History of P&O from 1815 to 1954 [Archive]

Pompeyfan

14th November 2005, 20:44

The history of the P&O is from my own notes used to on Arcadia from 1973 to 1975 when writing in her crew newspaper Arcadus. I covered all shipping matters in my spare time as Hospital Attentant including the history of P&O and Cunard during that time. This will be more than I could write on the ship because my notes in those days were long hand although Arcadus was of course typed in the Pursers Office and edited by the captain. After this history, I will cover the first 21 years of Arcadia when we arranged a 21st birthday for her along with passengers and crew when we did a special 21st birthday editon of Arcadus and all the famous people she had carried to date.

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART ONE

In 1815, Brodie McGhie Wilcox opened an office in Lime Street London, and started a business as a shipbroker and commission agent. During the first year, he employed Arthur Anderson as a clerk. Arthur had served in the Royal Navy. Then in 1822, when the firm of Wilcox and Anderson running small sailing vessels to the Iberian Peninsular, Anderson was made a partner. Some years later, during the civil wars in Portugal and Spain, Wilcox and Anderson gave their support to the Queen of each country and at the conclusion of the wars were invited to to establish steamship communication with the Iberian Peninsular. Thus in 1837, the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was founded. A contract was signed with the Admiralty to carry Her Majesty's mails as far as Gibralta. In 1838 six steamers were chartered to give a fortnightly service. Two of them, the Don Juan and Tagus were the largest and most powerful steamships afloat at the time. Later, Wilcox and Anderson received a further contract to carry mails between England and Egypt, out of which came the incorporation by royal charter in December 1840. Now known by it's present title with Oriental added, an extension of the Line reached India two years later. Steamships were sent out to run eastwards from Suez. The connection between Suez and Alexandria, the terminal from England, was overland by camels and also small P&O steamers operating parts of the River Nile and a small connecting canal. In 1848 a further extension was made running ships between India and Hong Kong.

The Australian Service was inaugurated by the first Chusan in 1852, a barque-rigged, iron screw steamer leaving Southampton on 15th May 1852 arriving in Sydney via Melbourne on 3rd August 80 days later. Her first call was at St Vincent, Cape Verde Islands for bunkers. She arrived there on 27th May having made the passage at an average speed of 8.33 knots. Leaving on the 30th May she arrived at Cape Town on the 25th June sailing four days later. Her sails were used in conjunction with her engines. The Formosa followed Chusan on the Australian service and both vessels then ran on the Singapore/Australian service connecting with liners from England at Singapore. In December 1852, the Formosa was transferred to the Calcutta/China service and was replaced by Shanghai. I can't end this episode without a mention of William Fawcett. Passengers and crew on Canberra will have seen a model of her outside the large public room named after her. This wooden paddle steamer, built in 1828, was only chartered to P&O. She was lengthened in by fifteen feet in 1832.

A full list of the P&O fleet to 1954 will appear in the final episode. But before then, a history of most of these vessels will follow such as the 'R' class steamers in 1880 'S' class 1901/02 and so on. I will try to keep each episode quite short otherwise it may get too boring. But it is also easier for me not to write too much at once!. David Cole

Jeff Egan

15th November 2005, 12:57

David I read your Thread with great interest and look forward to the next instalment, you certainly seem to have a great love of P & O. Please dont take this the wrong way but why did you give it all up after such a short time at sea for a career in Morbid Anatomy.

Pompeyfan

15th November 2005, 14:25

The wife made me give it up Jeff. It certainly wasn't my choice. I was away too long at a time, and she couldn't put up with it. Then when I did give it up she left me holding the baby. Litterally. But I still needed to earn a crust of bread so in between being a single parent I qualified in morbid anatomy. Thanks for your comments on the history. Next episode soon. Off for my afternoon kip now!. David

Jeff Egan

15th November 2005, 14:43

It wasn't easy in those day being married and at sea, weeks and weeks with no contact, I suppose it's a little easier today with comunications so much better. looking forward to the rest of the history.

Pompeyfan

15th November 2005, 21:15

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART TWO

In 1864 a mail service was started between China and Yokohama Japan, and by 1870 a year after the opening of the Suez Canal, the P&O fleet numbered 43 ships of 80,000 tons with five more building. With interests now spanning nearly half the world the company kept its leading position in shipping affairs by an almost continuous building programme not hesitating to replace old ships with new.

I will show both a history of events covering just about all the ships year by year with a full fleet list at the end.

Hardly a year went by without some new vessel entering service. However, not only were there new ships but expansions continued to takes place in the form of interest in other companies. To mention a few these include the Orient Line, British India Steam Navagation Co Ltd, Federal Steam Navagation Co Ltd, General Steam Navagation Co Ltd and the New Zealand Shipping Line. In both world wars the ships of the P&O fleet saw service in all quarters of the world as cargo ships, troop transports and Armed Merchant Cruisers. Their loss of personnel and ships were heavy, and the sinking of Rawalpindi in her last action with superior German forces is but one of many stories of British Merchants Ships in war. She was sunk on 23rd November 1939 by the German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in the North Atlantic. In this action, Rawalpindi gained imperishable glory, and her commander Catain E, C, Kennedy, R.N. was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

THE SHIPS BETWEEN THE WAR AND AFTER

Before I detail each ship from 1837, we will concentrate on the ships between wars and after. The Naldera of 15,993 gross tons was under construction during the first world war but was not completed until 1918. Two years later, her sister ship, the Narkunda of 16,227 gross tons joined her on the Australian passenger service. They were three funnelled ships owned by P&O. Their lines were very attractrive, and their twin quadruple expansion engines were so reliable and quick-acting that they could be manoeuvred more like tugs than ocean liners. When the 1939 war started the Naldera was no longer in the fleet. In 1940 the Narkunda was fitted as a troopship and took part in the North Africa landings, in November 1942. She was sunk by the bombs of enemy aircraft off Bougie, North Africa. The Peshawar, a cargo liner of 7,9934 tons gross was built in 1919. She was the last of the P&O ships to be sunk in the second world war, being torpedoed near madras on 23rd December 1943. The Nagpore, Lahore, Kidderpore, Jeypore and Alipore, all about 5,300 tons gross were single screw cargo liners with steam reciprocating engines built in 1920. All were torpedoed with the exception of Kidderpore as she was out of the P&O list in 1939. Mirzapore, a geared turbing steamship of 6,715 tons gross, built in 1921, was also not in the companies list in 1939. Ballarat, 13,033 tons gross and Baradine, 13,144 tons gross were twin-screw steamer guilt in 1921 for the Companies Australian Branch Service, each carrying 500, one class passengers. Thie speed was 13 knots. When the migrant trade fell off they were fitted with Bauer-Wach turbines and their coal-burning furnaces in their boilers were changed to oil-firing, increasing their speed to 17 knots on trials. This gave a comfortable service speed of 15 knots, enabling them to carry the mail on the Suez Canal route.

Pompeyfan

15th November 2005, 21:49

THE HISTORY OF THE P&O LINE 1815 TO 1954 PART THREE

In 1923 the Barrabool, Balranald and Bendigo of about 13,100 tons were added to the P&O Branch Line fleet. They were also converted later for additional speed. All five "B" class vessels were sold to ship breakers in the years immediately preceding the second world war. Moldavia, 16,436 tons gross, and Mongolia, 16,504 tons, both 551ft 6in in length were built in 1923. They were the first ships, built for P&O to be fitted with geared turbine engines. Employed on the Australian service, they were passenger liners with a speed of 16 knots. Built as one-funnelled liners, the Moldavia was fitted later with an additonal funnel, which greatly improved her appearance. The Mongolia was sold to ships breakers, and the Moldavia had changed her name to Rimutaka in 1938, and was transferred to the New Zealand Shipping Company.

Mooltan, built in 1923 by Harland and Wolff at Belfast, was 21,039 tons gross. Her dimensions were 625ft overall length, 73.4ft in breadth, 48.6ft in depth, with a loaded draught of 34ft 10ins. She carried 8,600 tons of cargo of which nearly 4,000 was refrigerated. Built for the Australian passenger and cargo service she was noted for her steadiness and comfort to passengers in all weathers. A twin-scew steamship with direct acting quadrule expansion engines, she had a Bauer-Wach exhaust turbine fitted to increase her speed. The Mooltan was taken over by the Admiralty in September 1939, and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. In the Spring of 1941, after undergoing alterations which fitted her to trooping, she made voyages to South Africa with troops for the Middle East campaign.

In September 1942, she was one of the fleet which carried Allied Forces to North Africa surviving constant attacks during the days after the landing. Then followed a steady trooping programme up to 1947 when she was handed back to her owners for reconditioning at Harland & Wolff's Belfast yard. Fitted to carry 1,030 tourist class passengers, she commenced her post-war voyages to Australia in August 1948. Arriving at Tilbury with 600 passengers from Australia on 7th January 1954, she was sold to ship breakers.

