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Business Movers early and and free right

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He App or on Apple podcasts. It

0:25

September Nineteen Sixty Seven and a

0:27

shipyard on the River Clyde and

0:29

Scotland Yard. Chairman Basil Small Piece

0:31

walks along concrete path next to

0:33

Sir Michael A. D. Queen Elizabeth,

0:35

the seconds private secretary. The hall

0:37

of a massive red and black

0:39

ship towers over the men. It's

0:41

the queue for Cunard latest liner

0:43

nearing completion and the Queen herself

0:45

is due to christen the ship

0:47

at a ceremony later in the

0:49

month when a name for the

0:51

best will has still not been

0:53

selected. Two men stop. Anita ships bow

0:56

and Michael tilt his head back to

0:58

taking it's size. You know her majesty

1:00

is very much looking forward to the

1:02

ceremony. She remembers her mother, christening, the

1:05

old Queen Elizabeth Back and Thirty eight.

1:07

Have you chosen a name yet? There's

1:09

one I have in mind. actually. Oh

1:11

good. We were beginning to get a

1:14

little concern. It is so perhaps unconventional?

1:16

Oh, Well. If I were to

1:18

have my way I would chris her

1:20

Queen Elizabeth the second and break tradition

1:23

Basil, how could you? Michael is referring

1:25

to the British custom that only battleships

1:27

and time of war can be named

1:29

after reigning monarch. Well, what other name

1:31

could be worthy of Cunard? Most magnificent

1:34

ship today. the whole world loves her

1:36

majesty. The only thing the feels right?

1:38

Well I understand and I agree with

1:40

you it would be. And I think

1:43

unfortunately though there are these traditionalists who

1:45

might make of us, I can't. Imagine

1:47

you'd want any sort of controversy

1:49

to overshadowed lot now known as

1:51

certainly not. But perhaps there's a

1:54

loophole there usually is. I find

1:56

what if we simply call her

1:58

the Queen Elizabeth So. Two hundred

2:00

ships name Queen Elizabeth. Well, they won't

2:02

be in service at the same time.

2:04

The old Queen Elizabeth is due to

2:07

retire next year and a for will

2:09

be done with fitting out the fourth

2:11

there have been to Mauritanians and to

2:13

Corona's in the past. I think our

2:15

second Queen Elizabeth would be perfectly acceptable.

2:18

Michael looks away from Basil to the

2:20

ship as if trying out the name

2:22

and assist. Yes, Oh right, The Queen

2:24

Elizabeth said it's a clever workaround and

2:26

her majesty will be pleased, I'm sure,

2:28

but I'm almost reluctant to tell her

2:30

you know there something rather powerful that

2:32

the fact that on you when I

2:34

know the ships name so you won't

2:36

tell anyone else except your majesty know

2:38

I think it would be bad luck.

2:40

I suppose to let anyone else know

2:42

before the christening, I think so. and

2:44

I really can't afford much more bad

2:46

luck right now. Later.

2:50

That month, Basil Small T stood beside

2:52

Queen Elizabeth a sec at the launch

2:54

of the queue for. When. It

2:56

came time for the Queen to announce

2:58

the new ships name. She was handed

3:00

a slip of paper with Queen Elizabeth

3:02

written on, but she didn't even read

3:04

before confidently declaring. Queen

3:08

Elizabeth. Basil

3:13

was surprised, but delighted. The.

3:15

Queen had given the queue for the

3:17

name he'd always want it and it

3:19

wouldn't be long before most people simply

3:22

called the new weiner the Q E

3:24

to. But whatever name it went by

3:26

for Basil and sooner Kiwi to was

3:28

more than just a new ship. It

3:30

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3:32

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5:00

The full of nineteen Sixty Seven as

5:02

a small piece had been at the

5:04

Cunard Line for over three years. When

5:06

he took charge of the company to

5:09

Nord was a far cry from it's

5:11

glory days in the nineteen thirties. Back

5:13

then, sooner had been at the cutting

5:15

edge of technology, and it's ships were

5:17

as famous as movie stars. By the

5:19

time Basil arrived though the company was

5:21

space. it's business had been almost destroyed

5:24

by the emergence of the jet passenger

5:26

planes, and losses were mounting. As Q

5:28

Nord chairman, Basil immediately implemented reforms to.

5:30

Improve company's Bottom line. Ways.

5:33

Of doing business that had served you nord

5:35

well in the past. Where Jettison as Basil

5:37

try to make the century old so funny

5:39

fit for the nineteen sixties. Staff.

5:41

Were laid off and ships were

5:43

sold. but Basil knew he couldn't

5:45

simply cut his way to prosperity.

5:47

Is long term strategy rested on

5:50

three main pillars He hoped to

5:52

streamline soon. Arts Cargo operations through

5:54

Container is Asian expand the business

5:56

into new routes through a partnership

5:58

with the Australian Desert. And.

