SS Orcades (1948)

Orcades c.1950
Career
Name:	RMS Orcades SS Orcades
Owner:	Orient Steam Navigation Company (Orient Line) 1948-1966 Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O) 1966-1973
Port of registry:	London, United Kingdom
Route:	UK-Australia-New Zealand
Builder:	Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness, England
Cost:	£3,418,000
Yard number:	950
Launched:	14 Oct 1947
Completed:	14 Nov 1948
Maiden voyage:	14 Dec 1948
Out of service:	13 Oct 1972
Fate:	Broken-up 1973, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
General characteristics
Tonnage:	28,399 (1959 refit)
Length:	216.1 m
Beam:	25.0 m
Draught:	9.4 m
Installed power:	6 x single reduction gear turbine engines
Propulsion:	Twin screws
Speed:	24.7 knots (service speed)
Capacity:	1,635 passengers (1964 refit)
Notes:	Originally painted yellow; white from 1964 refit

For other ships of the same name, see Orcades.

SS Orcades was an ocean liner serving primarily on the UK – Australia – New Zealand route. It started service as a British Royal Mail Steamer (RMS) carrying first and tourist class passengers. Orcades carried many migrants to Australia and New Zealand and was later used as a cruise ship.

During the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne the Orcades served as an accommodation ship .

The vessel underwent refits in 1959 and 1964. During the 1959 refit the ship obtained a 'stovepipe' fitting to its funnel. Under the 1964 refit Orcades became a single class vessel and its external primary colour scheme changed from yellow to white.

The vessel's sister ship was the Oronsay (1951).

Orcades is an ancient name for the Orkney Islands.

References

• Latimer, David W (2002) Passenger ships of the 20th century: an illustrated encyclopedia, p.259, Colourpoint Books ISBN 1 898392 70 6
• Museum Victoria
• Ocean liner museum
• Photographs and deck plans
• ssMaritime