Doug Rogers

15th November 2005, 22:03

Good work David, roll on the next instalment, but I think you need to pace yourself...dont overwork the wrists and fingers in getting it out too quickly!!.

Pompeyfan

16th November 2005, 21:25

HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART FOUR

Maloja, a sister to Mooltan, was built in 1923 at Belfest by the same builders for the same service. And like Mooltan, was fitted with the Bauer-Wach exhaust turbine later in her life. Commissioned by the Admiralty in 1939 as an armed merchant cruiser, she was employed, in the main, on the North Atlantic convoy duties. She intercepted the blockade runner La Corunna, which was disguised as a Japanese merchant ship, and sunk her with valuable cargo, the officers and crew of the blockade runner being taken prisoners. In 1942, the Maloja was transferred to trooping duties.

On being handed back to her owners early in 1947 Maloja was reconditioned as a passenger liner and resumed her Australian voyages. Like Mooltan, she carried 1,030 tourist class passengers and resumed the old P&O colours - black hull and funnels with stone-coloured upperworks. Her aft mast was removed. She sailed from Tilbury on her first post-war voyage to Australia on the 10th June 1948, and ended her last voyage at Tilbury on 18th February 1954. She was sold for breaking up.

Razmak, 10,602 tons gross, was built in 1925 for the Aden - Bombay run. Her speed was over 18 knots. When this service was discontinued she was sold to a subsidiary Company, and on her new run broke the trans-Pacific record.

Cathay, 15,104 tons, Comorin, 15,116 tons and Chitral, 15,100 tons were designed for the Australian service. They were built in 1925, their twin reciprocating engines given them a service speed of 16 knots. Each were 574ft in length, 70ft in breadth. At the beginning of the war they were converted to armed merchant cruisers, Cathay serving in the Eastern seas and Comorin and Chitral on the Northern Patrol.

Comorin was lost by fire in the North Atlantic. Cathay was later converted to a troopship and was sunk by aircraft off Bougie, North Africa on the 12th November 1942 after she had landed assault troops for the North African invasion. Chitral was fitted out as a troopship in April 1944, her duties taking her to India and the Far East until February 1946. She carried on in Government service until September 1947, when she was handed back to her owners who reconditioned her to a one-calls vessel carrying migrants to Australia. She went to the breakers in 1953.

Ranpura, Ranchi, Rawalpindi and Rajputana, each 16,500 tons were built in 1925. They were twin-screw passenger liners with steam reciprocating engines that gave them a service speed of 17 knots. Carrying 4,200 tons of cargo they were employed on the India and far East service. Their length was 570ft and their breadth 71ft.

The Ranpura was taken over by the Admiralty in the war and never returned her to her owners. She became a floating naval workshop. Ranchi was the only one of four to return to the Company's service. After conversion to a one-class passenger vessel for the conveyance of 940 migrants to Australia, and Tourists class homewards, she sailed from London on her first post-war voyage on the 17th June 1948. One of her two funnels was removed, but she retained the traditional colours. Rawalpindi was sunk as already mentioned and Rajputana was torpedoed and sunk to the westward of Iceland on the 13th April 1941.

I will try to type another episode tomorrow, but will be out tomorrow evening. I find typing two episodes a day too much as the mechanics of major surgery to the chest means that sitting in one postion too long like at the computer can become very painful. The next episode will end the war period as we head towards 1954. After that it will be a detailed history of events of all the ships from 1837 followed by a complete fleet list to 1954.

Pompeyfan

17th November 2005, 11:30

HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART FIVE

Viceroy of India built in 1929, was the first ocean-going British ship to be propelled by elecricity. Her two steam turbines generated current for motors of 17,000 shaft horse power, giving her a service speed of 19 knots that could easily be exceeded. Her boiler steam pressure was 350lbs per square inch, an increase of 135lbs on previous P&O ships. She lowered the London-Bombay record with a time of 16 days 1 hour 42 minutes. One great advantage was her absolute freedom from vibration. A vessel of 19,684 tons, she was a popular passenger liner, especially on her cruises(yes, cruises were popular even in those days between line voyages!). The furniture and interior decoration in the public rooms and cabins were superb, interior designs being carried out by the late Miss Elsie Mackay, daughter of the first Lord Incape. Viceroy of India is still considered by some ship lovers to be the finest ship P&O have owned. This was until 1954 of course, but no doubt she would be high up the list even with today's luxury and technology?.

Two more large, turbo-electric passenger liners were built for the Company, after which they changed to steam propulsion by geared turbines. During the war the Viceroy of India served as a troopship and assisted in the landing of assault troops in North Africa in November 1942. She was torpedoed and sunk off Oran on the 11th November 1942.

Somali was a cargo liner built in 1930 of 6,809 tons gross. A single screw steamship her engines were of quadruple expansion, reciprocating type, with the additional main drive shaft of a Bauer-Wach exhaust turbine. She was lost off Blyth, in the North Sea, on the 26th March 1940, whilst commodore ship of a convoy of twenty vessels which were mostly colliers.

Soudan, of 6,677 tons gross, and a sister to Somali, was built 1931. She struck a mine of Cape Agulhas, South Africa and, sinking at once, had to be abandoned. The crew left her in three lifeboats, one being at sea in bad weather for six days before the occupants were rescued by the Clan Murray.

Strathallan, of 23,722 tons gross, and built in 1938, was sister ship of the Stratheden, which I will describe later. Strathallen was a twin screw steamship wirh geared turbines and designed for the UK/Bombay/Australia passenger service. Just before was was declared in 1939 Strathallen was cruising in Australia to the Fiji islands. She was torpedoed on the 21st December 1942 while transporting troops to North Africa having sailed from the Clyde on her second North African voyage with 4,000 British and American troops and 250 Queen Alexandra nurses. The torpedo hit the engine room, killing two engineer officers and two Indian crew immediately. No other lives were lost.

Surat was a motor cargo liner of 5,529 tons gross, built in 1938. She sailed on her maiden voyage to the Far East in December of that year. While on passage from Cape Town to Freetown she was torpedoed on 6th May 1942 when making for port.

Shillong, sister ship to Surat, built for the UK/Calcutta trade, was not completed until 1939. She was torpedoed in the North Atlantic on the 5th April 1943 when eight days out from New York on a voyage to the UK. She sank in 12 minutes. The few survivors spent eight days on a lifeboat in bitterly cold weather. Of the officers only two apprentices survived. Twenty-five of the native crew took to the lifeboat, but all died of exposure. Out of the Shillong's compliment of 78 only seven men survived, three of whom had both legs amputated. David Clowe and Allan Moore, the two apprentices, received the George Medal for their gallant conduct and leadership. Moore lost both legs and nearly all his fingers. A very gallant West County lad.

In the next chapter, I will cover the period from the end of the war to 1954. After that, a detailed history of events from 1837 of each ship. I would also appreciate some more feed back. There has been as lot of viewings but more feed back would be most welcome. I will not be in tonight so will not begin the next episode until tomorrow at the earliest. In the meantime, it woud be nice to receive comment good or bad because compling all this is very time consuming not to mention uncomfortable sitting here due to the mechanic's(as I refer to it) of chest(open heart surgery), in my case at least, when sitting for a while it feels like Mike Tyson had thumped me in the chest!. However, I don't mind putting up with a bit of discomfort if my history of P&O is being enjoyed.

Jeff Egan

17th November 2005, 12:38

Still reading David, but as Doug mentioned straining your wrists and fingers to get it out quickly is one thing but pains in your chest is a whole new ball game, pace your self we'll still be here for the next episode.

Pompeyfan

17th November 2005, 14:07

Thanks Jeff. No worries, just something I have to put up with. I am just lucky to be here despite a few aches and pains caused by the op. Couldn't fly out to Sydney now however, sitting there for about 30 hours like we used to when flying out to Arcadia on Dan Dare?!. David

Doug Rogers

17th November 2005, 21:52

Oh David how could you say such a thing, how could you not want to fly Dan Air....I would have though you would have leapt at the chance no matter how you were feeling!!.Lol. I wonder what actually happened to them?, long gone now.
I seem to think that I actually posted a picture of a Dan Air aircraft many months ago, but if you feel nostalgic you should have a look through the Gallery for it. We always travelled on a 707 rather than any other of their aircraft, assume that it would have been the only viable aircraft for those long hauls we all made.
Enjoying the history, keep it up, but dont overdo it..we all want it brought up to modern times...but its not worth making yourself sick over, so just pace it for your convenience. Your audience will be here.
Cheers..