6:00

He planned a complete overhaul companies passenger

6:02

flee to allow Q Nord to pivot

6:04

more towards leisure travel. The. Grand

6:07

liners of all were to be retired

6:09

and replaced by gleaming new flagship. And.

6:11

The Queen Elizabeth, the second or Q E

6:14

to was scheduled to enter service and Ninety

6:16

Six he does. She. Would be

6:18

much cheaper to run than her predecessors,

6:20

and could spend half the year operating

6:22

on the increasingly lucrative cruise roots. For

6:25

each of vassals, three core

6:27

strategic projects had already encountered

6:29

difficulties from complex startup costs

6:31

to government bureaucracy and an

6:33

almost disastrous shortfall in cash.

6:36

All three projects had survived, but all

6:38

three still had a long way to

6:40

go and could easily fall apart before

6:42

Cunard saw any benefits from. Basil

6:45

was anxious to give each project the

6:47

best possible chance of success. He'd already

6:49

travel to the other side of the

6:51

world now. He decided to go where

6:53

no other soon or chairman had done

6:55

before, into a partnership with a rival

6:57

foreign company and that have been a

6:59

thorn in two. Large size and nearly

7:01

a hundred years. This

7:04

is the fourth episode in

7:06

our forces soon envoys, It's

7:13

November nineteen, Sixty Seven, and Southampton two

7:16

months after the christening of the Q

7:18

E to Basil. Small Piece sits in

7:20

the first class dining hall of the

7:22

France, the flagship of soon arch rivals,

7:25

the French line, He looks

7:27

around admiringly. There. Are enough

7:29

tables for over four hundred guests ear

7:31

above a grand central staircase, ornate columns

7:33

solar up to a domed to see

7:35

joe like ceiling. But the room is

7:37

mostly empty today. As

7:40

Or swallows his last bit of

7:42

talked Ten and systems for Basil

7:44

so is A sixty one year

7:46

old man was sick. Dark eyebrows

7:48

and sharp features. The French lines

7:50

President Admin land yeah. Admin

7:53

delights in vassals clear admiration for the

7:55

room and his enjoyment of the desert.

7:57

So how was that? So much better

7:59

than your. Was putting know. Basil.

8:02

Smiles joining in on the phone. well

8:04

it's know jam roly poly but I

8:06

asked my forced to down. Do

8:08

not worry Mister Smarties, I would not dream of

8:10

telling your colleagues how much you rice or suit.

8:13

Enjoyed it. I over and dulce. I may have

8:15

to ask for a cabin next so I can

8:17

take a nap. When I'm sure

8:19

that can be arranged, we have enough

8:21

which are free. unfortunately near the problem

8:23

I know all too well when it

8:25

occurs to me that's a problem shared

8:28

his as they say, a problem solved.

8:30

Admin looks at Basil quizzically. Basil goes

8:32

on. You see, in the past are

8:34

two companies delighted in mutual competition. There

8:37

were more than enough passengers to go

8:39

around, and well, it's bird on. Both

8:41

of our efforts didn't For the days

8:43

or illustrious forebears has sadly passed, and

8:46

now here we are. Both of us

8:48

still. Running a weekly service to New

8:50

York and both of us selling barely

8:52

since our cabins on every boy yes

8:54

it is truth greece me to see

8:56

it to ships running have empty at

8:58

the same time clearly is working. So

9:00

why don't we do something about. What

9:02

is if you suggest you Nord could sail

9:05

to New York one weekend. The French wine

9:07

could follow the next. We'd. Also back

9:09

and forth and that way every week

9:11

thera be one of our liners making

9:13

the crossing east or west but only

9:15

one. We. Wouldn't be duplicating

9:17

or efforts in a market that's. Clearly.

9:20

Can't sustain it any longer. Admin

9:22

leans back in his chair. I don't know

9:24

Basil were competitors know rivals. How would it

9:27

look? It would look like good business. And

9:29

to be frank, I'm not sure either of

9:31

us can afford not to team up. Had

9:34

been places around at the cavernous dining

9:37

hall. Silently considering Vassals offer, it would

9:39

be marvelous to see this room full

9:41

of life once. Or is

9:43

that a yes? Edmunds smiles

9:45

that is, consoles are boards. But

9:47

yes, yes, I think we can

9:49

come to an arrangement. Well that

9:51

one's please. Let me shake your

9:53

hand. The

9:56

two men seal their deal with a handshake across

9:58

the dinner table. For a

10:00

tour the rest of the ship from what

10:02

you say, it might soon become much busier.

