SS Drakensburg Castle

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Career
Name: Empire Allenby (1944-46)
Drakensburg Castle (1946-59)
Owner: Ministry of War Transport (1944-46)
Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd (1946-59)
Operator: Owner operated except:-
Prince Line Ltd (1944-46)
Port of registry: United Kingdom Sunderland (1945-47)
22x20px South Africa (1947-59)
Builder: J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland
Yard number: 633
Launched: 18 October 1944
Completed: June 1945
Out of service: 5 August 1959
Identification: UK Official Number 180157 (1945-47)
Code letters GJTM
30x15px30x15px30x15px30x15px (1945-47)
Fate: Scrapped in Hong Kong September 1959
General characteristics
Tonnage: 9,904 GRT
Length: 475 feet 4 inches (144.88 m)
Beam: 64 feet 1 inch (19.53 m)
Depth: 40 feet (12.19 m)
Propulsion: 2 x steam turbines double reduction geared driving one screw
Speed: 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h)

The Empire Allenby was a 9,904 ton cargo liner which was built in 1944. She was renamed Drakenburg Castle in 1946, and scrapped in 1959.

History

Empire Allenby was built by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland[1] as yard number 633. She was launched on 18 October 1944 and completed in June 1945.[2] Empire Allenby was built for the Ministry of War Transport and operated under the management of Furness, Withy & Co Ltd, who traded as Prince Line Ltd.[1]

In 1946, Empire Allenby was sold to the Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd, who traded as the Union-Castle Line. She was renamed Drakensburg Castle.[3] On 22 July 1947, she was transferred to the South African registry. Although Drakensburg Castle was a fast ship compared to others in the Union-Castle Line fleet, she was expensive to operate and not suitable for use as a tramp. She was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Salvage & Towage Co and arrived for scrapping in Hong Kong on 5 August 1959. Drakensburg Castle was scrapped in September 1959.[4]

Official Number and Code Letters

Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers.

Empire Allenby had the UK Official Number 180157 and used the Code Letters GJTM.[1]

References

External links

  • Photo of Drakensburg Castle.