SS Drakensburg Castle
| 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: |
 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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS". Plimsoll Ship Data. http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=44b1208.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ↑ ""1180157"" (subscription required). Miramar Ship Index. R.B. Haworth. http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ↑ "Empire-A". Mariners-L. http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireA.html. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ↑ "INDUSTRIAL SUNDERLAND - PAGE 32, SHIPBUILDERS - PAGE 10". Rogers. http://ca.geocities.com/ventures0@rogers.com/sunderland32.html. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
External links
- Photo of Drakensburg Castle.
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