R58484956

18th November 2005, 12:15

Dan-air absorbed by British Airways

Pompeyfan

18th November 2005, 14:13

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART SIX

Strathnaver was the first of the famous “Straths”. Launched in 1931 from the yard of Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, she was a passenger and cargo liner of 22,270 tons gross driven by turbo-electric engines developing 28,000 horse power and giving a speed of 22 knots. Her dimensions are: length 638.7ft between perpendiculars breadth 80.2ft, depth331.1ft, and loaded draught 29ft 2ins. She inaugurated the P&O passenger ship colour scheme of white hulls and upper works, and buff funnels. Built with three funnels - two were dummies – they were replaced to one, after the war, to give more deck space for passengers. In her pre-war days she was on the UK/India/Australia service. During the war, Strathnaver served with distinction as a troopship. One of her first jobs was the transporting of the famous First Australian Division from Sydney to the Middle East in January 1940. She survived an air attack Algiers Bay and many other raids including a torpedo that just missed her during her war service steaming 352,443 nautical miles carrying 128,792 service personnel.

On the 2nd November 1948 Stathnaver left Tilbury for Harland & Wolff’s yard at Belfast where she was reconditioned to carry 573 first-class passengers and 496 tourist class passengers on the UK/India/Ceylon/Australia passenger service. With the entry of the new liners, Arcadia and Iberia on the run in 1954 she, and her sister Strathaird were converted to one-class ships carrying one-class passengers.

Carthage and Corfu were sister ships built in 1931, by Alexander Stephen & Sons on the Clyde, for the Far East passenger and cargo service. They were twin screw steamships of 14,280 tons gross, fitted with geared turbines, giving a service speed of 17 knots. Their dimensions were: 543ft overall, 71ft breadth, with a draught of 29ft,8ins. 8 and three quarters in fact but I can’t find the three quarters key!. Each ship carried 6,293 tons of cargo and her post-war accommodation was for 180 first-class passengers and 213 tourist class. The Carthage was in Hong Kong on her way home from Japan when war broke out. She was diverted to Calcutta where she was converted to an armed merchant cruiser. In February 1947, she went to the Clyde to be reconditioned for her peace-time trade. Corfu was reconditioned in the same way and resumed her voyages to the Far East in February 1949. At the outbreak of war, she was also converted to an armed merchant cruiser and was equipped with eight six-inch guns. In 1941, she acted as guard ship of Addis Atol, in case of a Japanese raid. In October 1942 she was back in Belfast where she was equipped with nine new six inch guns as well as two twin four inch, and three catapult-launched “Kingfisher”aircraft.

Strathaird, a sister ship of the Strathnaver had a gross tonnage of 22,568. She was built in 1932 at the Barrow yard of Vickers Armstrong. During the war she saw service as a troopship. Early in 1948, she returned to the UK/India/Ceylon/Australia service receiving the same reconditioning as Strathnaver, including the reduction of her three funnels to one. Strathmore, launched in 1935, was also build by Vickers Armstrong of Barrow-in-Furness for the UK/India/Australia passenger service. With this ship, the company departed from the turbo-electric drive of their previous passenger liners and adopted geared turbines. They also altered the appearance of the new ship giving her one funnel instead of three. Strathmore’s gross tonnage was 23,580. She also carried out duties as a troopship, and after refitting, went back to the UK/India/Ceylon/Australia passenger service in 1949 carrying first and tourist class passengers.

Stratheden was built in 1937 again by Vickers Armstrong. Her gross tonnage was 23,732. She too was given one buff funnel. During the war she steamed 468,000 nautical miles as a troopship. Returning to her builders yard at Barrow in July 1946 she was reconverted to a passenger liner in ten months, being the first P&O liner to resume her passenger service.

Pompeyfan

18th November 2005, 23:13

HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART SEVEN

Canton, completed in 1938, was built at the yard of Alexander Stephen and Sons Ltd, Linthouse, Glasgow. Of 16,033 tons gross, she had an overall length of 563.3ft and a breadth of 73.3ft. Her loaded draught was 29ft 6ins. A twin-screw steamship. Her geared turbines of 18,500 shaft horse power gave her a speed of 18 knots. She carried 7,700 tons of measurement cargo at 50cu.ft to the ton, including 700 tons of refrigerated cargo. Canton made several pre-war voyages. In 1939, she was taken over by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. Later, she was fitted as a troopship in Cape Town. She inaugurated the post-war UK/Far East passenger service of the Company in October 1947, and was painted with a white hull and upper works, her single funnel being buff coloured. Her pre-war second class accommodation was altered to tourist class passengers.

Socotra, a motor vessel of 7,754 tons gross, was built by Barclay Curle on the Clyde in 1943. A twin screw cargo liner, her dimensions were: overall length 485.5ft, breadth 62.9ft and 28ft.1in depth. Tevose and Trevethoe, motor cargo vessels of 7,365 tons, were built for the Hain Steamship Company by William Doxford of Sunderland in 1944. Their dimensions were: overall length 444.8ft, breadth 56.5ft, and loaded draught 27ft.4ins. Tresillian, a sister ships to these ships, was built in the same year by the same builders and named Registan. All three were bought by P&O in 1946, but will still manned by Hain Line crews.

Perim, a steam turbine cargo liner of 9,550 tons gross, which was completed in 1945 by Barclay, Curle, had an overall length of 499.5ft, a breadth of 64.8ft and a loaded draught of 29ft. Pinjarra, ex Empire Paragon, built in 1944 was bought by the Company in 1946. She was a steam turbine cargo liner of 9,888 tons gross. Her length overall was 500.3ft, her breadth 64ft and her draught 29ft 8ins. Devanha, Dongola, Karmala and Khyber were second-hand ships bought in 1947. Devanha and Dongola were originally Lautoka built in 1947, and Rabaul built in 1946, and were first registered in the Fiji islands. Single screw cargo steamships, they had a gross tonnage of 7,370, and overall length of 441.5ft, a breadth of 57,2ft, and depth of 34.9ft.

Karmala and Khyber were cargo steamships bought in 1947 from the London firm J.A. Billmeir & Co Ltd and were 7,695 tons gross. Their dimensions were: length between perpendiculars 439.1ft, breadth 62.1ft, and depth 34.5ft. The Karmala was the Stanholme built in 1945; the Khyber was the Stanmore, ex Mahoney City, built in 1945.

Himalaya, was a 27,955 gross ton liner built for the UK/India/Ceylon/Australia passenger service, and was launched from the yard of Vickers Armstrong Limited at Barrow-in-Furnace on the 5th October 1948, starting her maiden voyage a year later. Ordered in January 1946, her keel was laid in April of that year. The Himalaya was a twin-screw steam turbine vessel.

When I first wrote this history on board Arcadia, I had already been aboard Himalaya as relief Hospital Attendant in 1973. My discharge book tells me I joined her on 29th April 1973 leaving her on 13th May 1973 on a cruise to the Med. I remember sitting on the hospital deck in either Ibiza of Palma listening to the FA Cup on my short wave radio when Sunderland won the cup. Having friends in Sunderland, I was almost as pleased as if Pompey had won it. We were in Ibiza on 4th May 1973, and Palma on 5th May. The master of Himalaya according to my discharge book was Captain Scott Mason. I still have the Postal Information of her two UK cruises between line voyages as I do all my ships. Port notes, the lot. I kept everything. Anyway, back to the history.

Himalaya, shared with Orcades, then of Orient lines the honour of being the largest and fastest ship in the Australian service cutting down the passage time from England to Bombay from 20 to 15 days, and England to Melbourne from 38 to 28 days. The Himalaya was the first passenger liner to have a fresh-water distillation plant installed which could supply the ship’s entire needs at an economical cost. It was the invention of Mr S.A. Smith, the P&O Engineer Advisor. Through this invention, Himalaya was able to carry 1,700 tons less water in her tanks. And therefore an additional, 1,700 tons deadweight of cargo in her holds. The total saving was approximately £1,500 on a round voyage in ten weeks.

Jeff Egan

19th November 2005, 12:34

Liked it David especially the reference to Sunderland winning the cup as a lifelong Sunderland fan and season ticket holder for the past 30 years I know exactly where I was on that day. No not Wembley I had just got home from sea and couldn't get a ticket but I watched it with my 3 week old son on my knee, he's still a Sunderland supporter. Mind you I didn't like the result in our last home game!!!!!

Pompeyfan

19th November 2005, 21:52

I assume you mean our result Jeff, not the Villa result today?!!. I have a horrible feeling we are both heading downwards. Used to come up to Sunderland a lot when on Canberra with my mate. Loved the place and the people and still look at Sunderland's results, after ours of course?!. The support of both clubs deserve top fight football.

Will continue the history of P&O tomorrow. David

Pompeyfan

20th November 2005, 12:31

HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART EIGHT

Soudan and Somali were twin-screw motor ships which were built for the express cargo service to the Far East in 1948. Of 9.080 tons gross, their overall length is 523.9ft, the breadth 67.2ft, and they loaded to a draught of 29ft.5ins. They were launched on the Clyde from Barclay Curle & Co’s yard. Their propelling machinery consisted of two sets of Barclay Curle’s Doxford opposed piston, solid-injection engines developing 13,600 brake horse power. Their speeds were 17/18 knots. The Drihold system of ventilation was fitted in their holds, its purpose being to provide complete control of humidity of the air in the cargo spaces, thus avoiding damage to cargo through condensation. The ships were of the shelter deck type and had five holds. Nearly 100,000cu.ft of space provided for refrigerated cargo and deep tanks were fitted for the carriage of vegetable oil and latex. They had a 50-ton derrick fitted at the fore mast. Twelve passengers were accommodated in each ship, in four two-berth cabins on the boat deck. The lounge was on the boat deck and the dining saloon on the deck below.

