 1981.1622).

The Museum's Titanic model was made by Bassett-Lowke Ltd., a company known for building model trains and ships. Bassett-Lowke Ltd. was founded at the end of the 19th century in Northampton, United Kingdom, by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke.

The company started out by delivering low-priced model parts made in the family's workshop. The business grew and eventually became a full-fledged manufacturer and vendor of scale model construction kits. Bassett-Lowke produced both less detailed toy models and finely crafted scale replicas for serious collectors. It also made model ships for the Royal Navy and Royal Air force for ship identification training and for maritime companies interested in displaying models of their fleets. Most of Basset-Lowke's models were based on warships, ocean liners and cargo ships from countries around the world.

The Museum's model of Titanic was commissioned in 1976 by an undisclosed party, at a time when Bassett-Lowke was owned by Messrs. Riley and Derry. It was shipped to Canada in 1981 by the Canadian Air Force, along a route similar to the one taken by Titanic 69 years earlier.

The model of Titanic is a work of art in and of itself. Beyond its artistic value, however, it is an invaluable teaching tool that illustrates the technologies in use at the time Titanic was built. It is on display at the Canada Science and Technology Museum giving visitors a better idea of what the ship looked like and how she operated.

A Closer Look

Crow's nest overlooking the bow of Titanic model

Crow's nest overlooking the bow of Titanic model

The model's propeller is made out of brass. Each number on the hull represents one foot

The model's propeller is made out of brass. Each number on the hull represents one foot

The deck used by third-class passengers

The deck used by third-class passengers

The second wheel on the docking bridge on the poop deck

The second wheel on the docking bridge on the poop deck

The compass platform located amidships, as far as possible from the metal hull

The compass platform located amidships, as far as possible from the metal hull

Crane used to handle cargo and passenger baggage

Crane used to handle cargo and passenger baggage

Information about the model of the Titanic (accession number 1981.1622)

  • When was the model made?
    In 1977
  • How long did it take to complete?
    About 18 months
  • Which company produced it?
    Bassett-Lowke Ltd.
  • Where was it made?
    In Northampton, United Kingdom
  • Who built it?
    Model maker George Beale
  • What is the scale of the model?
    The model was built to the scale of 0.64 cm = 30.48 cm (¼" = 1'). In other words, every quarter of an inch represents a foot aboard the actual Titanic
  • What are the measurements of the model?
    5.66 metres (18½') long, 0.66 metres (2') wide and 1.66 metres (5½') high
  • How much does the model weigh?
    About 273 kg (600 lb.)
  • What is the model made of?
    Wood, brass, lead and silk

A brief history of the Titanic

A ship of titanic proportions

At the turn of the 20th century, the White Star Line shipping company constructed a trio of colossal transatlantic passenger liners: Olympic, Britannic and Titanic. At the time, they were the largest and most luxurious liners ever built. Tragically, the Titanic became the most famous of the three after sinking on its maiden voyage.

Building a dream

The designers at the Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Ireland, began working on the concept for the Titanic in 1907. Construction began in 1909 and was completed in 1912. The liner was 269.1 metres (882.9 feet) long and could carry roughly 3,300 passengers and crew. Passenger accommodation was divided into three classes. First class was the most lavish, catering to the wealthiest passengers. Second class was somewhat less luxurious, although still elegant, and was designed for middle-class travellers. Most of the passengers in third class were immigrants on their way to the United States. The price of a one-way, third-class ticket, was an enormous investment for someone in the working class in 1912.

Setting off

Passengers boarded Titanic in Southampton, United Kingdom; Cherbourg, France; and Queenstown (now known as Cobh), Ireland, before setting sail for New York, United States, on April 12, 1912.

The "unsinkable" ship goes down

Despite several iceberg warnings from other vessels throughout the day of April 14, Titanic continued on course, crossing the Atlantic Ocean at a speed of over 20 knots (37 km/h). At 11:40 p.m., a lookout stationed in the crow's nest spotted an iceberg directly in the ship's path and sounded the alarm. Evasive maneuvers were taken, but to no avail. Titanic struck the iceberg, sustaining massive damage. The captain ordered the passengers to evacuate. The liner was equipped with 20 lifeboats – 14 standard lifeboats, 4 collapsible lifeboats and 2 emergency cutters – which together could carry only half of the people on board. Wireless distress calls were sent out but went unheeded by the closest ships, whose radio operators had shut down for the night.

In the hour following the collision, some 700 passengers were ushered onto the lifeboats. At around 2:20 a.m. on the morning of April 15, Titanic sank into the ocean, with more than 1,500 people still on board. Those who did survive were rescued by the Carpathia.

In 1981, 69 years after Titanic met its tragic end, the National Museum of Science and Technology (now renamed the Canada Science and Technology Museum) acquired a scale model of the ship.

The impacts of the sinking of Titanic in 1912 were many and far-reaching. In response to the tragedy, a number of nations adopted laws increasing the minimum number of lifeboats required aboard a ship. Several countries came together to set up an ice patrol along transatlantic shipping routes to track icebergs and help avoid collisions. In 1912, the United States Congress and the British Board of Trade recommending immediate improvements to make passenger liners safer. One of these recommendations was that radio on ships should operate 24 hours a day. The modern United States Coast Guard was established a few short years afterward. And an international conference on safety of life at sea (SOLAS) took place in 1913, calling for new standards in this regard – standards that still form the basis of maritime safety practices today.