Union castle ships She had two Feb 24, 2012 · Contemplating these statistics, I thought back to the voyage we made in 1977 on a very different kind of ship. It also served as a troop transport during the First World War. Our collections: The Maritime & Local History collection includes a This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the Union-Castle Line. She was completed on 26 June 1926 and entered service for the Union-Castle Line. There is a table of individual ship histories on the Union-Castle Header Page. As a company, the Union-Castle Line used the latest technical innovations of the day, constantly striving to improve speed, reliability, customer comfort and safety. All Castle Line ships were transferred to the combined Union-Castle fleet in 1900. After the collapse of the Royal Mail group in 1931, Union-Castle Line was left with heavy financial commitments and took several years to achieve recovery RMMV Stirling Castle was a British ocean liner of the Union-Castle Line built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast for the Southampton to South Africa mail service. Pretoria Castle (later S. New engines installed and speed increased to 20 knots. Six months later, in August, she made Southampton to Table Bay in 13 days, 9 hours, breaking the record (14 days,18 hours, 57 minutes) set by the Union Line's Scot in 1893. The Dutch Ship profiles, history and trade routes of the Union-Castle Line ocean liners serving in 1966. Tonnage: 20,063. 16K subscribers Subscribe Galician - Glenart Castle (1900-1918 - 6575gt) Galician was ordered by the Union SS Co and transferred to Union-Castle Line while fitting out. A. She was renamed Glenart Castle in 1914, but was requisitioned for use as a British hospital ship during the First World War. She was the first of the Union-Castle mail ships to exceed 20,000 tons and was the first motor ship to be used on the sailings between Britain and the Cape of Good Hope. , Belfast, Ireland. Service: Built for Union-Castle Line (British flag). She was built in 1898 and originally served as a passenger liner with the Union-Castle RMS Dunottar Castle was a Royal Mail Ship that went into service with the Castle Line (and its successor, the Union-Castle Line) in 1890 on the passenger and mail service between Britain and South Africa. Union-Castle named most of their ships with the suffix "Castle" in With Sir Owen Philipps voted on the board the first new Union Castle ships were ordered by the company, with a decision to give both Welsh names, thus the names: Llanstephan Castle and Llandovery Castle. The route was not just to the Cape - for Union-Castle also offered a service down the East coast of Africa and a round-Africa route too. 8m. Union-Castle Royal Mail card of Galician. [2] She had one-class accommodation for about 530 passengers, and considerable refrigerated and general cargo capacity. Ltd. Carnarvon Castle was built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast and launched on 14 January 1926. View brochure showing accommodation and public rooms on the Union-Castle Line’s passenger ships, circa 1920s. Formed 1900 by the merger of Union Steamship Co. competed for the Cape Government’s contract to ship mail between the UK and South Africa and sometimes they held a joint contract and this MV Carnarvon Castle Archival Collection Carnarvon Castle (1926) Union-Castle Line Built by Harland & Wolff, Ltd. . Motorship. After the outbreak of the First World War she served as HMS Caribbean, first as a troop ship and then as an Llandovery Castle was one of a pair of ships (her sister ship was SS Llanstephan Castle) built for the Union Castle Line, following the company's acquisition by the Royal Mail Line in 1912. On that voyage, Saxon was painted in Union livery, but sported Union-Castle funnels. It merged with Bullard King and Clan Line in 1956 to form British & Commonwealth Shipping, and then with South African Marine Corporation Fleet List of the Union-Castle Line Showing Owner, Nationality, Name of Ship, Year Placed in Service, and Gross Tonnage. He left off almost all of the chapters of this book, "Organized" by Ship. In this book, the author traced the fascinating history of the Union-Castle Line with the aid of many drawings and photos to show the development of the ships employed. In 1910, 26 of the 28 ships that called at St Helena were Union Castle ships. 