Surat (2) and Shillong (2), completed in 1948 and 1949 respectively, were similar ships to the Soudan and Somali, with the exception that they were steamships propelled by geared turbines developing 13,000 shaft horse power. They gave a service speed of 17/18 knots. Built at the Tyneside yard of Vickers Armstrong Ltd, their gross tonnage was 8,925 and 8,934 respectively; their dimensions being overall length 522ft, and breadth 67.2ft. The loaded draught of the Surat was 29ft.7ins, and that of the Shillong 29ft 6ins. They had similar accommodation for passengers as the Soudan and Somali. In the steamships the Cargocaire system of hold ventilation was fitted; otherwise cargo arrangements on all four “S” class ships were similar. The Shillong (2) the last to be launched, made her maiden voyage in 1949. Her arrival made it possible for the Company to operate an express monthly service on the UK/Far East run.

Chusan, 24,215 tons gross, was launched from Barrow-in-Furnace yard of Vickers Armstrongs Limited in June 1949. She sailed on her maiden voyage to India and China the following year. Her overall length was 672.ft, her breadth 85.2ft, and her loaded draught 29ft. She carried 474 first-class passengers and 541 tourist-class passengers, and with her white hull, two masts, single buff funnel, and streamlined bridge, made her a striking picture. She was famous in being the pioneer of the large ocean-going passenger liners to be fitted with Denny-Brown ships stabilisers for counteracting rolling. These consisted of two retracting fins, port and starboard, fitted at about the position of the bilge keel, just forward of the boiler room. When not in use, they withdrew into housings within the hull of the ship. The Chusan was a twin-screw steamship driven by single-reduction geared turbines giving a speed of 21 and a half knots. She was nearly twice the size of the company’s other vessels on the UK/Far East service twenty-five years earlier; and the speed of that ship was only 15 and a half knots.

Crew and passenger accommodation on Chusan was spread over seven decks and was of high luxury standard of the modern passenger liner.

Accommodation for the officers included a smoke room and bar on the bridge deck house. Comfortably furnished separate mess rooms and large recreation rooms were provided for the crew. No doubt some SN members who sailed on her can give more information on this?. A similar fresh water instillation as fitted in Himalaya was installed in the Chusan. She had fourteen 11-person lifeboats, two 35-person lifeboats, two 70-person lifeboats, and two 28-person emergency craft.

By the way, does anybody know where the half, quarter and 3 quarters are on the keyboard?. Some of my figures are slightly out because I do not have a clue where they are.

Jeff Egan

20th November 2005, 20:10

4 1/2, 5 3/4, 6 1/4,

Jeff Egan

20th November 2005, 20:13

Sorry about the last post David, I was trying to do fractions and pressed the wrong button

Pompeyfan

20th November 2005, 21:20

That's okay Jeff. There must be a 1/2 or 3/4 etc in small case on the keyboard where the 2 for example is directly under the 1 divided by a - ?. David

Ron Stringer

20th November 2005, 21:27

If you have MS Word, you can find the fractions in the "Symbols". Select 'Insert' and then 'Symbols' and you will be presented with a number of tables containing a host of funny characters; in one of the tables you will find fractions such as half, quarter etc.

Rgds

Ron

sam2182sw

20th November 2005, 21:34

i am looking for any info on the P.O.tanker GED FORREST ANY OF YOU LADS OUT THERE GOT ANYTHINK

Pompeyfan

20th November 2005, 21:39

Thanks Ron, you are a star. I found it. David

benjidog

20th November 2005, 22:54

Hi Pompeyfan,

Just caught up with your hitory of P&O; keep up the good work! Very interesting. I would be interested to know what you used as source material when you jotted it all down originally. Did you have access to P&O material or other textbooks? Guess it was a long time ago though.

Benjidog

Pompeyfan

20th November 2005, 23:39

Not too sure now Benjidog. Lost a lot of stuff in my last move, but not stuff from Arcadia which will include her 21st Birthday history recorded on board which you will not see in books or on the Internet. David

A Wighter

21st November 2005, 07:24

i am looking for any info on the P.O.tanker GED FORREST ANY OF YOU LADS OUT THERE GOT ANYTHINK

I think it was under Trident Management and the name was Jed Forest.
Cheers..

Pompeyfan

21st November 2005, 12:28

HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART NINE

Cannanore and Coromandel were sister ships of 7,065 tons gross. Single screw motor cargo ships, they were built by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd in 1949 for the P&O Calcutta trade. Their propelling machinery consisted of one set of Barclay Curle-Doxford opposed piston solid injection engines, developing 6,800 brake horse power and gave a service speed of 14 knots. Their dimensions were 484.5ft (overall) in length, 62.9ft in breadth, and their loaded draught was 27ft 3 ins. They were open shelter deck ships with 550,000 cubic feet of space for cargo, of which 100,000 cubic feet was available for refrigerated cargo. Single and double cabins accommodated twelve passengers, who had a comfortable lounge and dining room for their use, and ample deck space for recreation. Each ship had the old P&O colours; black hull and funnel and stone coloured upper works. They had two masts. The Cannanore started her maiden voyage in July 1949; the Coromandel four months later.

Singapore was launched from the yard of John Brown & Son at Clydebank on the 30th November 1950, for the Far East express cargo service. She was a single screw cargo liner with accommodation for twelve passengers. Her propulsion was by geared turbines, developing 13,000 horse power and giving a service speed of about 18 knots. Singapore had a gross tonnage of 9,236. Her dimensions were: overall length 522.9ft, breadth 69.2ft, and loaded draught was 29ft.6½ins. The humidity control in her cargo holds was by the Thermotank system. She commenced her maiden voyage in the summer of 1951.

Sunda was the sixth of the “S” class and was a sister ship to Singapore. Of 9,235 tons gross she had the same dimensions and a loaded draught of 29ft 6¾ins. Built by the same builders, her engines were geared turbines giving a service speed of 18 knots. She made her first voyage to the Far East in October 1952. The Drihold system of conditioned ventilation was installed in the holds. The same excellent accommodation was provided for twelve passengers.

Patonga was launched from the yard of Alexander Stephen & Sons, on the Clyde, for the P&O’s Australian cargo service. She was a single screw turbine ship of 9,000 shaft horse power and speed of 16 knots. Of 11,071 tons gross, her length was 498ft between perpendiculars, her breadth was 65ft, and her loaded draught was 27ft.3ins. She was a refrigerated cargo vessel having 390,000 cubic feet of insulated space as well as 116,00 cubic feet of dry cargo space. In addition to her usual derricks she had a 50-ton jumbo for heavy lifts. The name Patonga is a small town in New South Wales, its aboriginal meaning being “Little Wallaby”.

Arcadia, 29,871 tons gross, was launched from the yard of John Brown & Co on 14th May 1953, the same day that Orsova was launched by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness. Orsova was still the opposition then with Orient Lines. Arcadia sailed on her maiden voyage was Tilbury on 22nd February 1954 calling at Port Said, Aden, Bombay, Colombo, Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney

I will give full details of Arcadia is a special 21st Birthday thread which will contain information which may have never been made public before in any book or Internet site. Her other details of course would be well known.

Iberia, a sister ship to Arcadia was built at the Musgrave yard of Harland and Wolff at Belfast. At 29, 614 tons gross, 719 ft long, and 91ft breadth, she was launched on the 21st January 1954, and entered the Australian passenger service in the autumn. P&O then had three of the latest, largest and fastest passenger liners on the run, providing a fortnightly service with three of the latest passenger liners of the Orient Line.

Ballarat and Bendigo were launched early in 1954 and the former went into service in the following summer. They were open shelter deck cargo liners with a gross tonnage of 8,792. Their length was 527ft and breadth 69ft. single screw turbine steamships, they developed a shaft horse power of 13,000 designed to give a service speed of 17/18 knots. Each had a cargo capacity of 650,000 cubic feet, and they were both fitted with an 80-ton derrick for heavy lifts.

I now have to decide whether to go through a history of events basically covering every ship from 1937 to 1954 along with a short history not already mentioned. However, with another site mentioning all the ships, but possibly not with such a detailed history I am not sure what to do. I will however be giving a detailed history on Arcadia as already mentioned.

