Slight differences between V-Class & Burnaby-class

[nosepoint]

Hi,

I'm brand new here; just discovered it after finding the Yahoo! forum. Great info here!

I have posted this message at the Yahoo! site too, but have had not answers yet, so I'm cross-posting...

I have always wondered about why there are slight differences in the original design of 4 Ts-SB ships (Vic, Van, Saanich & Esquimalt) and the HB-DB ones (Nanaimo, New West, & Burnaby) Why for example is the funnel base so different? On the Vic, Van, Saanich & Esq, there is clearly a base to the funnel, whereas the Nanaimo, New West, & Burnaby had no such base, and thus a much larger looking funnel. Was there any reason for this? They were all built (and stretched within
a few years of each other) Also, what that thing on the post-lifted-1991 QNewWest's funnel that protrudes outwards?

ARE THERE ANY OTHER GLARING DIFFERENCES?

Lastly, at some point after they were all stretched in the early 1970's, the two radars were move from the high radar mast to the roof above the bridge. Was there a reason for this? You'd think a radar mast was the best place for a radar as it was higher etc.

Thanks.

[Curtis]

There are alot more differences then that the three unlifted ferries Newestminster (Lifted) Burnaby and Nanaimo 1. Burnaby redisigned 2. Newestminster upper car deck slightly higher 3. Nanaimo stayed the same. those are three diffrences of them.

[nosepoint]

Thanks. However, I was specifically thinking of the original design blueprints, back in the 1960's and during the 1970-71 stretch.

It's also interesting to look at the differences between the original 2 (Sidney & Tsawwassen) vs. the 4 V-class & 3 Burnaby-class ships, over the 4 years or so from 1959 - 1963.

eg...
-Much larger foredeck on Sidney & Tsawwassen
-Higher forward lounges on the newer ones
-Car-deck size; newer 7 were designed to make expansion easier (or something like that!)


Anyone know why the Sidney was the only one with wooden handrails? It was a nice touch, huh?

[kylefossett]

i am sure i had heard somewhere that the tsawwassen had wood handrails at one time too. i will try to confirm this and will get back to you.

[Koastal Karl]

What do you mean higher forward lounges on the newer ones?? The Queen of Sidney and Tsawwassen are the only ships that had or have the higher forward lounge. The rest of the V class the lounge is at the deck level where you dont have a few stairs to go up to the forward viewing lounge. The Coho is also like this. There is also alot differences between the interiors and floor plans of each V class and Burbaby class, as if you have been on all the V and Burnaby class you will notice them.

[Ferryman]

I'm not quite sure either the only thing I can think of is that these are the years they were built in order:
Sidney Class:
Queen of Sidney-1960
Queen of Tswwassen-1960 (month and a half after Sidney)
V-Class:
Queen of Victoria-1962
Queen of Vancouver-1962
Queen of Esquimalt-1963
Queen of Saanich-1963
Burnaby Class:
Queen of New Westminster-1964
Queen of Nanaimo-1964
Queen of Burnaby-1965
With the Sidney being finnished before Tswwassen, BCF probably would of wanted to make that extra nice touch seeming she was the first ferry to be introduced to the Corperation. Victoria and Vancouver were built in the same year in 1961 so they would be more similar like how there was 3 windows that were slightly lowered on the bridge and and they had to be bigger to support more cars and passengers and of course a year later the Saanich and Esquimalt were built and had their similarities. Then theres the Burnaby Class built through 1964-5 they were slightly different too.
But really the only reason to all of those differences is the Sidney Class were the first and started off the Corp. and after a year BCF realized traffic was getting heavier so Vancouver and Victoria were ordered. A year after that in 1962 they still realized that traffic was getting higher so of course Saanich and Esquimalt were ordered. There you have it the only real true original Fleet that operated between Victoria and Vancouver.
Now the Burnaby Class built mostly specialized for the Nanaimo Vancouver route were slightly different seeming they were built after the V-Class so they had to be different like how it is now with the C-Class doing the Nanaimo-Vancouver route now and the Spirits doing the Vancouver-Victoria route. So the only reason I can really think of why they made the Ferries different as time went on is because they simply couldn't have a Fleet of all of the Ferries aside from the smaller open deck ferries like the Bowen Queen and so on..
The C-Class is different also with the Cowichan and Coquitlam looking alike and being built in 1976 and the Oak Bay and Surrey being built in 1981 and the Alberni was built in 1976 was made to being like the Cowichan and Coquitlam but with smaller passenger deck because of the original way she was built.
Now finnally the latest major route ferries as the Spirits and how they were a 21st century super sized V-Class.
And so this goes to show you that it's just the time they were ordered and brought into service and how time went on with the improvements and changes BCF had decided to do as time went on. And it is going to start all over again with the introducing of the Super C-Class starting some time around 2006 and the Ferries after that will soon change from them too.

[Balfour]

One difference between the V Class and the Burnaby class is the funnel design. The Funnels seem larger on the Burnaby class.

[Curtis]

The Sannich was launched before the Esquimalt

[nosepoint]

Karl said:

What do you mean higher forward lounges on the newer ones??.

Sorry, I meant to say the ceilings are higher on the newer 7 V-class ones! Which, of course is because the Sidney & Tsaww. have the forward lounge 3 or 4 stairs above the main passenger promenade deck. I have been on every major ferry many, many times (except the 2 Northern Queens and a few ex. DoH ones.), I just can't remember the interiors of each & every one!