SS Orcades was an ocean liner serving primarily the UK – Australia – New Zealand route. She started service as a British Royal Mail Ship (RMS) carrying first and tourist class passengers. Orcades carried many migrants to Australia and New Zealand[1] and was later used as a cruise ship, and is featured in the British Pathe films "I am a passenger" on YouTube. She also made several voyages from Canada (Vancouver). "Orcades" is the Latin name[2] for the Orkney Islands.
 Orcades leaving Southampton, Christmas Eve 1969
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |  London |
| Route | UK – Australia via Suez, later transpacific and via Panama Canal to UK (also cruises) |
| Builder | Vickers Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Cost | £3,418,000 |
| Yard number | 950 |
| Launched | 14 October 1947 |
| Completed | 14 November 1948 |
| Maiden voyage | 14 December 1948 |
| Out of service | 13 October 1972 |
| Identification | IMO number: 5264247 |
| Fate | Broken up 1973, Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | As built: 28,164 GRT; 1959: 28,396 GRT; 1964: 28,399 GRT |
| Length | 709ft (216.1 m) |
| Beam | 90.6ft (25.0 m) |
| Draught | 31ft (9.4 m) |
| Installed power | 34,000shp |
| Propulsion | Geared turbines, twin screws |
| Speed | 22 knots (41 km/h) service speed |
| Capacity | As built, 773 1st class, 772 tourist class (1959, 631 1st class, 734 tourist class. 1964, 1,635 tourist class) |
| Notes | Originally corn coloured hull; white from 1964 refit |
Built at the Barrow-in-Furness yard of Vickers-Armstrong, Orcades (yard no. 950) had an identical hull and machinery to P&O's Himalaya (yard no. 951), but differed in superstructure and interior layout. The vessel's near-sister ships were Oronsay and Orsova
In 1952 Orcades was fitted with a 'top hat' funnel extension to clear smoke from the after decks. On 7 May 1952, she ran aground in Port Philip Bay half a mile off Rosebud Pier, Victoria, Australia.[3][4] She was refloated and returned to service.[5]
During the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, Orcades served as an accommodation ship.[1]
Orcades was refitted in 1959 and 1964. In the 1964 refit, Orcades became a single-class vessel and her hull colour changed from "Orient corn" to white.
Gallery
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Orcades c.1950 from a promotional postcard
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Orcades 1959 in yellow livery
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Orcades at Port Said 1957
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Footnotes
edit- ^ a b Post World War II Migrant Ships: Orcades, Museums Victoria
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica Archived 2009-07-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Orcades Aground". The Times. No. 52305. London. 7 May 1952. col C, p. 6.
- ^ "ORCADES RELEASED FROM SANDBAR". The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. Vol. 41, no. 377. New South Wales, Australia. 8 May 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 23 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Orcades Refloated". The Central Queensland Herald. Vol. 21, no. 1204. Queensland, Australia. 8 May 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 23 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
Further reading
edit- Latimer, David W (2002) Passenger ships of the 20th century: an illustrated encyclopedia, p. 259, Colourpoint Books ISBN 1-898392-70-6
External links
edit- Museum Victoria
- Ocean liner museum
- Photographs and deck plans
- ssMaritime
- British Pathe films "I am a passenger" on YouTube