Pompeyfan

21st November 2005, 19:49

THE HISTORY OF P&0 1815 TO 1954 PART TEN(HISTORY OF EVENTS 1837 TO 1954)

This may be the last episode depending on the response I get. Another site has been given by another member in: IS THERE A P&O ARCHIVE THAT CAN BE ACCESSED FOR RESEARCH Post 10. You can click onto the link given by NEWDA898 to save me typing the long address again. This site lists all the P&O ships. However, it does not give as much information as I will give from 1937 to 1954. Therefore, I will give an example below as to the information I will be giving in relation to this or other sites. I will then ask members to look at both telling me which they prefer. My history will take quite a while and a lot of writing. I don’t mind doing that over a period of days or weeks as long as the information is of use. But if you can gain all the info you need on the site NEWDA898 GAVE then please tell me, and I will stop my History Of Events.

I will still however produce a thread on Arcadia, some information, which I am pretty sure will not be found on other Internet sites or indeed any books.

In 1837 the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company started regular services to the Iberian Peninsular with the chartered fleet of Messrs Bourne of Dublin. It consisted of the William Fawcett, City of Londonderry, Braganza, Liverpool, Royal Tar and Tagus. These ships were transferred to London registry in July 1839 and with the exception of the first two, the company purchased this fleet in 1841.

1841 Iberia (built at Limehouse on the London River 1836) was purchased by the company. Up to this time she was on their service to Spain and Portugal. After purchase, she was transferred to the Mediterranean and based in Malta. Carrying some 290 tons of cargo and 150 tons of bunker coal she had a turn of speed of nine knots. Costing £22,000, her passenger accommodation was said to be the finest afloat. Braganza was adapted to the Company’s requirements while under construction but was not bought until this year. She was lengthened in 1844. Terms of the P&O Charter included that, within two years the Company would establish a mail service through to India. With the co-operation of the Trans-Atlantic Steamship Company, two large powerful steamships were acquired. Great Liverpool, a two-funnelled paddle steamer built in 1837, and the Oriental, taken over on charter from the stocks in 1840 but not bought until 1843. she helped to extend the Peninsular service to Alexandria.

If you think this is better information than the link given by NEWDA898 or they both go hand in hand then please let me know. Or if you think the other link gives adequate information without the need for more information then please also let me know. I will then decide if it is worth carrying on. I don’t mind either way, but I can’t read peoples minds and would therefore appreciate a wide selection of views making my decision easier. Many thanks. David

Doug Rogers

22nd November 2005, 02:57

My vote is for you to carry on, its the personal touch that does it for me!!.

KIWI

22nd November 2005, 05:35

I would heartily agree with Doug carry on .The personal touch has much appeal. KIWI

Jeff Egan

22nd November 2005, 12:29

Keep it coming David, 460 hits proves there is a lot of interest.

Pompeyfan

22nd November 2005, 17:53

Thanks Doug, Kiwi and Jeff. Will keep going. Not feeling too well today, but will start again as soon as I can. Yes, 460 hits is very good Jeff, I am more than pleased. David

Pompeyfan

23rd November 2005, 11:02

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART ELEVEN(HISTORY OF EVENTS 1837 TO 1954)

1842 HINDOSTAN, first P&O liner to reach Indian seas left Southampton on 24th September 1842. 240ft in length she was barquentine rigged and relied on her sails as well as her engines for speed. Her two funnels were 40ft apart. She had iron bulkheads. There were 150 passengers berths on board, and an average £40 a passenger paid for the passage out to Calcutta, which took 91 days, including 28 in ports en-route. PACHA the first iron vessel in the P&O fleet was completed.

1843 BENTINCK joined the HINDOSTAN on the Eastern service to run between Suez and India.

1844 PRECURSOR sent out to make a third vessel on the Suez/India run. She had a speed of 11 knots, carried 200 tons of cargo and 550 tons of bunker coal.

1845 LADY MARY WOOD, a small paddle steamer built in 1842, carried the first mails from London to Ceylon, Penang, Singapore and Hong Kong. She arrived at Singapore on the 4th August 1845, 41 days from London and 8 days from Ceylon.

1846 ARIEL, a speedy vessel designed to connect with the new overland mail service across France, was built and ran between M****illes and Alexandria. She was one of the first British merchant ships to have watertight compartments and when wrecked a few years later the success of these was proved. POTTINGER was completed as the largest and most powerful steamship to be built on the London River. She was lengthened in 1849. RIPON commenced service on the London to Alexandria and Constantinople run. She was the pride of the P&O fleet in her day, was lengthened in 1862, and saw service as a transport and hospital ship in the Crimean War.

1847 CANTON, a small steamer built for the China Coast trade, completed and ran between Macao, Hong Kong and Canton connecting up with the mail and passenger ships. She was defensively armed with two 32-pounder guns, but soon after she arrived on station, the Chinese pirates, based on Bias Bay, increased their activities. H.M.S Columbine, a two mast sailing ship, was one of the warships sent to deal with the pirates. Her Commander, sighting a number of pirate junks on the 28th September 1849, opened fire on fourteen of them. The fire was returned but a calm ensued and stopped further action. Next day, the junks were escaping with the help of long sweeps manned by relays of rowers when, the CANTON coming up on the scene, towed H.M.S Columbine to a position where the junks were within range of the warship’s guns. The pirate fleet was destroyed. The CANTON completed her good work by taking H.M.S Columbine’s wounded to Hong Kong. The MALTA was also built this year for the Far Eastern run. In 1858 she was lengthened and converted from a paddle steamer to a screw steamer.

1850 SINGAPORE (built by Tod & McGregor on the Clyde) was completed and spent almost all her life in Far Eastern waters, first running between Bombay, Galle and Hong Kong, then between Hong Kong and Shanghai. In March 1867 she was put on the Shanghai/Yokohama run, and on August 20th struck an uncharted rock off Hakodate and sunk. Everyone on board was saved. The GANGES created a record on her maiden voyage from Southampton to Malta with a passage of 8 days 4 hours. On her second voyage she ran from Alexandria to Malta in 72 hours.

1851 SHANGHAI completed as the first screw steamer in the fleet.

1852 CHUSAN, a barque-rigged, iron screw steamer inaugurated the P&O mails service to Australia, leaving Southampton on the 15th May 1852, and arriving at Sydney via Melbourne, on 3rd August – 77 days to Melbourne, 80 days to Sydney. FORMOSA followed the CHUSAN on the Australian service and both vessels ran on the Singapore/Australia service, connecting with the liners from England at Singapore. In December 1852 the FORMOSA was transferred to the Calcutta/China service and was replaced by SHANGHAI.

1853 CHUSAN and SHANGHAI were replaced by the BOMBAY and MADRAS, larger iron-screw steamers, built in 1852, with the most up to date type engines, which had proved their efficiency on the North Atlantic run. They each carried 80 first class passengers and 600 tons of cargo; their bunker capacity was 300 tons. The HIMALAYA was launched on Queen Victoria’s birthday, her building having commenced in November 1851. The largest merchant vessel of her day, she was 372ft 2ins (overall) in length, 44ft.5in in breadth, and 35ft.5ins in depth, and was built to carry 400 passengers. Originally designed as a paddle steamer (because of Admiralty preference for mails to be carried by paddlers), she was changed to a screw steamer by her owners while building. The cylinders of her engines was 84 ins in diameter with a 3½ ft stroke, and her two-bladed propeller was 18ft in diameter with a 28ft pitch. Her speed on trials, on the 9th January 1854, was 14 knots at 56 revolutions per minute. Built at Blackwall on the London River by C, Mere & Co, her engines were constructed by Penn & Co. She had six watertight bulkheads. With the assistance of her sails the HIMALAYA achieved a speed of 16½ knots. She carried troops to the Crimean War and was later sold to the Government for £130,000. In June 1940, while acting as a coal hulk at Portland, she was sunk by enemy planes in her 86th year.

1859 The Company had built up a fine fleet of steamers; many new and over 2,000 tons gross. Out of a total of 55 liners on regular runs 38 were screw steamers.

1861 MOOLTAN completed as the first steamship in the fleet to be fitted with compound engines which gave an economy in coal consumption. She had an hydraulic machine for making ice foe the use of passengers.

1864 DELHI completed and proved more economical than MOOLTAN. She had Ravenhill’s horizontal compound engines, super heaters and surface condensers, and averaged 13.4 knots on her maiden voyage. The NYANZA also completed and was the last paddle steamer built for the Company. In this year COREA started the mail service between China and Yokohama.

1865 The TANJORE did 17 knots on trials.

1869 DELTA, built in 1859, carried official guests from M****illes to Port Said
for the formal opening of the Suez Canal.

1870 AUSTRALIA completed – the last of the Company’s ships to be built with a clipper bow. In this year the P&O fleet totalled 43 ships of 80,000 tons with five more building.