10:04

A certainly had been I be honored. It

10:06

is a beautiful ship. And

10:09

and reaches for his movies. Good but

10:11

I think before we do vests we

10:13

should toast to new friendship. Basil raises

10:15

his glass in return to a new

10:18

on tone for the all. Over

10:23

the next few months, Basil Small Piece

10:25

continued to meet with Admin Land Yea

10:27

to cash out the details of their

10:29

new partnership. The two men decided that

10:31

in the following summer of Nineteen Sixty,

10:33

a few Nord and Essential I would

10:35

offer a joint Transatlantic service using the

10:37

old Queen Elizabeth and the France. If

10:39

all went well, the two companies would then

10:42

coordinator schedules again in Nineteen Sixty Nine, when

10:44

the Kiwi To was scheduled to enter service.

10:47

Basil was beginning to feel cautiously optimistic.

10:49

After all the storms to Nord had

10:51

faced, he could almost see the safety

10:53

of port. Now he just had to

10:55

steer the company home. Ever.

11:01

Since basil small piece arrived a Cunard, he

11:03

had kept a close grip on the company's

11:05

finances. But at the beginning of

11:08

Nineteen Sixty Eight, Basil felt so confident about

11:10

you nord future that he decided it was

11:12

time to hand over some of the responsibilities.

11:14

So Basil appointed fifty five year olds

11:17

to have surely as Que Nos deputy

11:19

chairman and new Finance director. Who

11:21

have had once worked for British Rail.

11:23

He was a forensic minded accountant who

11:25

basil thought highly Us. And

11:27

Phillip immediately made Basil life easier.

11:30

One of his first jobs was to help

11:32

coordinate the sale too large remaining passenger lenders.

11:35

The Corinthian, Sylvania, Caronia, and the

11:37

Grand Old Queen Elizabeth's would all

11:39

finish their schedule. Passenger services for

11:42

que in Nineteen Sixty Eight, and

11:44

may be transferred to new owners.

11:47

In total, the four ships netted to

11:49

Nord a much needed seven million pounds

11:51

at auction for almost two hundred million

11:53

dollars today. It. Was a

11:55

windfall that further improved. You know it's

11:57

recovering financial position as a result. Back.

12:00

Oh, and how have agreed that the company

12:02

could afford to reduce it's outstanding loan from

12:04

the British government to twenty million pounds. That.

12:07

Represented a cut of almost twenty percent

12:09

of the company's debt to the British

12:11

treasury, and considerably reduced to nars interest

12:13

payments. Costs were also slashed

12:15

on the North Atlantic by battles new

12:18

deal with a French lost in the

12:20

summer of nineteen. Sixty Eight to Nord

12:22

began the joint service arrangement with it's

12:24

old rival, and just as Basil had

12:26

hoped, he led to more ticket sales

12:28

and sire profits, ensuring that the final

12:30

travel season of the original Queen Elizabeth

12:32

was a successful. After losing

12:34

twenty five million pounds in total on

12:37

the passenger business between nineteen, Sixty One

12:39

and Sixty seven, Basil had now managed

12:41

to reduce those losses to zero. And

12:44

with the maiden voyage of the Q

12:46

E to scheduled for Nineteen sixty nine,

12:48

he hoped to finally moved to north

12:51

passenger service from merely breaking even and

12:53

into profitability. In.

12:57

The summer of Ninety Six year one

13:00

frustration at least still preyed on basil

13:02

small pieces mind. Four. Months he

13:04

had been in negotiations with the

13:06

Australian Government over the purchase of

13:08

a stake in few Nord Cargo

13:10

subsidiary Port Line Australia Secretary of

13:12

Trade and Industry Allen Western at

13:14

seem to like the idea when

13:16

Basil suggested it was a proposal

13:18

had gotten repeatedly delayed by political

13:20

wrangling. Finally, In August,

13:22

Nineteen Sixty eight, Basil heard from the

13:24

Australian government and camera and it wasn't

13:26

good news. Allen Westerman informed

13:29

Basil that Australia would not be

13:31

taking a stake in Cunard. In

13:33

the proposed deal, Q Nord would still have owned

13:35

the majority of the port line and the ships

13:38

would have sailed under a bridge splashed. That

13:40

was now against government policy. Basil.

13:43

Was disappointed, but only briefly because

13:45

he realized there was work around.

13:48

It. Would involve the Associated

13:50

Container Transportation Consortium. The.

13:53

A C T was the joint venture

13:55

he forms and nineteen Sixty six at

13:57

for the resources of several different British

13:59

shipping companies. Share the costs of

14:01

transitioning the cargo industry to container

14:03

ships. And. Several of the companies

14:05

involved in the a city had an interest

14:07

in trade to Australia. So. The

14:09

A C T had formed a separate

14:12

venture called the Associated Container Transportation Australia

14:14

or A C T A and it

14:16

was this group that was battles ticket

14:18

to a partnership with Israeli government. So.

14:21

Long as an Australian shipping company was

14:23

allowed to join the conglomerate and at

14:26

least one of it's container ships sailed

14:28

under in Australian flag and the Australian

14:30

government was happy to join the A

14:32

C T. And. This partnership

14:34

wouldn't only involved shipping to and from Britain.

