CAPETOWN
CASTLE was built in 1938 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 27000grt, a length of 734ft, a beam of 82ft 6in
and a service speed of 22.5 knots. She was launched by Mrs J.D.
Low, the Mayoress of Cape Town, and the name of the city was
bestowed as one word to conform with the policy of naming the
ships after fictional South African castles. Based on the Stirling
Castle specification, but with more enclosed superstructure
to provide more outside cabins, she was the longest motorship
in the world and joined the fleet to operate a faster eight
ship mail service. When war broke out on 3rd September 1939
she was at Port Elizabeth and continued in commercial service
until 1940 when she was requisitioned for use as a troopship.
During 1943 she trooped between the USA and the UK as part of
Operation Bolero, the build up for D-Day. After carrying some
164,000 troops and sailing 484,000 miles she returned to Union-Castle
in 1946 and was refurbished at Belfast where her original fittings
had been stored in complete safety. She was the company's first
ship to return to post-war service, sailing from Southampton
on 9th January 1947. On 17th October 1960 a compressor exploded
in the engine room, disabling the ship, which was near Las Palmas,
and killing seven persons. The passengers were transferred to
other ships and she eventually returned to Belfast where she
was repaired; the Braemar Castle temporarily replacing her.
In 1965 £100,000 worth of gold ingots were stolen from
the bullion room but were found cemented in a hold during the
following voyage. Two members of the crew were subsequently
imprisoned for the theft. On 26th September 1967 she arrived
at La Spezia for breaking up by Terrestre Marittima having been
replaced by the Southampton Castle and Good Hope Castle.
(Photo: UCPSC 22/146)
ROWALLAN
CASTLE (2) was built in 1943 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 7950grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of
63ft 3in and a service speed of 16 knots. She was finally delivered
on 24th April 1942 after waiting for engines to be installed.
Being a relatively fast ship she was deployed on the refrigerated
food run between South Africa and the UK, operating independently
of convoys. She was heavily armed, especially against air attack
and fitted with paravanes on forward booms as a defence against
mines. In 1945, after the war she made several fruit runs to
the USA. After a further twenty six years service she was sold
to Sheyh Sheng Steel & Iron Works of Taiwan in 1971 and
arrived at Kaohsiung on 2nd September of that year for breaking
up. (Photo: Union-Castle Line)
RICHMOND
CASTLE (2) was built in 1944 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 7971grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of
63ft 3in and a service speed of 16 knots. Sister of the Rowallan
Castle she was delivered on 28th September 1944 and operated
on the refrigerated fruit run until 1971 when she was sold to
Chinese shipbreakers for £146,280 and arrived at Shanghai
on 27th August 1971. (Photo: A. Duncan)
ROXBURGH
CASTLE (2) was built in 1945 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 8003grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of
63ft 3in and a service speed of 16 knots. The second sister
of the Rowallan Castle she was delivered on 14th February 1945
and operated on the refrigerated fruit run between South African
and the United Kingdom. She was sold to Chinese shipbreakers
in 1971 for £146,000 and arrived in Shanghai on 19th July
of that year. (Photo: World Ship Photo Library)
DRAKENSBURG
CASTLE was built in 1945 by J & L Thompson & Sons in
Sunderland with a tonnage of 9905grt, a length of 500ft 4in,
a beam of 64ft 1in and a service speed of 14.5 knots. She was
built for the Ministry of War Transport as the Empire Allenby,
one of the Empire Rawlinson class of fast ships. The officers
accommodation was amidships and the ratings were housed aft
in the poop. Nobody was berthed in the forecastle because of
mines. She was acquired by Union- Castle in 1946 under the Government's
Ship Disposal scheme and became the Drakensburg Castle with
a black hull. With her sisters she was deployed on the USA -
South Africa run but, because she was faster than the service
required, was expensive to operate. She was not suitable for
tramping operations either so finished up having a shorter than
normal working life. In July 1947 she was transferred to South
African registry and by the late 1950's was operating a general
cargo service round Africa. On 5th August 1959 she arrived at
Hong Kong where she was broken up. (Photo: UCPSC 02/182)
GOOD
HOPE CASTLE (1) was built in 1945 by Caledon Ship Building &
Engineering Co. in Dundee with a tonnage of 9905grt, a length
of 497ft 6in, a beam of 64ft 5in and a service speed of 14.5
knots. She was delivered to the Ministry of War Transport on
5th April 1945 as the Empire Life with T & J Harrison as
managers. On 9th January 1946 she had to put into Valetta, Malta
for repairs after shedding a propeller blade. She was acquired
by Union-Castle in March of the same year and given the name
Good Hope Castle and a black hull. On 14th July 1947 she became
the first Union-Castle vessel to be transferred to South African
registry. In August 1959 she arrived in Hong Kong at about the
same time as the Drakensburg Castle where she was broken up.
