Related to the matter of the passenger ships (eg: the "Highlands", "Magdalena" and the three "A"s) and the fact that they had their bridge structures separate from the rest of the (passenger) accommodation. I recall, many years ago, it being suggested that a requirement of the mail contract, which RML had, required that the mail rooms be separate from general accommodation and that said mail rooms were in the bridge structures. Can anyone confirm that this was the case and the reason for the separate structures?
I doubt it a lot of mail,Bullion and currency was carried in a mast house specialy deigned with a strong room(easy to keep a eye on it from the Bridge.Highland boats originally owned by Nelson Line until they were taken over by RMLG.I think it was RML's way of a identifying its passenger ships to the public just like Carnaval uses winged funnels and Costa with Stove pipe funnels
I seem to remember when SSA took over the A Boats I was told it was to fit the meat loaders in South America? Might be wrong as even the Highland Boats that proceeded them had the same split accommodation - unless the meat loaders were built in the early part of the 20 century?
The split accommodation was indeed to fit the meat loaders in BA and Monty. The D boats were the same.
It also seemed to a an unspoken trade mark of the RML ships as their dry cargo fleet also had a split housing. No. 3 hatch behind the bridge.
Too many designs have split accommodation... freezer ships and also dry ships. Look at the standard types like the FORTS and the PARKS. No reason at all to do with RML or meat loaders. More like just like to give additional accommodation without having to go one or two higher decks to get the same additional spaces.
RML dry ships had split ships... PICARDY type. EDEN type had no split.
Shaw Savill type with split accommodation....gave them a long house... extra decks for bridge etc. No need to building up too high. Also gave them a great of space for the shelter deck.
Lots of owners would ask designers to do this. By the 70s, designers were going higher and then started to move everything to the after end. Simply for new designs by experience.
Whilst not exclusively a RML idea but in answer to the original letter I send a page from the book "Merchant Ships" of the world in colour 1910-1920 by L.Dunn featuring HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN
On the "Highlands", a swimming pool was put up on the top of N°3 hatch for the 10-day run from/to Rio and Las Palmas. At the same time, a footbridge (!) was lowered connecting the first class passengers accomodation with the officers quarters over the pool, enabling the officers easy access at dinner time to occupy their tables in the first class dinning saloon. However, it was not uncommon to have two-way traffic over that bridge at certain times after dinner.....!
A few more ideas. Interesting on the HIGHLAND boats. To keep passengers apart from officers.
Checking in Belfast-built vessel.... the following ships had split accommodation.
PERICLES Aberdeen Line
THERISTOCLES & DEMOSTHENE Aberdeen Line
SPOHOCLES & DIOGENES Aberdeen Line
YORKSHIRE Bibby Line
MELITA & MINNEDOSA Canadian Pacific
CITY OF EXETER City Line
CITY OF VENICE City Line
ACCRA & APAPA E.D.
AENEAS, ASCANIUS, ANCHISES Holts.
HIGHLAND CLASS Nelson Line.... Subsidiary of RSMP
ORCA PSNC
OROYA PSNC
LAPLAND Red Star Line
ARAGON AMAZON RML
AVON ASTURIAS RML
ARLANZA ANDES ALMANZORA RML
EBRO ESSEQUIBO RML
DESEADO CLASS x 5 RML
TAINUI SS&A
WAIMANA SS&A
WAIWERA SS&A
IOWA Warren Line
CYMRIC White Star
CELTIC Class x 4 White Star
ARABIC White Star
LAURENTIC MEGANTIC Whiet Star
PITTSBURG White Star
RUNIC SUEVIC White Star
ATHENIC Class x 3 White Star
CERAMIC White Start
I think the popularity with the split design was to gain some extra space for accommodation... to avoid going higher than the superstructure.
Seems to a popular with Belfast-built ship...and most likely Harland & Wolff.
Another reason.... certainly it made it better for a good looking ship!
There was a thread a while back about this. I heard it was for the Frigorifico Anglo in Dock Sud in Buenos Aires. Very old plant, and the gantries were pretty static in 1968, which was the last time I saw them. That was in Brasil Star.
The Blue Star ships used to load at the Frigorìfico Anglo wharf in Dock Sud as you say. The Royal Mail "Highlands" arived at the Darsena Norte (Puerto Nuevo) in Buenos Aires. They then were moved to the Frigorifico Swift wharf in Rio Santiago (port of La Plata) where they loaded frozen meat and then were moved back to Buenos Aires and moored in any one of the "darsenas" prior to departure to the UK. The sailings were every third Thursday at 6PM and the voyage to Tilbury took 21 days.
I think that was more or less the trend for all the regular Argentina traders. Discharge in Puerto Nuevo, shift to load frigo, shift back to load dry. I believe the 21 day passage was dictated by the optimum time for hanging (chain on chain, fores, hinds, pistolas, etc.) chilled meat prior to arrival in London for the then Smithfield market. I feel Alfred probably knows more about this than I do.
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