14:37

Israeli government also agree to include trade

14:39

between Australia and North America and the

14:41

deal. As was a big win for

14:44

Basil. Previously. British carriers had

14:46

only had a weak position on these routes.

14:48

For now, she had been given an

14:51

entry into a rapidly expanding market. By

14:54

the time the partnership with his trillion government

14:56

was made official and had been nearly two

14:58

years since Basil first approached Allen West. From

15:00

so now, Basil had just to hope that

15:02

he would be worth the wait. In

15:05

the meantime he had another pressing matters a deal

15:07

with on the passenger side of the business. The

15:10

old Queen Mary had already left Cunard service

15:12

and been sold off to the city of

15:14

Long Beach, California. Now, after

15:16

a final summer on the North Atlantic,

15:18

it was time for the marry sister

15:20

ship, the Queen Elizabeth to follow her

15:22

into retirement. She. To have been

15:25

bought by Americans and her new home was to

15:27

be the City of Philadelphia. The. Queen

15:29

Elizabeth retirement was a poignant memory for

15:31

many to nord. The iconic

15:33

liner represented the glory days for company

15:35

and for two decades she had been

15:37

the largest passenger ship afloat anywhere in

15:40

the world and was still a shining

15:42

example of luxury Transatlantic travel. And it's

15:44

nice. But. The

15:46

Queen Elizabeth and her older sister Queen

15:48

Mary were tied to Britain's history by

15:50

more than just their commercial operations. Both

15:53

ships had served diligently during world War

15:55

Two. And at the end of

15:58

that conflict, their contribution to the war effort

16:00

had been summed up by none other than

16:02

Sir Winston Churchill himself, who said bill for

16:04

the Arts of Peace and to link the

16:06

old World with a new The Queen's challenge

16:08

the fury of Hitlerism in the Battle of

16:11

the Last at a speed never before realized

16:13

and more, they carried over a million men

16:15

to defend the liberties of civilization, to those

16:17

who contributed to the success of our operations

16:19

in the years apparel, and to those who

16:21

brought these two great ships into existence. Of

16:24

World owes a debt that it will not

16:26

be easy to measure. On.

16:28

November Six, Nineteen Sixty eight,

16:30

the Queen Elizabeth officially retired

16:32

from Cunard. Surface. The

16:34

next day, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother,

16:36

the one the ship was named after,

16:38

visited Southampton to bid her namesake a

16:40

final farewell. Accompanied by the

16:42

queue Nord board, the Queen Mother had

16:44

lunch in the ship's veranda drill, a

16:47

popular spot where countless celebrities and English

16:49

nobility had died during the twenty years

16:51

the ship had spent crisscrossing the Atlantic.

16:53

Basil was at this lunch but he

16:55

had a little time for nostalgia for

16:57

sharing stories of the past. It was

16:59

to Nord future that Basil was most

17:02

concerned with that depended non on the

17:04

Queen Elizabeth where Huey to. As

17:06

or expected the new line or to begin her sea

17:08

trials and less than a month. To

17:11

be arrested following Summer was travel

17:13

season the North Atlantic. But

17:15

as this deadline approached as I began to

17:18

worry. Concerning research a possible

17:20

to ways were emerging from the

17:22

shipyard in Scotland. As soon

17:24

Basil would discover that a new

17:26

Kunar ship was and just and

17:29

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19:04

the early hours of December Twenty

19:06

Eighth, Ninety Six Beers and Basil

19:08

Small pieces home in London. Seven

19:10

weeks after the retirement of Rms

19:12

Queen Elizabeth's Wearing his pajamas and

19:14

a road, Basil hangs up the

19:16

phone in the hallway, rubs his

19:18

eyes, His wife,

19:20

Kay has only recently returned from the

19:23

hospital after being diagnosed with an incurable

19:25

blood disease. Now. Basil has

19:27

been informed that the engines on the new

19:29

Kiwi to have failed during a test crews

19:31

to the Canary Islands. It's an emergency and

19:34

Basil must decide whether or not to leave

19:36

his sick wise to attend to them. Basil

19:39

pads down the hallway to the bedroom to

19:41

check. Yeah, okay. She. Seems to

19:43

be sleeping and Basil was about a

19:46

tip to away. When K calls out

19:48

Suzanne no one wrong number you you

19:50

go back to flee to typically stay

19:53

on the phone with wrong numbers for

19:55

ten minutes. Ah, you're awake. Death I'm

19:57

sorry it's okay. Hey,

20:00

turns on the bedside light tanks.

20:02

So who was. It was

20:04

the captain of the Kiwi to there's been

20:06

a malfunction. Five. Days earlier

20:08

the Kiwi to set off from Britain on

20:10

a test voyage to the Canary Islands off

20:12

the coast of Africa. Hundreds.

20:14

Of soon our staff and their families were

20:17

invited on both as a thank you for

20:19

all their efforts and as an opportunity to

20:21

troubleshoot any problems on Port. But.