Pompeyfan

23rd November 2005, 11:13

A strange thing happened when I tried to edit the above post. For some reason, M****illes will not complete as the full word coming up with four * despite me typing the full word. Any ideas from the Mods. It has just done it again after typing the full word in this post. David

R58484956

23rd November 2005, 14:28

**** = mans backside. PC does not like certain words.

Pompeyfan

23rd November 2005, 18:07

I would understand it if backside was on its own, but it is part of a bigger word. David

Jeff Egan

23rd November 2005, 19:52

Just goes to show the computer dosn't know it's **** from it's elbow

Pompeyfan

23rd November 2005, 20:48

Nice one Jeff!!!!. David

Paul UK

23rd November 2005, 21:47

David

Did you serve on the last Arcadia

Paul

I was on the last voyage before the refit to Ocean Village and they let us take all the named equipment from the suite ie desk tidy, services and menu folder etc.

Paul

Pompeyfan

23rd November 2005, 21:53

No Paul, the Arcadia built in 1954. Will be giving a full history of her soon with stuff some people may not know. Was Rory Smith captain of your Arcadia?. I have a feeling he was. David

Pompeyfan

23rd November 2005, 21:57

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART TWELVE (HISTORY OF EVENTS 1837 TO 1954)

1871 INDUS (built by Denny of Dumbarton) was the first straight-stemmed ship in the Company. Her compound engines gave her a speed of 13.3 knots. In this ship there was a big advance in boiler pressure, hers being 65.75lbs per sq in against the AUSTRALIA’S 40lb

1878 KAISAR - I- HIND, built by Caird of Greenock, was said to be the outstanding passenger ship of the period. Just over 4,000 tons gross, she did 15 knots on her trials. Built for the Indian service, she carried 176 first-class passengers and 64 second-class.

1880 Of the “R” class steamships the ROSETTA was the first P&O ship built in Ireland – at Harland & Wolff’s. Belfast. Her boiler pressure went up to 80lbs per sq in. The RAVENNA from Denny’s yard, was the first steel ship to be built for the Company.

1881 ROME and CARTHAGE were built of iron owing to the scarcity of steel. These were the first P&O ships over 5,000 tons gross, and were designed for the Australian service. Their passenger accommodation was amidships. With two tiers of deck houses, four masts and two funnels, they were fine looking passenger liners. Their speed was 15 knots. Large cooling chambers were served by refrigerated machinery and each ship carried a steam launch. ROME changed her name to VECTIS in 1892 and was lengthened. Vectis being the name given to the Isle of Wight by the Romans in AD43. So changing her name to VECTIS was no coincidence.

1882 BALLAARAT AND PARAMATTA were built of steel. They were two-mast and had two perfectly proportioned funnels. Their passenger accommodation was luxurious; their speed 15 knots.

1884 MASSILLA completed. She was noted for the innovation of hydraulic winches (instead of steam); these gave quieter running when working cargo in port and reduced annoyance to passengers. Electric light was installed in the ship.

1885 COROMANDEL and BENGAL were the first ships of the P&O Company to be fitted with triple expansion engines, steam pressure being increased from 90 lbs per sq in of their immediate predecessors, to 140lbs. They were also the first ships to be fitted with a method of closing all watertight doors from the upper deck. They served as mail and passenger liners on the Australian and Far East runs – the COROMANDEL also served as a transport and hospital ship during the 1890s in the Ashanti campaign.

1887/8 Queen Victoria’s jubilee and the P&O jubilee. This was celebrated by the building of four fine passenger liners; VICTORIA and BRITANNIA in 1887, and OCEANA and ARCADIA IN 1888. Over 6,500 tons gross, they were the largest ships in the fleet, and had a service speed of 15 knots. They were capable of 16 knots on a consumption of 110 tons of coal in 24 hours. Each vessel cost £200, 000 to build. Two funnelled, four mast ships, they carried, for a short time, square sails on the fore, main and mizzen masts. The number of passengers carried by each vessel was 250 first-class and 160 second-class, the cargo capacity of each ship being nearly 4,000 tons.

1888/9 PENINSULAR and ORIENTAL designed for the Bombay service with a speed of 15 knots, were completed. Three mast ships with single funnels they were over 1,000 tons less than the jubilee class ships.

1888/94 SHANGHAI, CANTON, HONG KONG, ADEN, MALACCA, FORMOSA and JAPAN were cargo vessels built during this period, each carrying few passengers. They were between 3,300 and 4,300 tons gross, and were employed on the East and Far East runs.

1892 HIMALAYA (2) and AUSTRALIA were similar in appearance to the jubilee ships. Of 6,900 tons gross, their speed was 18 knots. Their dimensions were: length 465ft, breadth 52ft, and loaded draught 26ft, were built for the Australian passenger service. HIMALAYA served as an armed merchant cruiser during the first world war.

1893 AUSTRALIA made the passage from London to Adelaide in the record time of 26 days, 16 hours, but was beaten a month later by HIMALAYA.

1894 CALEDONIA completed and although designed for a speed of 18 knots did 19½ knots on trials. An attractive four-mast passenger liner, her hull was painted white and her two funnels yellow for the first two years of her life. She cost £250,000 to build and broke three records; London – Bombay in 18½ days; London - M****illes – Colombo in 19 days. (There is that naughty name again that will have 4 stars!)

1895 SIMLA, NUBIA AND MALTA 1884/85 completed as intermediate ships of nearly 6,000 tons with a designed speed of 14½ knots. SUNDA built with accommodation for 49 first-class passengers. Speed 13½ knots.

1896 INDIA, 7,900 tons gross, was the biggest ship to be constructed at Greenock to that date. Her length was 500ft, her breadth 54ft 3ins, and her service speed over 18 knots. She accommodated nearly 500 passengers. Her rig was two-mast with two funnels. The CHINA was a sister ship to the INDIA. CANDIA, a twin-screw cargo liner of 6,842 tons gross, was designed for the Australian service and was, up to then, the biggest ship to go up the river to Adelaide.

1898 The two-funnelled twin-screw steamers IRIS and OSIRIS were vessels of only 1,728 tons gross but of very fast speed. They were designed for a new express service between Brindisi and Alexandria or Port Said. IRIS made a passage from Brindisi to Port Said in just 46 hours 14 minutes.

1900 ASSAYE, PLASSY and SOBRAON, built as troop ships and intended for the Indian and Eastern service when not trooping. Their speed was 16 knots. BANCA, completed in the same year, was the only turret ship owned by P&O.

Pompeyfan

24th November 2005, 11:40

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART THIRTEEN (HISTORY OF EVENTS 1837 TO 1954)

1901/2 “S” class of intermediate ships built with excellent passenger accommodation for the Calcutta and Far East services. SICILLIA, SOUDAN, SYRIA, SOMALI and SARDINIA had a speed of 14 knots.

1903 MOLDAVIA and MONGOLIA completed by Caird of Greenock, were twin-screw triple expansion steamers of 9,500 tons gross and 520 feet in length. Their speed was 18 knots. The passenger accommodation, which was above the main deck, provided for 350 first-class and 160 second-class passengers. MARMORA, of 10,500 tons, the first P&O ship to be fitted with quadruple expansion engines, was completed. The “P” class of cargo liners, PERA, PALERMO and PALMA were built this year, and the POONA and PESHAWUR in 1905. They were about 7,600 tons and had a service speed of 14 knots.

1904 MOOLTAN completed. A similar ship to MOLDAVIA and MONGOLIA except that she was fitted with quadruple expansion engines which gave her an additional 1,000 horse power. DELHI, DELTA, DONGOLA and in 1906, DEVANHA (intermediate liners with a speed of 16 knots) entered the Indian and Eastern services.

1906/7 NAMUR, NILE and NORE completed as big cargo carriers with limited passenger accommodation. Speed 14 knots.

1908 SALSETTE was completed for the shuttle service between Aden and Bombay, and connecting with the home line Australian mail and passenger steamers. Her speed was 20 knots. She had lines like a yacht which were enhanced by a white hull and superstructure and two yellow funnels.

1910 P&O bought five liners from Lund’s Blue Anchor Line, totalling about 30,000 gross tons. £250,000 was paid for the ships and £22,000 for goodwill and trading rights. These ships began the P&O Branch Line to Australia via South Africa.

1911 BALLARAT entered service. She was built especially for the Australian Branch Line. The BALLARAT and four more of her class built in 1912 were larger and a better class ship than those the Company had recently bought. Twin screw vessels about 11,200 tons gross they had a service speed of 14 knots. Each had accommodation for about 1,100 one-class passengers, and hold space for a large cargo of frozen meat.

1914 KAISAR-I-HIND (2) completed for the Bombay passenger and cargo and cargo run, on which she made a record of 17 days and 20 hours 52 minutes from Plymouth. She was a twin-screw vessel of 18½ knots. This year an agreement was concluded for the amalgamation with the British India Steam Navigation Company.

1916 New Zealand Shipping Company and Federal Line came into the P&O group.

1917 Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, the Hain Steamship Company, and the Nourse Line came into the group.

1918 NALDERA, 15,996 tons, the first three-funnelled steamship in the Company, was launched but did not enter service until 1920 when she was joined by a new sister ship the NARKUNDA.