(Photo: UCPSC 01/170)
KENILWORTH
CASTLE (3) was built in 1944 by Chas Connell & Co. in Glasgow
with a tonnage of 9916grt, a length of 497ft 6in, a beam of
64ft 5in and a service speed of 14.5 knots. She was built for
the Ministry of War Transport as the Empire Wilson with Union-Castle
as managers. Acquired by the company in 1946 she was renamed
Kenilworth Castle and given a lavender grey hull and a short
funnel. On 4th June 1968 she arrived at Hong Kong where she
was broken up. (Photo: UCPSC 01/170)
RIEBEECK
CASTLE was built in 1946 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 8322grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of 63ft
4in and a service speed of 16 knots. She was delivered on 11th
March 1945 to carry fruit from South Africa on the northbound
voyage and general cargo on the southbound voyage. After a career
which lasted 26 years she arrived at Kaohsiung on 2nd September
1971 where she was broken up. (Photo: UCPSC 02/182)
RUSTENBURG
CASTLE was built in 1946 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 8322grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of 63ft
4in and a service speed of 16 knots. Sister of the Riebeeck
Castle she was delivered on 5th March 1946 to carry fruit from
South Africa on the northbound voyage and general cargo on the
southbound voyage. In 1971 she was sold to Chinese breakers
for £147,500 and sailed on her final voyage from Singapore
to Shanghai on 6th September 1971.
(Photo: C.H.Solomons)
BRAEMAR
CASTLE (2) was built in 1943 by Short Bros in Sunderland with
a tonnage of 7067grt, a length of 466ft 6in, a beam of 56ft
4in and a service speed of 12 knots. She was completed for the
Ministry of War Transport as the Empire Duchess with Hugh Hogarth
& Son as managers. On 7th August 1946 the management was
transferred to Union-Castle who purchased her in 1949 and renamed
her Braemar Castle. In 1950 she was transferred to King Line
and renamed King James. She was sold to Cambay Prince S.S. Co.
of Hong Kong in 1958 and renamed Tyne Breeze with John Manners
& Co. as managers. Five years later she became the Cathay
Trader for owner Cathay Trader Steam Ship Co. of Hong Kong and
in the following year, 1964, was purchased by Pacific Pearl
Navigation Co. of Hong Kong and renamed Pearl Light. In 1966
she became the Habib Marikar owned by Marikar Navigation &
Agencies Ltd of Hong Kong. On 3rd November 1967 she suffered
an engine failure while on a voyage from Hong Kong to Chittagong
and went ashore on Lincoln Island in position 16.30N 112.50E
becoming a total loss. (Photo: A Duncan)
PRETORIA
CASTLE (2) was built in 1948 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 28705grt, a length of 747ft 4in, a beam of
84ft and a service speed of 22.5 knots. Costing £2,500,000
she was launched by Mrs Jan Smuts by telephone on 19th August
1947 as a replacement for the lost Windsor Castle. With her
sister the Edinburgh Castle (3) she was an enlarged version
of the Capetown Castle, the company's largest ships to date
and propelled by steam. On 15th June 1953 she hosted Government
guests at the Spithead Coronation Review and took part in the
procession through the lines formed by 260 ships which was headed
by Trinity House's Patricia, the then Royal Yacht HMS Surprise,
followed by Orient Lines Orcades, Pretoria Castle, P&O's
Strathnaver and British Rail ships carrying Admiralty staff.