20:23

These first passengers were horrified by what

20:25

they found. Some. Cabins, crew

20:28

quarters and public lounges where still

20:30

unfinished and tools, lumber and dust

20:32

were everywhere. Now though, it

20:34

seems that there are more than just cosmetic

20:36

problems with the new ship, There's been

20:38

a malfunction. Something to do with answers are

20:40

telling her to Las Palmas. No one seems

20:43

know what the issue is yet, but it's

20:45

so bad they think we may have to

20:47

reject delivery. K pushes

20:49

herself up and bad the looks of

20:51

Basil with concern. Oh darling, I'm sorry.

20:54

And while me to fly out tomorrow for a board

20:56

me. To leave you here

20:58

I see. Okay, I'll be all right. Hey,

21:00

you're not well I can manage. I'm just

21:02

gonna tell the board to fix it with

21:05

a facile know you're not. Basil

21:08

size his wife knows him to well well.

21:10

I do trust them with most things you

21:13

know. If it were anything else but accused

21:15

to it's so important to a seizure, the

21:17

company. Dazzled. Look, if you don't

21:19

go of, have to listen to your constant

21:21

phone calls and watch you pace around the

21:24

house all day anyway. So please go deal

21:26

with it, then come back to me. As

21:29

a looks into is why size adoring.

21:31

Ah thank you for science is hardly

21:33

the first time I've had to compete

21:35

with a ship for your attention. Basil

21:37

smiles He's glad his wife has a

21:39

loss for sense of humor. She pulls

21:41

back the covers and swings her legs

21:43

and a bit of com os much.

21:45

Pack your sex. Sure we could sleep

21:47

of see more hours. At least know

21:49

darling. Fetch her suitcase you have a

21:51

shift a rescue. Later.

21:55

That very morning, Basil small piece boarding a

21:57

flight for the Canary Islands where the crippled

22:00

Q E To waited in court. As

22:02

Basil watch the see slide die beneath the

22:04

window of his plane, he wondered what he'd

22:06

find on board the new line or when

22:08

he arrived. From what he could possibly say

22:10

to the dozens of reporters who had traveled

22:12

with the shift to Las Palmas and we're

22:14

now expecting answers, When.

22:19

Basil small piece landed in Las Palmas.

22:21

He boarded the unfinished Kiwi to and

22:24

went straight to the Card Room on

22:26

the quarterdeck for a meeting with the

22:28

company's other senior executives. The Card Room

22:30

at least had shares dissidents. they were

22:32

a luxurious greens waved a compliment to

22:34

sell to the rosewood card tables. But.

22:37

Even here, Basil thought he detected a thin

22:39

coating of construction dust on the furniture. The

22:41

sound of worth going on elsewhere in the

22:44

ship couldn't be ignored. While.

22:46

The board discussed what the company should do

22:48

You Nerds Engineers worked with the makers of

22:50

Kiwi To in order to determine the cause

22:52

of the engine failure. They. Say

22:54

couldn't figure out the problem. Que Nord would

22:56

have to refuse delivery of the shifts to

22:59

withhold all future payments to the shipbuilders. This

23:01

would be disastrous. Basil had

23:04

expected to Kiwi to to begin commercial

23:06

service and under two weeks. A.

23:08

Maiden crews on January Tenth, nineteen,

23:10

sixty Nine have been heavily promoted

23:12

and press. And the kiwi

23:14

to wasn't ready in time. It would mean

23:16

that advertising had been a complete waste and

23:18

all the tickets sold would have to be

23:20

refunded. The. Board meeting

23:22

and chewy to courtroom lasted eight hours

23:25

before finally wrapping up at four in

23:27

the morning. There. Was no positive

23:29

news though. As. Well as the

23:31

engine problems. Basil was told that eighty

23:34

five cabins on board were still entirely

23:36

unfinished, and there were countless minor defects

23:38

elsewhere that needed correct. Worst

23:41

fear was coming true to eat

23:43

to with sense to cancel was

23:45

heavily advertised. Maiden voyage. After.

23:48

Snatching a few hours rest and nine

23:50

thirty am, Basil held a press conference

23:52

to brief the media on board. About

23:54

one it's He told reporters that Cunard

23:56

would refuse to take delivery of the

23:59

ship as planned on January first, Nineteen

24:01

Sixty Nine, saying under no circumstances are

24:03

we prepared to send a Kiwi to

24:05

on a commercial boys until we are

24:07

satisfied that the standard she can offer

24:09

or what she was designed for. Battles.

24:12

Words were quickly relate to the crew of the

24:15

Kiwi to. The. News wasn't so

24:17

terrible for the stats. They would be

24:19

retained on standby whistle pay. But

24:21

their salaries were another sunk costs for

24:23

Cunard. In. Total, the company stood

24:26

to lose over half a million pounds

24:28

as a result of this debacle. Quill

24:30

went of over thirty million dollars today.

