RMS Strathaird

RMS Strathaird, in her original form with three funnels, passing under Sydney Harbour Bridge
History
United Kingdom
Name
  • RMS Strathaird
  • TSS Strathaird
NamesakeStrathaird in the Isle of Skye, Scotland
Owner P&O Steam Navigation Co[1]
Operator P&O Steam Navigation Co
Port of registryUnited Kingdom London[1]
RouteTilbury — Brisbane[2]
Ordered14 January 1930[3]
BuilderVickers-Armstrong, Barrow[1]
Yard number664
Laid down23 April 1930[4]
Launched18 July 1931[5]
Christened18 July 1931 by Lady Margaret Shaw
CompletedJanuary 1932[1]
Maiden voyage12 February 1932[5]
HomeportTilbury
Identification
FateScrapped in Hong Kong, July 1961
General characteristics
Class and type"Strath" class ocean liner
Tonnage
Length638.7 feet (194.7 m)[1]
Beam80.2 feet (24.4 m)[1]
Draught29 feet 2 inches (8.9 m)[1]
Depth33.1 feet (10.1 m)[1]
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)[8]
  • or 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)[2]
Capacity
  • as built:
  • 498 1st class, 668 tourist class[5]
  • after 1947 refit:
  • 573 1st class, 496 tourist class[5]
  • after 1954 refit: 1,252 tourist class[5]
Crew490[5]
Notessister ship: RMS Strathnaver[1]

RMS Strathaird, later TSS Strathaird, was an ocean liner of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O).

She was the second of five sister ships in what came to be called the "Strath" class. All previous P&O steamships had black-painted hulls and funnels but Strathaird and her sisters were painted with white hulls and buff funnels,[9][10] which earned them the nickname "The Beautiful White Sisters"[2] or just "The White Sisters". Strathaird and her sister ship RMS Strathnaver were Royal Mail Ships that worked P&O's regular liner route between Tilbury in Essex, England and Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.[2] In 1935, they were joined by the third ship of the class, RMS Strathmore.[1]

Strathaird remained in service for almost 30 years, being scrapped in 1961.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Lloyd's Register of Shipping (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1937. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Talbot-Booth 1942, p. 397
  3. ^ "Strathnaver (1931)" (PDF). poheritage.com. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Strathnaver (1931)" (PDF). poheritage.com. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Goossens, Reuben (2011–2012). "RMS Strathaird". P&O Line. SS Maritime. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  6. ^ "Strathnaver (1931)" (PDF). poheritage.com. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  7. ^ "R.M.S. Strathnaver in Simon's Town". Simon's Town Archives. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  8. ^ Harnack 1938, p. 560.
  9. ^ Talbot-Booth 1942, p. 534.
  10. ^ Harnack 1938, p. 559.