In 1962 she was refitted when the outward appearance was changed
by altering the positions of the mast. She was sold on 1st January
1966 to the South African Marine Corporation (UK) Ltd and entered
service with them on 2nd February as the S.A. Oranje with a
new Safmarine livery but on the same route and with Union-Castle
crews and management. Her registry was transferred to Cape Town
on 17th March 1969. After 187 sailings and carrying over 250,000
passengers she arrived arrived at Kaohsuing on 2nd November
1975 to be broken up by Chin Tai Steel Enterprises. (Raphael
Tuck postcard)
EDINBURGH
CASTLE (3) was built in 1947 by Harland & Wolff in 1948
with a tonnage of 28705grt, a length of 747ft 4in, a beam of
84ft and a service speed of 22.5 knots. Sister of the Pretoria
Castle she was built to replace the lost Warwick Castle and
underwent the same refit in 1962. On 5th March 1976 she commenced
her last passenger sailing from Southampton before undertaking
a one-way cargo only voyage to the Far East where she was broken
up at Kaohsiung by Chou's Iron & Steel Co. in the June of
that year.
BLOEMFONTEIN
CASTLE was built in 1950 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with
a tonnage of 18400grt, a length of 594ft 6in, a beam of 76ft
4in and a service speed of 18.5 knots. It was the company's
intention to use her as an emigrant carrier to East Africa,and
in particular Rhodesia, for the ill fated 'Ground Nut Scheme'.
However, when in 1948, the South African government of Field
Marshall Smuts was ousted by Dr Malan's Nationalist Party the
traffic dried up when the new government cancelled the assisted
passage scheme. Consequently, during the construction the plans
were amended but she was always considered to be the 'odd man
out' as far as the Union-Castle fleet was concerned. However,
she entered service as the only one class ship until the Transvaal
Castle, and operated from the London-Rotterdam-Cape-Beira route,
the only vessel to do so. In the mid-afternoon of 8th January
1953 she rescued the 234 passengers and crew from the Klipfontein
(Vereenigde Nederlands Maats) which had struck a rock and foundered
five miles off Cape Barra near Inhambane whilst on route for
Beira. Ironically, when the accident occured the Klipfontein
was racing the Bloemfontein Castle for the only vacant berth
at Beira. In August 1959 a newly joined crew member was arrested
for his part in a jewel robbery. On 9th November 1959, being
the odd man out, she became surplus to requirements and was
sold to Chandris (England) Ltd and renamed Patris. After a refit
at North Shields ownership changed to the National Greek Australia
Line and she sailed for Australia where, by 1972, she was cruising
out of Sydney and then operated on the Sydney-Singapore service.
In February 1974 she became an Australian Federal Government
accommodation ship for nine months after typhoon 'Tracy' had
virtually destroyed Darwin in the Northern Territory. Returning
to Greece in 1976 she was converted to carry 260 cars though
large side-loading doors for the Venice-Ancona-Patras service.
In 1980 she was sold to the Michail A. Karageorgis Group and
renamed Mediterranean Island and in 1981 became the Mediteranean
Star on the Piraeus-Alexandria run under the same owners but
registered as Star Navigation Corp and was later transferred
within the group to Consolidated Ocean Transports. She was sold
to St. Vincent owners for breaking up and renamed Terra pro
temps.
RHODESIA
CASTLE was built in 1951 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 17041grt, a length of 576ft 5in, a beam of 74ft
3in and a service speed of 17.5 knots. Based on the Bloemfontein
Castle design she was built for the Round Africa service and
replaced the Llanstephan Castle. In 1958 she had her funnel
heightened and a dome top fitted and after two cruises out of
Southampton replaced the Dunnottar Castle. She was remodelled
in 1960 to accommodate 442 one class passengers. On 4th May
1967 she was laid up in the River Blackwater prior to sailing
to Kaohsiung for breaking up by Chin Ho Fa Steel & Iron
Co.