24:33

So. As the Kiwi to limp back

24:35

to England at two thirds her usual

24:37

cruising speed, the ship's prize delay made

24:39

newspaper headlines around the world. Luckily.

24:41

For Basil and Cunard, most reports were

24:44

sympathetic to the coming and blamed the

24:46

shipbuilders for the issues. Basil.

24:48

And Cunard had made it clear they would not accept

24:50

the new ship in it's current state. So.

24:53

With June our future as well as the

24:55

reputation of shipbuilding in Britain on the line,

24:57

the shipbuilders immediately set to work. It

25:00

was determined that the fall was in the

25:02

turbine blades and issue that should have been

25:04

caught in early stages of testing. Still,

25:07

The shipbuilders assured Basil that the delay would

25:09

only be a few months ui to would

25:11

finally be ready in late April. A Sixty

25:13

nine. Basil. Was relieved

25:15

but still nervous. April would

25:18

be just in the nick of time for the

25:20

summer travel season. Any further delay

25:22

would be comes from. This.

25:25

Time However, the ship makers delivered on

25:27

their prompts. The turbine blades

25:29

were fixed and the unfinished sevens completed.

25:32

Sui. To than made another shakedown through

25:34

to the Canary Islands in April Nineteen

25:36

Sixty nine. This time, the new Queen

25:38

past her test with. Last

25:41

que Nord agreed to take delivery of

25:44

the sixty five thousand tons ships ready

25:46

for her maiden Transatlantic voyage when May.

25:48

Second. Despite. All the

25:50

problems, Basil was delighted with a seventy

25:53

million dollar liners and constantly declared that

25:55

the Kiwi To was the most superb

25:57

example of the shipbuilders craft the world

25:59

has. See. The. Day

26:01

before the liners departure from England,

26:03

Queen Elizabeth the Second visited her

26:05

namesake and Southampton. She. Met

26:07

with basil Cunard officers and the ship's

26:09

crew. Battle. Was delighted. He

26:12

felt that the Cleans visit was the

26:14

best possible send off the new ship

26:16

to have and the next morning the

26:18

to set sail for America was fifteen

26:20

hundred paying passengers on board. When.

26:23

She reached New York five days later.

26:25

The Kiwi To was welcomed by a

26:27

flotilla a small ships by fire about

26:29

shooting sprays of water to my to

26:31

tears of thousands pharmacist. Countless whistles and

26:34

horns echo through the harbor as the

26:36

new line or follow the root of

26:38

her famous predecessors up the Hudson River

26:40

to the King are dust. Huey

26:43

Twos maiden voyage had gone off without

26:45

a hitch, and over the summer of

26:47

nineteen Sixty Nine, two nights new flagship

26:49

completed eleven more round voyages across the

26:51

Atlantic, each one at a profit and

26:54

old Queens of the Atlantic were gone.

26:56

For now, a new Queen rule the

26:58

waves. The.

27:03

Sui to was not. You know it's

27:05

only important maiden voyage and May Nineteen

27:07

Sixty nine. At. The end of

27:09

the month, the first container ship of the

27:11

A C T consortium set off on it's

27:13

inaugural trip from Europe to Australia. It.

27:16

Was a momentous occasion the result of years

27:18

of hard work and millions of pounds of

27:20

investment for Basil. It was a long awaited

27:23

step into the future for the cargo side

27:25

of tonight's business. And as more

27:27

container ships were delivered serving more roots around

27:30

the globe, he was confident that the A

27:32

C T could only grow. And

27:34

it was Cunard share of the revenues from the

27:36

A C T. The help the company to it's

27:39

best results in over a decade. And

27:41

nineteen Sixty Nine to Nord posted total

27:43

profits of three million pounds. Basil.

27:46

Was over the moon. Is short

27:48

term costs cutting had been painful. It

27:50

specially for the three thousand and Cunard

27:52

employees would lost their jobs for. Basil

27:55

had successfully kept the business going until

27:57

his long term strategies could pay off.

28:00

The threat of bankruptcy had hovered over

28:02

Que Nord for years now. Though the

28:04

company could pay off more that loan

28:06

with the government, Basil was at least

28:08

confident that he found a way for

28:11

the century old shipping from to survive

28:13

in the jet age. But while he

28:15

celebrated these successes, Basil remain cautious You

28:17

nods. Profit margins were still slender and

28:20

it's cash reserves were week. He knew

28:22

a slump in either the passenger or

28:24

cargo markets and leave the company vulnerable.

28:26

In battle moses to

28:28

know. To So for now when you

28:31

learn from his time at the company set,

28:33

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Five Hundred Five Hundred That's

29:27

audible.com/wonder He Pod or just

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wondering Pod to five Hundred

29:32

hundred. It's

29:48

July nineteen seventy soon, Arts headquarters in

29:51

London. Over a year out. in a

29:53

maiden voyage of the Kiwi to Basil,

29:55

Small Piece makes his way down a

29:57

hallway and enters the office of his.

