Empress of Britain

Neil Purdon · Sep 3, 2010

Any ideas as to what she was doing in Durban?

Neil

linerrich · Sep 3, 2010

She made Round-the-World cruises every year, and called at Durban in 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939.

Rich

jaguar06 · Sep 4, 2010

Nice shots of my favorite CP liner. Who's the four-stacker ahead of her here? Aquitania perhaps? I can't think of any other still in service that late. Edit: I wondered about the Castle ships but had in mind they'd lost their old bonnets for the new pairs by then.

linerrich · Sep 4, 2010

I don't think that is AQUITANIA--the funnels look too thin and she would not have been in South Africa in the late '30s. Both ARUNDEL and WINDSOR CASTLE were converted to two-funnels in 1937, so this would place the date in 1936: Sunday, February 3, 1936 to be exact. It was the EMPRESS' first call to Durban, and an estimated 22,000 people jammed the city's local bus and trolley lines headed for the harbour for a glimpse of her, causing major traffic headaches.

Rich

Neil Purdon · Sep 4, 2010

Thanks so much for that Rich. My Father (who took the photos) would have been part of it.

Neil

Neil Purdon

linerrich

jaguar06

linerrich

Neil Purdon

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