KENYA
CASTLE was built in 1951 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 17041grt, a length of 576ft 5in, a beam of 74ft
3in and a service speed of 17.5 knots. Sister of the Rhodesia
Castle she was delivered at Southampton on 18th February 1952
but undertook a 14-day cruise to the Canary Islands before sailing
on the London - Cape via Suez service. In 1958 she had her funnel
re-modelled and in 1960 had her accommodation altered to cater
for 442 One Class passengers. The British National Export Council
considered her for an exhibition ship in 1966 but the idea came
to nothing. On 22nd April 1967 she was laid up in the River
Blackwater and was later sold to the Greek Chandris Line and
renamed Amerikanis. Converted into a 920 passenger One Class
ship she sailed on her maiden voyage for her new owner on 8th
August 1968 from Pireaus - Messina - Naples - Lisbon - Halifax
- New York. After three line voyages she cruised out of New
York to the Caribbean during the following winter , an operating
pattern that was repeated in 1969. In 1970 she was transferred
to cruising only with a passenger complement of 617 and operating
inexpensive 3, 4 and 7 day cruises out of US East coast ports
and the Bahamas. She was replaced on the New York - Bermuda
service by the newly built Horizon in 1989 and transferred to
San Juan, Puerto Rica. Since 1996 she has been laid up in Greece
and, although there were plans to use her as a floating hotel
in London, she has been sold recently for breaking up in India.
BRAEMAR
CASTLE (3) was built in 1952 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 17029grt, a length of 576ft 5in, a beam of
74ft 3in and a service speed of 17.5 knots. Sister of the Kenya
Castle she commenced her maiden voyage on 22nd November on the
Round Africa service via the Cape and Durban. Her passenger
accommodation was remodelled in 1960 to 459 but her funnel was
not altered like her sisters. In October 1960 she briefly replaced
the Edinburgh Castle on the mail run while she underwent engine
repairs. On 6th January 1966, after less than 14 years service,
she arrived at Faslane for breaking up by Shipbuilding Industries.
A combination of the increased popularity of air travel and
Independence of the former African colonies reducing the transit
of Europeans made her uneconomic and surplus to company requirements.
From then on the service between East Africa and Europe was
maintained by the British India Line's Uganda and Kenya and
much of their time was spent carrying government officials.
(Photo: UCPSC 05/182)
CAPETOWN
CASTLE was built in 1938 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 27000grt, a length of 734ft, a beam of 82ft 6in
and a service speed of 22.5 knots. She was launched by Mrs J.D.
Low, the Mayoress of Cape Town, and the name of the city was
bestowed as one word to conform with the policy of naming the
ships after fictional South African castles. Based on the Stirling
Castle specification, but with more enclosed superstructure
to provide more outside cabins, she was the longest motorship
in the world and joined the fleet to operate a faster eight
ship mail service. When war broke out on 3rd September 1939
she was at Port Elizabeth and continued in commercial service
until 1940 when she was requisitioned for use as a troopship.
During 1943 she trooped between the USA and the UK as part of
Operation Bolero, the build up for D-Day. After carrying some
164,000 troops and sailing 484,000 miles she returned to Union-Castle
in 1946 and was refurbished at Belfast where her original fittings
had been stored in complete safety. She was the company's first
ship to return to post-war service, sailing from Southampton
on 9th January 1947. On 17th October 1960 a compressor exploded
in the engine room, disabling the ship, which was near Las Palmas,
and killing seven persons. The passengers were transferred to
other ships and she eventually returned to Belfast where she
was repaired; the Braemar Castle temporarily replacing her.
In 1965 £100,000 worth of gold ingots were stolen from
the bullion room but were found cemented in a hold during the
following voyage. Two members of the crew were subsequently
imprisoned for the theft. On 26th September 1967 she arrived
at La Spezia for breaking up by Terrestre Marittima having been
replaced by the Southampton Castle and Good Hope Castle.
ROWALLAN
CASTLE (2) was built in 1943 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 7950grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of
63ft 3in and a service speed of 16 knots. She was finally delivered
on 24th April 1942 after waiting for engines to be installed.