30:00

Finance Director Cunard Deputy Chairman still have.

30:02

Surely Basil was com the hear the

30:04

latest forecast from the company's accountants. After

30:07

last year's profits of three million pounds,

30:09

Basil was hopeful that you nor can

30:11

at least maintain his performance. He treats

30:13

Philip enthusiastically as he takes the sci

30:16

fi. Been waiting all morning to hear

30:18

some good news. Well. Perhaps you

30:20

should come back this afternoon and after

30:22

you've heard some good news elsewhere I

30:24

don't want to sound you're not trying

30:27

to take my expectations down a notch,

30:29

are you. I'm afraid know. Because.

30:31

I'm not expecting a miracle, even just a

30:33

modest increase, well, I'm afraid is quite the

30:35

opposite, the best was not an increase in.

30:38

Basil Space Drops. He's.

30:40

Never been one to overreact, but he

30:43

can't help like few and he's been

30:45

punched in the got. Unfortunately, our December

30:47

projections have not come to pass. Both

30:50

passenger and cargo figures are now, and

30:52

we've had to revise harassment significantly. How

30:56

much on the cargo side were down

30:58

on the streamers and years was slanted?

31:00

Cargo was. First

31:04

posted the numbers we hopefully found no, but

31:06

she needs a little more promotion. The Americans

31:09

have to get to know her as crucial

31:11

as well as a liner and that's that's

31:13

going to take some time. Now. Yes,

31:15

but a long as sort of it is.

31:18

We're currently predicting profits one million pounds lower

31:20

than last year, and I think there's a

31:22

serious risk we undershoot even that. Looking

31:25

at these trends to be frank Basil, I

31:27

wouldn't rule out another operating loss community or.

31:30

Basil. Stare straight ahead for a moment.

31:32

Looking had nothing in particular. Will

31:34

try to find some words of comfort.

31:37

Bless! This is what the shipping industry

31:39

is like is Annette, it's cyclical. Were

31:41

not the only ones suffering. I know

31:43

their been job losses at Piano for

31:45

instance. for for states to have rather

31:47

larger reserves than us, how to make

31:49

such. As more

31:52

trends and with a basil I'm

31:54

sorry. I wish I'd better

31:56

news the share price. And

32:00

that will leave us vulnerable as this goes on

32:03

to take over. Has. Recently

32:05

profitable company where the hard yards or

32:07

reform have been done. Going through a

32:09

temporary diff. If I were one of

32:11

those circling sharks I might try to

32:13

take a by myself. So what I

32:15

so what do you suppose we should

32:17

do? Well in all honesty, so of

32:19

I just don't know. My.

32:23

Nineteen Seventy Basil small piece.he

32:26

had effectively restored you Nord

32:28

to operational sustainability. But.

32:30

It sounds report in July of that year

32:32

show that even Vassals best efforts might not

32:34

be enough. Having home Cunard

32:36

back from the brink, Basil now

32:38

seems powerless to stop itself. and

32:41

slumber was dishonest. Over.

32:46

The next several months, Basil small piece

32:48

kept a close eye on tonight's price.

32:51

He. Had long had a difficult relationship

32:53

with Cunard shareholders. When. He

32:55

first arrived at the company's many had regarded

32:57

him as a novice and airlines man who

33:00

had no business and shipping. Later he was

33:02

criticized for not paying out more and dividends

33:04

from the sale of assets. But.

33:06

When Cunard shares hit recent record

33:09

prices, those critics had been mostly

33:11

silenced. By. Basil knew he

33:13

had few loyal allies among the

33:15

shareholders. As Cunard finances declined further

33:17

over the course of nineteen seventies,

33:19

it's stock price sank lower and

33:21

lower. Vassals predicts front down of

33:23

the woodwork once again. By.

33:26

January Nineteen seventy one few nord share price

33:28

had dropped by more than. Basil.

33:31

Knew that such a deep would make you

33:33

Nord very attractive to investors looking to take

33:35

over the complaints and that many of to

33:37

Nord shareholders would support such a move. And

33:39

in June of Nineteen seventy once

33:41

Basil Spheres became reality. He

33:44

received a message from the Chairman of

33:46

Trafalgar House Investments asking for a meeting.

33:49

Trafalgar House was a property and construction

33:51

conglomerate, but it was looking to diversify.

33:53

It's and Cunard seem to be the

33:55

perfect fit to. Father offered a buyout

33:57

you nord at a price of one

33:59

pound. Eighty five pounds per share. Basil.

34:02

Wanted to oppose the bit, but his advisors

34:04

told him that the only way to convince

34:06

shareholders to reject it takes over was if

34:08

he could show that the company's prospects were

34:11

so bright that a higher share price could

34:13

be achieved without the same. But.