's Natal Direct Line taken over. The ships were well known for the lavender hulls and red funnels topped in black. Union-Castle House, Southampton The Union-Castle Line was a British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. This contract expired in 1899, and after much political manoeuvering, the two companies merged to become the Union-Castle Mail SS Co and received the new mail contract. From the GG Archives William Miller went all out with this book. It merged with Bullard King and Clan Line in 1956 to form British & Commonwealth Shipping, and then with South African Marine Corporation (commonly referred to as RMS Pendennis Castle was a Royal Mail Ship, passenger and cargo liner operated by the Union-Castle Line. [2][3] Based in Southampton, the liner travelled to ports in Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, West Africa between April and October. Quick Facts Trade name, Industry RMS Windsor Castle was a passenger and cargo liner operated by the Union-Castle Line on its Cape Mail service between Britain and South Africa. Edinburgh Castle was an ocean liner operated by the Union-Castle Line in service between Britain and South Africa during the mid 20th century. Union-Castle named most of their ships with the suffix "Castle" in their names; the names of several inherited from the Union Line were changed to this scheme (for Calls at Flushing began in 1889 resulting in the grant of a contract to carry Dutch mails to South Africa and in 1900 Castle Line merged with the Union Steamship Company to form the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company. Pages in category "Ships of the Union-Castle Line" The following 38 pages are in this category, out of 38 total. Modifications: Lengthened to 661 feet (686' o. She and her sister Warwick Castle were for the Southampton-South Africa service. Available for both RF and RM licensing. The Union-Castle Line was a prominent shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and freighters between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. Union-Castle Line Passenger Lists 1911-1955 AKA: Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company The Royal Mail Steamers of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co. For more than 75 years Union-Castle Line ran regular passenger ships from Southampton to South Africa, leaving every Thursday afternoon at 4’o clock. l. Its lavender-hulled ships were some of the most impressive vessels of the time. Rebuilt 1938 with one funnel and new B&W diesels with 26,000 BHP for a service speed of 20 knots. A previous vessel of the same name was built in 1864 by Donald Currie & Co. Our collection focuses on service between British Ports and South & East African Ports. This delighted the Cape Legislative Assembly who voted to pay Currie £140 for each passage day below 30 days. Aug 9, 2016 · 9th August 2016 The Union-Castle ‘R’ Ships by John Lane In the 1800s before the turn of the century two British shipping companies served the important routes to South Africa. These ships had been an institution for 120 years: faithfully taking civil servants to colonial postings, businessmen to meetings and statesmen to conferences. Windsor Castle was 238. This page links to other pages in the series. 1919 Bullard King & Co. [1] This was also the last ship Titanic - lookout Reginald Lee served on before his death in 1913. The route was not just to the Cape – for Union Castle offered a service down the East coast of Africa and a round-Africa route too. ephemera of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, which served the UK-Southern Africa Route. The Union Steam Ship Co. The vessel served the Union-Castle Line from 1959–1976 on a regular route between the UK and South Africa for the Southampton to Las Palmas, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban "Cape Mail" service. SHIPS IN THE WORLD, and at the time of her building, the largest vessel in the South African service, the Union- Castle liner Stirling Castle is propelled by ten- cylinder double- acting two- stroke cycle diesel engines of the Harland- Burmeister and Wain type. This was the final year of the Union Castle mailship run from Britain to South Africa. Troopship, 1940; training ship for troop landings, 1941; landing ship 1942-45. This list may not reflect recent changes. (a predecessor to Union-Castle) and sold in 1883, whereupon it was renamed Chittagong. [1][2 HMHS Glenart Castle (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) was a steamship originally built as Galician in 1900 for the Union-Castle Line. Postwar emigrant service to South Africa Find the perfect union castle line ships stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. She was the second of a trio of sister ships built between 1950 and 1953, the others being Rhodesia Castle and Braemar Castle. Images on this page, except the two post cards of Pendennis Castle, were taken from a brochure. , Sail from Southampton Every Saturday with Passengers and Cargo for Cape Colony and Natal, Calling at Madeira. RMS Kenilworth Castle was a British Passenger ship that served for the Union-Castle Line until its scrapping in 1937. Union-Castle Line Union-Castle Page 1: Header Page This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the Union-Castle Line. Explore the history of the Union-Castle Line, a leading British shipping company that connected the UK and South Africa. History: Union-Castle Line was formed in 1900 by the merger of Union Steamship Company and Castle Mail Packet Company, competitors on the route between Britain and the Cape. [1] Initially sailing between London and East Africa, from August 1914 she sailed on Union-Castle Line Passenger Lists The Royal steamships of Union-Castle sail from Southampton