Being a relatively fast ship she was deployed on the refrigerated
food run between South Africa and the UK, operating independently
of convoys. She was heavily armed, especially against air attack
and fitted with paravanes on forward booms as a defence against
mines. In 1945, after the war she made several fruit runs to
the USA. After a further twenty six years service she was sold
to Sheyh Sheng Steel & Iron Works of Taiwan in 1971 and
arrived at Kaohsiung on 2nd September of that year for breaking
up. (Photo: Union-Castle Line) 
RICHMOND
CASTLE (2) was built in 1944 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 7971grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of
63ft 3in and a service speed of 16 knots. Sister of the Rowallan
Castle she was delivered on 28th September 1944 and operated
on the refrigerated fruit run until 1971 when she was sold to
Chinese shipbreakers for £146,280 and arrived at Shanghai
on 27th August 1971. (Photo: A. Duncan) 
ROXBURGH
CASTLE (2) was built in 1945 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 8003grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of
63ft 3in and a service speed of 16 knots. The second sister
of the Rowallan Castle she was delivered on 14th February 1945
and operated on the refrigerated fruit run between South African
and the United Kingdom. She was sold to Chinese shipbreakers
in 1971 for £146,000 and arrived in Shanghai on 19th July
of that year. (Photo: World Ship Photo Library) 
DRAKENSBURG
CASTLE was built in 1945 by J & L Thompson & Sons in
Sunderland with a tonnage of 9905grt, a length of 500ft 4in,
a beam of 64ft 1in and a service speed of 14.5 knots. She was
built for the Ministry of War Transport as the Empire Allenby,
one of the Empire Rawlinson class of fast ships. The officers
accommodation was amidships and the ratings were housed aft
in the poop. Nobody was berthed in the forecastle because of
mines. She was acquired by Union- Castle in 1946 under the Government's
Ship Disposal scheme and became the Drakensburg Castle with
a black hull. With her sisters she was deployed on the USA -
South Africa run but, because she was faster than the service
required, was expensive to operate. She was not suitable for
tramping operations either so finished up having a shorter than
normal working life. In July 1947 she was transferred to South
African registry and by the late 1950's was operating a general
cargo service round Africa. On 5th August 1959 she arrived at
Hong Kong where she was broken up. (Photo: UCPSC 02/182) 
GOOD
HOPE CASTLE (1) was built in 1945 by Caledon Ship Building &
Engineering Co. in Dundee with a tonnage of 9905grt, a length
of 497ft 6in, a beam of 64ft 5in and a service speed of 14.5
knots. She was delivered to the Ministry of War Transport on
5th April 1945 as the Empire Life with T & J Harrison as
managers. On 9th January 1946 she had to put into Valetta, Malta
for repairs after shedding a propeller blade. She was acquired
by Union-Castle in March of the same year and given the name
Good Hope Castle and a black hull. On 14th July 1947 she became
the first Union-Castle vessel to be transferred to South African
registry. In August 1959 she arrived in Hong Kong at about the
same time as the Drakensburg Castle where she was broken up.
(Photo: UCPSC 01/170) 
KENILWORTH
CASTLE (3) was built in 1944 by Chas Connell & Co. in Glasgow
with a tonnage of 9916grt, a length of 497ft 6in, a beam of
64ft 5in and a service speed of 14.5 knots. She was built for
the Ministry of War Transport as the Empire Wilson with Union-Castle
as managers. Acquired by the company in 1946 she was renamed
Kenilworth Castle and given a lavender grey hull and a short
funnel. On 4th June 1968 she arrived at Hong Kong where she
was broken up. (Photo: UCPSC 01/170) 
RIEBEECK
CASTLE was built in 1946 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 8322grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of 63ft
4in and a service speed of 16 knots. She was delivered on 11th
March 1945 to carry fruit from South Africa on the northbound
voyage and general cargo on the southbound voyage. After a career
which lasted 26 years she arrived at Kaohsiung on 2nd September
1971 where she was broken up. (Photo: UCPSC 02/182) 
RUSTENBURG
CASTLE was built in 1946 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 8322grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of 63ft
4in and a service speed of 16 knots. Sister of the Riebeeck
Castle she was delivered on 5th March 1946 to carry fruit from
South Africa on the northbound voyage and general cargo on the
southbound voyage. In 1971 she was sold to Chinese breakers
for £147,500 and sailed on her final voyage from Singapore
to Shanghai on 6th September 1971.