34:15

Company's own internal report showed that profits

34:17

and the years to come were likely

34:19

to be meager at best. And

34:21

these circumstances there was little basil to do

34:23

but try to achieve the best price possible

34:25

for the company. He. Managed to

34:28

increase to foreigners bid by thirty pence

34:30

to two pounds, ten percent, which Basil

34:32

still thought was a bargain when he

34:34

couldn't stop the deal going through. On

34:37

August Twenty fifth. Nineteen Seventy One. More

34:39

than one hundred thirty years after Samuel

34:41

Kunar began carrying mail and passengers across

34:43

the Atlantic by steamships, the company that

34:45

bore his name. So that last board

34:48

meeting as an independent from. Shortly.

34:52

After the acquisition, most of the

34:54

senior managers who had overseen Cunard

34:56

turnaround lost their jobs. Basil.

34:59

Stayed on as a member of the new

35:01

board for five months before he to last.

35:04

The similarities between battles time in

35:06

the airlines and shipping industry is

35:08

frustrated. At. Both B O

35:10

A C N sooner spaz or

35:12

had helped restore profitability. And

35:14

at both Southerners to been forced out before he felt

35:16

his work was done. Still, Basil

35:19

took immense pride in the achievements of the seven

35:21

years he spent. A cute. Not.

35:23

All his decisions have been popular and he

35:25

was dubbed Captain Courageous by some in the

35:27

English press for the bravery of his leadership.

35:30

But. He has successfully reshaped of failing company

35:32

and given it a chance to thrive

35:35

in a new post Jet era. The.

35:37

Same could not be said so many of Soon

35:39

arts old rivals on the North Atlantic. They.

35:42

Did not survive the technological disruption caused

35:44

by the jet engine. United

35:46

States Line stop carrying passengers and Nineteen

35:49

Sixty Nine and the French Wine became

35:51

defunct in Nineteen Seventy Six. The.

35:54

Cunard Line, however, lives on to this

35:56

day under the ownership of the American

35:58

Crews conglomerate Corner. The company

36:00

has changed since the days of Basil

36:02

Small Piece. You nor no longer operate

36:04

any cargo ships and Carnivals tenure has

36:06

seen the retirement of the Kiwi to

36:08

after almost forty years of service. But

36:11

there are still three modern to nord

36:13

Queens of see Queen Elizabeth and the

36:15

Queen Victoria cruise ships, and the last

36:17

true ocean liner in the world, the

36:20

Queen Mary to. The. Fleet is

36:22

set to grow again though in two thousand

36:24

and twenty four with the addition of tonight's

36:26

newest cruise ship, the state of the art

36:28

six hundred million Dollars Queen A. Each

36:31

of these grants ships boasts a

36:33

sleek black hole and white mind

36:35

was instantly recognisable. Cunard read: These.

36:38

Ships and all who sale

36:40

in them owe a debt

36:43

of gratitude to Panels Offs

36:45

And the face of rapid

36:47

technological change change that threatened

36:49

to destroy his company, Basil

36:51

adapted to Nord, evolved into

36:53

Nord Service. From

36:56

wonder exists as episode for students to

36:58

not awful lot for business on the

37:00

next episode rider and still make the

37:02

David Allen discusses the golden age of

37:04

the ocean liner and how passengers sitting

37:07

has continued to evolve since poses for

37:09

hims me. If

37:16

you'd like to learn more about Basil

37:18

Small Piece and Que North we recommend

37:20

of Comets and Cleans by Basil Small

37:22

Piece The Only Way To Cross by

37:25

John Maxed and Graham and Transatlantic by

37:27

Stephen Foster. A quick note about our

37:29

dramatizations in most cases we can't know

37:31

Everything that happened for all our reenactments

37:33

are based on historical research is as

37:35

Movers is hosting at It It's executive

37:37

produced by Need Lindsey Graham for Harrison.

37:40

Audio editing by Mohammed Shami. Sound design

37:42

by Molly Band. Music My Lindsey Graham

37:44

says episode is written and. Research I

37:46

couldn't have Mongol executive producers are William

37:48

Since and for Airship and Aaron affairs

37:51

Gen. Our Beckman and Marshall Louis. for

37:53

one. Was

37:59

like yo was cool You four hundred

38:01

twenty foot vertical speedway three largest I

38:03

saw stretch Savvy. that driver go for

38:05

maximum acceleration of the storm, measure that

38:08

you got a short straightaway to push

38:10

from zero to seventy four and a

38:12

first vertical speedway. From what about the

38:14

role Rollback Ossetia for an explosive reverse

38:16

climb? Four Hundred Twenty Been Guy Zero

38:18

Zero. Geez. In total weightlessness, Four hundred

38:21

twenty feet of straight up space. Let's

38:23

get it through the Was Thompson fast

38:25

as prevalent Stratocaster is your to avoid.

38:27

Dot Com.