SS_Orcades_(1947)

SS <i>Orcades</i> (1947)

SS Orcades (1947)

Ocean liner built in 1948 for the Orient Line

For other ships with the same name, see Orcades (disambiguation).

SS Orcades was an ocean liner serving primarily the UK – Australia – New Zealand route. She started service as a British Royal Mail Ship (RMS) carrying first and tourist class passengers. Orcades carried many migrants to Australia and New Zealand[1] and was later used as a cruise ship, and is featured in the British Pathe films "I am a passenger" on YouTube. She also made several voyages from Canada (Vancouver). "Orcades" is the Latin name[2] for the Orkney Islands.

Quick Facts History, United Kingdom ...

Built at the Barrow-in-Furness yard of Vickers-Armstrong, Orcades (yard no. 950) had an identical hull and machinery to P&O's Himalaya (yard no. 951), but differed in superstructure and interior layout. The vessel's near-sister ships were Oronsay and Orsova

In 1952 Orcades was fitted with a 'top hat' funnel extension to clear smoke from the after decks. On 7 May 1952, she ran aground in Port Philip Bay half a mile off Rosebud Pier, Victoria, Australia.[3][4] She was refloated and returned to service.[5]

During the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, Orcades served as an accommodation ship.[1]

Orcades was refitted in 1959 and 1964. In the 1964 refit, Orcades became a single-class vessel and her hull colour changed from "Orient corn" to white.

  • Orcades c.1950 from a promotional postcard
  • Orcades 1959 in yellow livery
  • Orcades at Port Said 1957

Footnotes

  1. [1]
    Post World War II Migrant Ships: Orcades, Museums Victoria
  2. [2]
    Encyclopædia Britannica Archived 2009-07-12 at the Wayback Machine
  3. [3]
    "The Orcades Aground". The Times. No. 52305. London. 7 May 1952. col C, p. 6.
  4. [4]
    "ORCADES RELEASED FROM SANDBAR". The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. Vol. 41, no. 377. New South Wales, Australia. 8 May 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 23 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. [5]
    "Orcades Refloated". The Central Queensland Herald. Vol. 21, no. 1204. Queensland, Australia. 8 May 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 23 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.

Further reading

  • Latimer, David W (2002) Passenger ships of the 20th century: an illustrated encyclopedia, p. 259, Colourpoint Books ISBN 1-898392-70-6


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