BRAEMAR
CASTLE (2) was built in 1943 by Short Bros in Sunderland with
a tonnage of 7067grt, a length of 466ft 6in, a beam of 56ft
4in and a service speed of 12 knots. She was completed for the
Ministry of War Transport as the Empire Duchess with Hugh Hogarth
& Son as managers. On 7th August 1946 the management was
transferred to Union-Castle who purchased her in 1949 and renamed
her Braemar Castle. In 1950 she was transferred to King Line
and renamed King James. She was sold to Cambay Prince S.S. Co.
of Hong Kong in 1958 and renamed Tyne Breeze with John Manners
& Co. as managers. Five years later she became the Cathay
Trader for owner Cathay Trader Steam Ship Co. of Hong Kong and
in the following year, 1964, was purchased by Pacific Pearl
Navigation Co. of Hong Kong and renamed Pearl Light. In 1966
she became the Habib Marikar owned by Marikar Navigation &
Agencies Ltd of Hong Kong. On 3rd November 1967 she suffered
an engine failure while on a voyage from Hong Kong to Chittagong
and went ashore on Lincoln Island in position 16.30N 112.50E
becoming a total loss. (Photo: A Duncan) 
PRETORIA
CASTLE (2) was built in 1948 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 28705grt, a length of 747ft 4in, a beam of
84ft and a service speed of 22.5 knots. Costing £2,500,000
she was launched by Mrs Jan Smuts by telephone on 19th August
1947 as a replacement for the lost Windsor Castle. With her
sister the Edinburgh Castle (3) she was an enlarged version
of the Capetown Castle, the company's largest ships to date
and propelled by steam. On 15th June 1953 she hosted Government
guests at the Spithead Coronation Review and took part in the
procession through the lines formed by 260 ships which was headed
by Trinity House's Patricia, the then Royal Yacht HMS Surprise,
followed by Orient Lines Orcades, Pretoria Castle, P&O's
Strathnaver and British Rail ships carrying Admiralty staff.
In 1962 she was refitted when the outward appearance was changed
by altering the positions of the mast. She was sold on 1st January
1966 to the South African Marine Corporation (UK) Ltd and entered
service with them on 2nd February as the S.A. Oranje with a
new Safmarine livery but on the same route and with Union-Castle
crews and management. Her registry was transferred to Cape Town
on 17th March 1969. After 187 sailings and carrying over 250,000
passengers she arrived arrived at Kaohsuing on 2nd November
1975 to be broken up by Chin Tai Steel Enterprises. (Raphael
Tuck postcard) 
EDINBURGH
CASTLE (3) was built in 1947 by Harland & Wolff in 1948
with a tonnage of 28705grt, a length of 747ft 4in, a beam of
84ft and a service speed of 22.5 knots. Sister of the Pretoria
Castle she was built to replace the lost Warwick Castle and
underwent the same refit in 1962. On 5th March 1976 she commenced
her last passenger sailing from Southampton before undertaking
a one-way cargo only voyage to the Far East where she was broken
up at Kaohsiung by Chou's Iron & Steel Co. in the June of
that year. 
BLOEMFONTEIN
CASTLE was built in 1950 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with
a tonnage of 18400grt, a length of 594ft 6in, a beam of 76ft
4in and a service speed of 18.5 knots. It was the company's
intention to use her as an emigrant carrier to East Africa,and
in particular Rhodesia, for the ill fated 'Ground Nut Scheme'.
However, when in 1948, the South African government of Field
Marshall Smuts was ousted by Dr Malan's Nationalist Party the
traffic dried up when the new government cancelled the assisted
passage scheme. Consequently, during the construction the plans
were amended but she was always considered to be the 'odd man
out' as far as the Union-Castle fleet was concerned. However,
she entered service as the only one class ship until the Transvaal
Castle, and operated from the London-Rotterdam-Cape-Beira route,
the only vessel to do so. In the mid-afternoon of 8th January
1953 she rescued the 234 passengers and crew from the Klipfontein
(Vereenigde Nederlands Maats) which had struck a rock and foundered
five miles off Cape Barra near Inhambane whilst on route for
Beira. Ironically, when the accident occured the Klipfontein
was racing the Bloemfontein Castle for the only vacant berth
at Beira. In August 1959 a newly joined crew member was arrested
for his part in a jewel robbery. On 9th November 1959, being
the odd man out, she became surplus to requirements and was
sold to Chandris (England) Ltd and renamed Patris. After a refit
at North Shields ownership changed to the National Greek Australia
Line and she sailed for Australia where, by 1972, she was cruising
out of Sydney and then operated on the Sydney-Singapore service.
