The Steering Gear Room was the most aft location of C Deck. It was an equipment room located beneath the Poop Deck and just astern of the Third Class General and Smoke Room.
It held the ships Servo Equipment, which consisted of: tiller, steering gear, rudder shaft, steering engines. The room also contained various storage rooms accessible by a hatch.
Due to the Servo Equipment there was a 30 second delay after moving the wheel, It is said that this caused the collision with the iceberg.
Components[]
The Steering gear was of the C deck.
lastic-Quadrant Type, Connected to the tiller via stiff springs which dampened out vibration caused by waves.
The Steering Engine was steam powered, they could be disconnected or connected by pushing or pulling them since they were on rails. The steam valves of these engines were connected to the Main wheel in the Wheelhouse via hydraulics (Browns Patent Telemotor).
The stern docking bridge was directly connected to the engine and featured hatches that allowed engineers to drop down and check the engine.
Steering Engine machinery[]
- tillers and rudder quadrant
- capstan engines and gears
- warping capstan
- thermo-tanks and fans
- bitts (bollards)
- rack for mooring ropes
- wire reel
Wreck[]
Not much is left of this room in the wreck, since the storage rooms beneath it were filled with air when the ship dragged down. The pressure caused the rooms to implode and collapse, destroying the equipment. It is said that the storage rooms filled with water and the pressure forced upward, causing a high pressure jet of water to peel the decking back.
A 3D model of Titanic's steering gear engine