every Saturday with passengers and cargo for Cape Colony and Natal, calling on Madeira. Dates in the Fleet List below are for combined Union SS and Union-Castle service. From the 1950s to The Castle steamers were in fact superior to the Union ships and achieved shorter voyage times than the official mail ships. Completed in 1960, she was the line’s largest Royal Mail Ship on that route. Unless marked otherwise, images on this page were provided by Keith and Joy Franson Visit their site at www. Once part of a vital communications link Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order. She served both as a troopship and as a hospital ship, prefixed HMT and HMHS respectively, before, during and after the First World War. and Donald Curry's Castle Mail Packet Co. " Every Thursday at 4pm a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Southampton bound for Cape Town. The next chapter, heading "Arundel Castle The Union-Castle Line was a British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liner s and cargo ship s between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. [3] RMMV Stirling Castle was a British ocean liner of the Union-Castle Line built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast for the Southampton to South Africa mail service. Dimensions: 630' x 73'. and The Castle Mail Packets Co. I do not own any video SS Braemar Castle was a passenger-cargo steamship, built for Castle Line in 1898, that spent more of her time in British government service than working for her owners. ) in 1938. First Union-Castle Line motorship. Fleet ships which transferred to the Union Castle fleet after the merger in 1900 are not shown again under that fleet. Discover passenger lists, ship histories, travel documents, and maritime innovations—an essential resource for genealogists, historians, and maritime enthusiasts. RMS Arundel Castle was a British ocean liner and Royal Mail Ship which entered service in 1921 for the Union-Castle Line. On page 14 is "Llanstephan Castle," a chapter header containing many photos of Arundel Castle, Carnarvon Castle, and Llandovery Castle. This includes chartered ships from Union Castle Line as well. At the same time, a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Cape Town bound for Southampton. [1] She was named after Caernarfon Castle. Oranje) was an ocean liner operated by the Union-Castle Line in service between Britain and South Africa during the mid 20th century. Union-Castle Pages:- Union-Castle Header Page - this page! Harland & Wolff built Kenya Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, completing her in 1952 for the Union-Castle Line of London England. On one fateful voyage, attractive 21years old actress Gay Gibson caught his eye. The Union-Castle Line was a British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. They were Pendennis Castle, Windsor Castle and Transvaal Castle. Reborn version of the former Shipslist websiteThe Fleets Formed 1900 by the merger of Union SS Co. SHIPS OF THE WORLD on the RIVER THAMES 1. in Glasgow, launched on 3 September 1913, and completed in January 1914. The first Dutchman at the Cape was the naval surgeon Jan van Riebeeck, establishing a base at Cape Town for the Dutch East India Company in 1652. They had carried travellers on holiday Jul 12, 2016 · The gorgeous lavender hull of the mail ships was also given to these two coasters. In 1853 the Union Line was established (then called the Southampton Steam Shipping The Union Steam Ship Company began operating the government monthly mail service from Southampton to South Africa in 1857. Saxon became the first ship to begin her career with Union-Castle, making her maiden voyage on the line's mail service from Southampton to Cape Town on 16 June 1900. Jun 14, 2016 · Forgotten Fleets 14th June 2016 Union-Castle Line by Norman Middlemiss Part One: The Union and Castle Lines The Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the Cape, beginning with Bartholomew Diaz in 1488 and Vasco da Gama in 1497. The company originated as Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co, Ltd on 8 March 1900 with the merger of Union Line and Castle Shipping Line; Castle Shipping Line took over the fleet. 1912 Royal Mail group took over control of the company. At her first repainting, however, she was given Union-Castle's distinctive lavender hull. Intermediate ships are dispatched from London every Friday, sailing from Southampton every Saturday for Cape Colony , Natal, Las Palmas and Tentriffe. In 1900 it merged with the Castle line to form the Union-Castle line and continued to operate a passenger, freight and mail service between Europe and Africa until 1977. The ship was built by Barclay, Curle & Co. [2] The very last of the Union Castle Line traditional Mail Ships, the RMS Pendennis Castle departed on her final return voyage to Cape Town, from Southampton on April 23, 1976, and was withdrawn from service and placed on the market upon her return and having been de-stored on June 14, 1976. 