1919 P&O acquired an interest in the Orient Line, and the bulk of the shares of the Khedivial Mail Line were bought. The P&O fleet then amounting for 44 ships, totalling 345,000 tons, and 19 listed as building.

1920 General Steam Navigation came into the group.

1921 BALLARAT (3) and BARADINE built for the Australian Branch Line service.

1923 Three more “B” class Branch Line steamers built. MONGOLIA (3) and MOLDOVIA built this year, were the first P&O ships with double-reduction, geared turbine engines. The Company reverted to quadruple expansion, reciprocating engines in subsequent ships, for many years. MOOLTAN (3) and MALOJA, of about 20, 840 tons, were built. They were the largest ships in the fleet and were designed for the Australian passenger and cargo service.

1925 By December the fleet had increased to 60 ships totalling 604,810 tons. CATHAY, COMORIN and CHITRAL, RAMPURA, RANCHI, RAWALPINDI and RAJPUTUNA were completed this year, as well as the RAZMAK to replace the SALSETTE on the Aden/Bombay run. She had a speed of over 18 knots.

1929 VICEROY OF INDIA, a passenger and cargo liner of 19,684 tons built for the Bombay service, and the first British turbo-electric ship. An increase of 135 lbs per square inch in steam pressure on previous P&O ships was obtained. Her speed was 19 knots.

1930/1 SOMALI and SOUDAN cargo liners of about 6,800 tons were built. Watch out for these two names again in the next and last episode.

Pompeyfan

25th November 2005, 00:03

I have decided to complete the history of P&O until 1954 with a full list of the fleet from 1832 to 1954, but it will be just the names not their tonnage etc. The latter would take too long as there is over 229 ships, but this information can be found in the site given by NEWDA898 mentioned in post 29.

I will shortly begin transferring the last episode of the history of P&O 1815 to 1954 followed by the full fleet list. After that I will write about the 21st Birthday of Arcadia which I myself helped prepare on Sunday 25th May 1974.

I had hoped to complete the history today so that I can concentrate on compiling the fleet list into table form, but I was rushed into hospital on Tuesday being sent home later. So please bare with me because I can only sit at the computer for a short time without feeling discomfort.

Many thanks to the 614 who have read my thread so far. It makes it all worth while despite a bit of discomfort. Indeed, that discomfort is eased by the fact that our manager was sacked today?!!. David

Pompeyfan

25th November 2005, 22:34

THE HISTORY OF P&O 1815 TO 1954 PART FOURTEEN (HISTORY OF EVENTS 1837 TO 1954)

1931/2 STRATHNAVER and STRATHAIRED were built for the Australian passenger service. The colour scheme for the passenger ships of the Company were altered, in the case of these ships, from black hulls and funnels and stone coloured deck work to white hulls and yellow funnels. They were three-funnelled ships with turbo-electric main engine drive and a steam pressure of 425 lbs per square inch. Of 22,270 and 22,540 tons their speed was 22 knots. In 1931 the CORFU and CARTHAGE, 14,300 tons gross were built for the Far East service. They were fitted with single-reduction, geared turbine engines giving them a speed of 19½ knots, and were said to be the more economical than the turbo electric engines

1935 The Moss-Hutchinson Line came into the P&O group. STRATHMORE, an Australian passenger liner 23,482 tons, was given one funnel and was propelled with geared turbines.

1936/7 ESSEX and SUSSEX, built for the Federal Line and later renamed, were diesel cargo liners of 11,063 tons gross.

1936 The fleet list totalled 37 ships with a tonnage of 478,494 tons. STRATHEDEN, STRATHALLAN, CANTON, and the troopship ETTRICK were building.

1938/9 The cargo liners MV SURAT (2) and MV SHILLONG were built.

1943 MV SOCOTRA, a twin-screw cargo vessel entered the P&O service.

1944 MV TREVOSE and MV TREVTHOE were new cargo ships acquired by P&O.

1945 SS PERIM, a turbine cargo liner of 9,550 tons was completed.

1946 MV TRESILLIAN, a cargo vessel built as the REGISTAN in 1944, was bought. The SS PINJARRA, ex EMPIRE PARAGON (1944) was also acquired; and the MV ESSEX and the MV SUSSEX were renamed PARINGA and PALANA and taken over.

1947 Four second-hand cargo steamships bought. They were renamed DEVANHA, DONGOLA, KARMALA and KHYBER.

1948 MV SOUDAN (3) and MV SOMALI (3), twin-screw diesel ships with a speed of 17 knots were built for the express cargo service to the Far East. Both were 9,080 tons gross, 524ft long and 67ft wide. The SS SURAT (3) , a single screw cargo steamship, was also built for the same service. She was 8,925 tons gross, 522ft length and 67ft breadth with a speed of 17 knots. HIMALAYA (2), a fine twin screw passenger liner of 27, 955 tons gross and a speed of 22knots built for the India and Australia service. Her propulsion was by geared turbines.

At this stage I am going to fast forward briefly. Himalaya played a very small part in my life as with Arcadia to follow. I relieved Himalaya’s Hospital Attendant for Cruise 554 leaving Southampton on 29th April 1973 for Portimo (Algarve) Ibiza, Palma, Cadiz, Madeira and Southampton. This information came from the crew Postal Information leaflet, which I still have. Former P&O crew will remember these. It gave relatives the number of days for posting by air mail before arrival. The ports on this cruise were 5 days posting before we arrived. The Welfare Leading Hand handled crew mail. This leaflet gave postal information for 2 cruises she did in that period before returning to Australia. The cruise before this one, Cruise 551 was to Lisbon, Barbados, Antigua, San Juan, St Thomas and Madera leaving on 8th April 1973 to the 29th.

Our paths crossed again very briefly in 1974 when then on Arcadia, we took over her Australian cruise programme. The last cruise made by Himalaya before Arcadia took over left Sydney for eleven days on 5th October 1974 to Brisbane, Suva, Noumea, Bay of Islands, Auckland arriving back in Sydney on 16th October 1974. I still have the brochure from Patrick Travel Service, 35 Pitt Street, Sydney Tel 27-6611.

To all Sydney members, what is at the Patrick Travel address now?!.

I flew out to Sydney on Dan Air with the crew change when Arcadia moved from the American to Australian station. We signed on articles on 15th October 1973, most of us not signing off until 21st March 1975 on return to Southampton on the outward leg of the Australian Woman’s Weekly World Cruise that Himalaya had done before then. Therefore, if memory serves me right, her cruise that I did the year earlier was before she returned on the homeward trip of the previous years Australian Woman’s Weekly World Cruise. The Australian cruise brochure I refer to began in February 1974 with Oronsay who did five cruises until 28th May 1974 being replaced by Himalaya on 23rd June 1974 who in turn was replaced by Arcadia.

I have a picture in the Gallery of Himalaya leaving Sydney for the last time on her way to the breakers.

Another bit of interest for our Australian members could be the advert in front page of the Patrick Travel brochure. IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN SYDNEY HERE’S THE PERFECT WAY TO START YOUR P&O CRUISE. FLY TAA TO YOUR P&O SHIP. FLY IN COMFORT BY TAA T-JET TO SYDNEY AT SPECIALLY REDUCED P&O FARES AND FREE COACH TRAVEL TO THE SHIP. YOU GET THE SAME VIP TREATMENT HOME FLYING BY TAA T-JET AND FREE COACH SERVICE FROM THE AIRPORT TO CITY. MELBOURNE PASSENGERS – FOR ONLY AN EXRTA $10 – CAN HAVE TAXI DOOR-TO DOOR SERVICE. TAA THE FRIENDLY WAY.

Back to the 1940s.

1949 SHILLONG (2) added to the Far East cargo service. She was a single screw cargo liner. MV CANNANORE and MV COROMANDEL, sister ships, were built for the Calcutta cargo service with a speed of 14 knots. CHUSAN was a 24,215 tons passenger liner built for the Indian and Far East run. A twin screw, steam turbine vessel, she had a service speed of 22 knots and was the first passenger liner to be fitted with stabilisers.

1950 SS SINGAPORE, geared turbine cargo liner with a speed of 18 knots, built for the Far East cargo service.

1952 SUNDA, a sister ship to SINGAPORE was built for the same trade.

1953 ARCADIA, 29, 871 ton passenger liner launched at John Brown, Clydebank on 14th May 1953 was built for the Indian and Australian service. Her twin-screw turbines gave a service speed of 22½ knots. She sailed on her maiden voyage from Tilbury on 22nd February 1954 bound for Port Said, Aden, Bombay, Colombo, Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney. Full details later on this ship, some information possibly never published before. SS PATONGA, a geared turbine cargo liner, built for the Australian service. A much larger proportion of her holds, compared with previous ships on this run, were fitted for the carriage of refrigerated cargoes. She was 11,071 tons gross, 498ft long and 65ft breadth, and a speed of 15½ knots.

