Grand comes from the French word; Grandeur and can stand for so much, personally I relate the word with people, grand people – a bit difficult for me to use for this challenge, because I haven’t met all the people I think is Grand yet.
So the only thing came to my mind to illustrate Grand is my old working responsibility, Stena Voyager. One of the 3 biggest and fastest high speed sea services in the world with an in-service speed of 40 knots (75 km/h) and big as the old London Wembley Stadium. A grandness that cost £69/$113/€82/733SEK millions to make come true.
I know, I can be such sad and boring person at times and also I have used Voyager already for the subject; Masterpiece. For me Grand and Masterpiece goes hand in hand here.
For over 10 years this grand craft was my passion and headach. Also because it was so Grand to work with this grandness and the people I worked with through the years on two HSS’s in UK are so GRAND too!
Name: Stena Voyager
Owner: Stena Recycling
Operator: N/A
Port of registry: London
Route: Belfast–Stranraer (GB)
Builder: Finnyards, Finland
Laid down: May 1995
Launched: February 1996
Completed: June 1996
In service: June 1996–2011
Status: Sold for scrap
Class & type: HSS 1500
Tonnage: 19,638 GT
Length: 126.6 m (415 ft 4 in)
Beam: 40.0 m (131 ft 3 in)
Draught: 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Installed power: 2 × General Electric LM2500
2 × General Electric LM1600
Propulsion: Combined gas and gas (COGAG)
Four Kamewa Type S waterjets
Capacity: 1,500 passengers
375 cars
800 car-lane metres (info; http://en.wikipedia.org)
In April this year HE came to Landskrona, Sweden to be 100% recycled, just like me – the grand times for a grand product is over; a fallen Grandeur!
My photos are taken from my last visit aboard – 23th of May 2013.
“Illusions of grandeur are not the same
as visions of greatness”.
Edwin Louis Cole
Why not enter the challenge your self or check out more Grand-ness; Weekly Photo Challenge: Grand
myguiltypleasures 
I don’t get tired of His grandness! 🙂
You are such a sweetheart …. *smile Really miss him and when I sailed on vessels that has replaced Him a couple of weeks ago, the crew miss him too.
Great work and music indeed Vivi!
Thanks for your fantastic support.
Very cool 😀 I would want to go for a ride on it 😀
It was truly cool … and our guests loved it.
I bet you everyone had a grand time as a passenger/guess of that great boat.
Bebs, people loved it … but when it didn’t sail because of high waves – the tune was different. *smile
Have a wonderful weekend.
I had a feeling you would choose the Voyager for this Challenge Viveka! I can imagine the grand times you had on that craft 🙂
I’m so boring – but on the other hand I know so many entries will be about grand nature and buildings.
Also I have still problems to sit for a longer period, so it has to be done quickly.
Yes, our guests truly loved it and so did we that worked with those crafts. A magnificent product and service.
I wish you a great weekend, Madhu.
You too Viveka! Hope you feel better soon.
I love it every time you write about your work at Stena Line and your passion for this craft, not boring at all! Grand post, I would say 😉 Take good care, “simma lugnt”!
Tack, det samma till Dig … *ler
Those HSS was such an unique product that we offered our guests – so we all was so passionate about it. Nothing like it out there.
I have always been passionate about me working for Stena Line, loved my work – where ever they sent me. I worked with them for nearly 35 years. A Grand company, but the best years I was lucky to get.
It was amazing… I can imagine how beautiful memories… I loved them all dear Viveka, Thanks and Love, nia
Nia, yes … we had hard tough and long working days at times, but we was so proud over “our” craft.
That vessel is calling to me, Vivi. I’d love to’ve been there. Hugs, dear one 🙂
Jo, if HE had still been around … I would invite you aboard for a trip .. FREE!
Such grand music to go with your pics of this great vessel, Viveka. I do believe that you really love this ship. 🙂
Sylvia, it was my baby (a massive one), easy to love .. I was there from the first plans. I loved to work with craft – so unique and because our guests loved it.
I knew you would choose Him for this one…I knew you had to. I bet you two together were invincible, made for each other. Ended up in Landskrona together too. As you hinted at before – maybe all this was meant to be. I never tire of your stories from your time with Him or at sea – I do think we all love them!
A-C, yes we had a great relationship … HE was easy to love, expect when HE was allowed sailing because of too high waves and guests stranded on the quayside. I would say that 99% of everyone working aboard Voyager loved it. Such a Grand product .. so smooth and fast, but days full of stress.
Still here looks intact on a distance, but don’t know when they start to take HIM on the outside too.
Its a wonderful ship, a wonderful story and a wonderful set of photos. I remember your last post and this was a)not a duplicate and b)well worth repeating! Excellent choices.
Tina, I felt I duplicated a bit .. but I also felt that this time is the last time for HIM! Time to let go, but I really love working with him and so did everyone else. And our guests loved him too.
Thanks for your support.
Grandeur for sure …. and seeing its use of GE engines made me smile …. after all, they are linked to Cincinnati.
Yes, I think the craft had parts from all over the world – some Rolls-Roy parts to *smile
Just the best travel experience in the fast lane on sea.
FYI: The GE Jet Engine headquarters are here … I’m sure you know, but many don’t know that big marine engines are modified airplane engines.