6m and a draught of 9. It operated as a cruise ship—carrying up to 1,047 passengers—by Union-Castle Line, who chartered it to the Travel Savings Association (TSA) beginning in 1963. The line was formed in February 1900 by an amalgamation of the Union Steam Ship Co Ltd with the Castle Mail Packet Co Ltd. Aug 9, 2016 · Union-Castle Line had managed the ship between 1964 and 1969 for the Travel Savings Association, and she was then chartered to Union-Castle Line for five years until purchased by the company in 1973 before expiry of the charter party. In 1918, Glenart Castle was torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel whilst working as a hospital ship. greatcruisephotos. World War 1 caused an interruption to the service but by 1926 the schedule had standardised at one ship in each direction per month. 8m in length, with a beam of 28. Record Run UNION CASTLE SHIPS Part Two Blast from the past. Maiden voyage 24 Oct 1930 to Cape Town. RMS Windsor Castle was the largest passenger and cargo liner operated by the Union-Castle Line on its Cape Mail service between Britain and South Africa. Stirling Castle (II) Launched at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, in July 1935, Stirling Castle made her maiden voyage from Southampton to Capetown on 7 February 1936. , Ltd. Ship profiles, history and trade routes of the Union-Castle Line ocean liners serving in 1966. It certainly has an interesting history. At the end of the war, it was recorded that 274 Union-Castle Line personnel had lost their lives on board the ships that had been sunk, and 144 medals for bravery had been awarded together with 59 mentions in despatches. When World War II began, the ship was converted into a troop Mar 24, 2014 · James Camb, a ship’s steward on board the Union-Castle Line vessel Durban Castle which plied between South Africa and England, was a predator who had attempted to seduce many female pasengers. Compilation of every known Ship Horn from past Union Castle Line ships. Not all ships would stop at St Helena but sufficient would to create a viable mail, goods and passenger service. With the jet age and cargo containers, the days of the scheduled passenger ship became untenable and sadly, the last ship sailed in 1977. com Mar 16, 2011 · Once part of a vital communications link between Europe and Southern Africa, the RMS Windsor Castle was the last of the Union Castle Line's, "Cape Mail Express. Find the perfect union castle line ship stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Completed in 1960, the new Royal Mail Ship During the 1970s ship after ship went to the breakers and in 1977 the historic mail service ended, as did the story of Union-Castle Line. By the beginning of the post war period in 1945, the line was the second The Union-Castle Line was a British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. Cover Images pertaining to the Union-Castle Line, published and printed aboard their steamships and ocean liners from 1911-1955. "Early Castle Liners" extends from page nine to 126 on the Table of Contents. Twin-screw, 18 knots. and the Castle Mail Packet Co. Gross tonnage equals cubic feet of all enclosed space divided by 100. Pretoria Castle, Southampton 1958 She was built by Harland & Wolff of Belfast at a cost of £2. Dec 6, 2015 · Three new liners arrived in 1959, the last great ships built for Union Castle. In 1913 the ship was sold to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company as the Caribbean. Two masts and two funnels. Windsor Castle was notable for the high standard, if conservative, design of her public rooms in a "traditional" first class and "contemporary" tourist class configuration Apr 6, 2020 · Union-Castle Ship in Cape Town There are many people in Cape Town who have fond memories of the Union-Castle shipping line, either because they were lucky enough to travel on one of their ships, or because they brought their mail, comics and magazines from England. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. She and her sister ship the RMS Pretoria Castle were built to replace the first SS Edinburgh Castle (1910) and Warwick Castle (1931) which were lost during World War 2. 5 million, and was launched on 19 August 1947, with her christening performed by the wife of South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts. It was formed from the merger of the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line. Although the quality may be somewhat inferior, I am sure you will enjoy discovering the beauty of this fine Royal Mail Ship. In 1914 she was renamed Glenart Castle. Below this is a table of individual ship histories. Windsor Castle - the only Union-Castle ship ordered from Cammell Laird - was also briefly the largest liner built in England, until surpassed by the 41,910 grt Orient Line's Oriana launched on 3 November 1959. She was launched on 15 August 1935 and was the first of two identical sister ships, being joined a few months later by the Athlone Castle. Mar 15, 2013 · Three new liners arrived in 1959, the last great ships built for Union-Castle. Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order.