In February 1974 she became an Australian Federal Government
accommodation ship for nine months after typhoon 'Tracy' had
virtually destroyed Darwin in the Northern Territory. Returning
to Greece in 1976 she was converted to carry 260 cars though
large side-loading doors for the Venice-Ancona-Patras service.
In 1980 she was sold to the Michail A. Karageorgis Group and
renamed Mediterranean Island and in 1981 became the Mediteranean
Star on the Piraeus-Alexandria run under the same owners but
registered as Star Navigation Corp and was later transferred
within the group to Consolidated Ocean Transports. She was sold
to St. Vincent owners for breaking up and renamed Terra pro
temps. 
RHODESIA
CASTLE was built in 1951 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 17041grt, a length of 576ft 5in, a beam of 74ft
3in and a service speed of 17.5 knots. Based on the Bloemfontein
Castle design she was built for the Round Africa service and
replaced the Llanstephan Castle. In 1958 she had her funnel
heightened and a dome top fitted and after two cruises out of
Southampton replaced the Dunnottar Castle. She was remodelled
in 1960 to accommodate 442 one class passengers. On 4th May
1967 she was laid up in the River Blackwater prior to sailing
to Kaohsiung for breaking up by Chin Ho Fa Steel & Iron
Co. 
KENYA
CASTLE was built in 1951 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with
a tonnage of 17041grt, a length of 576ft 5in, a beam of 74ft
3in and a service speed of 17.5 knots. Sister of the Rhodesia
Castle she was delivered at Southampton on 18th February 1952
but undertook a 14-day cruise to the Canary Islands before sailing
on the London - Cape via Suez service. In 1958 she had her funnel
re-modelled and in 1960 had her accommodation altered to cater
for 442 One Class passengers. The British National Export Council
considered her for an exhibition ship in 1966 but the idea came
to nothing. On 22nd April 1967 she was laid up in the River
Blackwater and was later sold to the Greek Chandris Line and
renamed Amerikanis. Converted into a 920 passenger One Class
ship she sailed on her maiden voyage for her new owner on 8th
August 1968 from Pireaus - Messina - Naples - Lisbon - Halifax
- New York. After three line voyages she cruised out of New
York to the Caribbean during the following winter , an operating
pattern that was repeated in 1969. In 1970 she was transferred
to cruising only with a passenger complement of 617 and operating
inexpensive 3, 4 and 7 day cruises out of US East coast ports
and the Bahamas. She was replaced on the New York - Bermuda
service by the newly built Horizon in 1989 and transferred to
San Juan, Puerto Rica. Since 1996 she has been laid up in Greece
and, although there were plans to use her as a floating hotel
in London, she has been sold recently for breaking up in India.
BRAEMAR
CASTLE (3) was built in 1952 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
with a tonnage of 17029grt, a length of 576ft 5in, a beam of
74ft 3in and a service speed of 17.5 knots. Sister of the Kenya
Castle she commenced her maiden voyage on 22nd November on the
Round Africa service via the Cape and Durban. Her passenger
accommodation was remodelled in 1960 to 459 but her funnel was
not altered like her sisters. In October 1960 she briefly replaced
the Edinburgh Castle on the mail run while she underwent engine
repairs. On 6th January 1966, after less than 14 years service,
she arrived at Faslane for breaking up by Shipbuilding Industries.
A combination of the increased popularity of air travel and
Independence of the former African colonies reducing the transit
of Europeans made her uneconomic and surplus to company requirements.
From then on the service between East Africa and Europe was
maintained by the British India Line's Uganda and Kenya and
much of their time was spent carrying government officials.
(Photo: UCPSC 05/182) 
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