1954 SS BALLARAT SS BENDIGO, single-screw turbine steamships were built with a speed of 17 knots. IBERIA, sister ship to ARCADIA was launched at Harland & Wolff Belfast, she was 21,614 tons gross and was 718ft.8in long and 90ft.10in wide with a speed of 22½ knots. On 28th September 1954 she made her maiden voyage from London to Sydney.

Again going fast forward, I came home from New Zealand on Iberia in 1971. Could tell of this trip at some stage.

That is the end of my history of P&O because it is all the notes I have. I may well post a full fleet list which I have already started, but the Encyclopaedia site for P&O already mentioned gives all this information and more. However, my next thread will be a 21st Birthday of Arcadia which will be in several episodes.

benjidog

26th November 2005, 12:09

Thanks for passing on all that information Pompeyfan. (Applause)

Pompeyfan

27th November 2005, 14:34

The P&O Fleet from 1832 to 1954

ROYAL TAR 1832 JUPITER 1835 IBERIA 1835 BRAGANZA 1836 LIVERPOOL 1837
LIVERPOOL 1837 WILLIAM FAWCETT 1837 CITY OF LONDONDERRY 1837 TAGUS 1837 UNITED KINGDOM 1837
MONTROSE 1837 ACHILLES 1838 INDIA 1839 ORIENTAL 1840 PRECURSER 1841
LADY MAY WOOD 1842 HINDOSTAN1842 PACHA 1842 BENTINCK 1843 DELTA 1844
MADRID 1845 TIBER 1846 ARIEL 1846 ERIN 1846 POTTINGER 1846
HADDINGTON 1846 RIPON 1846 PEKIN 1847 INDUS 1847 SULTAN 1847
EUXINE 1847 MALTA 1848 CANTON 1848 BOMBAY 1848 VECTIS 1848
GANGES 1850 BOULAC 1850 FAID RABANY 1852 CHUSAN 1852 MADRAS 1852
FORMOSA 1852 BOMBAY 1852 BENGAL 1853 CADIZ 1853 VALETTA 1853
VECTIS 1853 RAJAH 1853 TARTAR 1853 DOURO 1853 NORNA 1853
HIMALAYA 1853 MANILA 1853 COLOMBO 1853 SIMLA 1854 OTTOWA 1854
CANDIA 1854 UNION 1854 NUBIA 1854 EMEU 1854 ALMA 1854
ALHAMBRA 1855 PERA 1855 AVA 1855 AZOF 1855 CHINA 1855
BEHAR 1855 COLUNBIAN 1855 ELLORA 1855 ADEN 1856 ORISSA 1856
GRANADA 1857 NEMISIS 1857 MALABAR 1858 BENARES 1858 SALSETTE 1858
NORTHAM 1858 CEYLON 1858 NAPAUL 1859 JEDDO 1859 DELTA 1859
MASSILIA 1860 MOOLTAN 1860 POONAH 1862 CARNATIC 1862 RANGOON 1863
GOLCONDA 1863 SYRIA 1863 DELHI 1864 BARODA 1864 CORIA 1864
NYANZA 1864 MONGOLIA 1865 NIPHON 1865 TANJORE 1865 GEELONG 1866
AVOCA 1866 MALACCA 1866 SURAT 1866 SUNDA 1866 BANGALORE 1867
SUMATRA 1867 TRAVANCORE 1868 DECCAN 1868 HINDOSTAN 1869 AUSTRALIA 1870
INDUS 1871 KHEDIVE 1871 MIRZAPORE 1871 PEKIN 1871 PESHWAR 1871
HYDASPES 1872 CATHAY 1872 MALWA 1873 VENETIA 1873 BOKHARA 1873
The P&O Fleet from 1832 to 1954

ASSAM 1873 LOMBARDY 1873 ZAMBESI 1873 GWALIOR 1873 SIAM 1873
NIZAM 1873 ADRIA 1873 KHIVA 1873 TEHERAN 1874 KASHGAR 1874
THIBET 1874 NAPAUL 1876 KAISER I HIND 1878 ANCONA 1879 VERONA 1879
RAVENNA 1880 ROHILLA 1880 ROSETTA 1880 BRINDISI 1880 ROME 1880 VECTIS 1892
CLYDE 1881 CARTHAGE 1881 SHANNON 1881 GANGES 1882 THAMES 1882
SUTLEJ 1882 BALLAARAT 1882 PARRAMATTA 1882 VALETTA 1883 MASSILIA 1884
TASMANIA 1884 CHUSAN 1884 COROMANDEL 1885 BENGAL 1885 VICTORIA 1887
BRITANNIA 1887 PEKIN 1887 NANKIN 1888 TIENTSIN 1888 OCEANA 1888
ARCADIA 1888 PENINSULAR 1888 ORIENTAL 1888 BOMBAY 1889 SHANGHAI 1889
CANTON 1889 ADEN 1892 MALACCA 1892 FORMOSA 1892 HIMALAYA 1892
JAVA 1892 AUSTRALIA 1892 MANILA 1892 JAPAN 1893 MAZAGON 1894
CEYLON 1894 CALEDONIA 1894 SIMLA 1894 NUBIA 1895 MALTA 1895
BORNEO 1895 SUMATRA 1895 SUNDA 1895 PALAWAN 1895 INDIA 1896
CHINA 1896 CANDIA 1896 SOCOTRA 1897 EGYPT 1887 ARABIA 1887
ISIS 1898 OSIRIS 1898 ASSAYE 1899 BANCA 1900 PERSIA 1900
PLASSY 1900 SICILIA 1901 SOUDAN 1901 SYRIA 1901 SOMALI 1901
SARDINIA 1902 PALERMO 1903 PERA 1903 MOLDOVIA 1903 PALMA 1903
MONGOLIA 1903 MARMORA 1903 MACEDONIA 1904 POONA 1905 PESHAWAR 1905
DELTA 1905 MOOLTAN 1905 DONGOLA 1905 DELHI 1905 DEVANHA 1906
NILE 1906 NAMUR 1906 NYANZA 1906 NORE 1907 SALSETTE 1908
MOREA 1908 MALWA 1908 MANTUA 1909 COMMONWEALTH 1902 * GEELONG 1904 *
NARRUNG 1896 * WAKOOL 1898 * WILCANNIA1899 * * LUNDS BLUE ANCHOR LINE MALOJA 1911
MEDINA 1911 BALLARAT 1911 NANKIN 1912 NOVARA 1912 BELTANA 1912
BENALLA 1912 NAGOYA 1913 NELLORE 1913 BERRIMA 1913 KHIVA 1914
KHYBER 1914 BORDA 1914 KAISAR I HIND 1914 KASHGAR 1914 KARMALA 1914
MATA HARI KASHMIR 1915 KALYAN 1915 NALDERA 1918 PESHAWAR
ESTON 1919 NAGPORE 1920 REDCAR 1920 LAHORE 1920 KIDDERPORE 1920
JEYPORE 1920 ALIPORE 1920 NARKUNDA 1920 PADUA 1912 EX LUNEBURG PERIM 1916 EX TREVENFELS
MIRZAPORE 1921 BALLARAT 1921 BARADINE 1921 BARRABOOL 1923 BALRANALD 1923
BENDIGO 1923 MOLDOVIA 1923 MONGOLIA 1923 MOOLTAN 1923 MALOJA 1923
BULAN 1924 RAZMAK 1925 CATHAY 1925 COMORIN 1925 CHITRAL 1925
RANPURA 1925 RANCHI 1925 RAWALPINDI 1925 RAJPUTUNA 1925 VICEROY OF INDIA 1929
BANGALORE 1928 BURDWAN 1928 BEHAR 1928 BHUTAN 1929 SOMALI 1930
SOUDAN 1931 STRATHNAVER 1931 CARTHAGE 1931 CORFU 1931 STRATHAIRD 1932
STRATHMORE 1935 STRATHEDEN 1937 ETTERICK 1938 STRATHALLAN 1938 CANTON 1938
SURAT 1939 SHILLONG 1943 PARINGA 1936 * PALANA 1937 * * Transferred back to Fed S.N. Co 1954
TREVOSE 1944 TREVETHOE 1944 TRESILLION 1944 PINJARRA 1944 PERIM 1945
ADEN 1946 EX SOMERSET DONGOLA 1946 DEVANHA 1947 KARMALA 1945 KHYBER 1945
HIMALAYA 1948 SOUDAN 1948 SOMALI 1948 SURAT 1948 SHILLONG 1949
CHUSAN 1949 COROMANDEL 1949 CANNANMORE 1949 SINGAPORE 1951 SUNDA 1952
PATONGA 1952 ARCADIA 1953 BALLARAT 1954 BENDIGO 1954 IBERIA 1954

Some of the dates are launch dates not the maiden voyage. I typed this out in box form for easy reading but unfortunately it did not copy like I had hoped to the site. Sorry about that.

This is the last of my History of P&O. The Company after 1954 will need to be researched from other sites some with good information. However, I will shortly begin a thread on Arcadia, her first 21 years as written by myself, and others in 1974 for her 21st birthday. David