RMS Rangitiki
RMS Rangitiki
| |
History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | Rangitiki |
Owner | New Zealand Shipping Company |
Port of registry | Plymouth |
Route | Britain – New Zealand |
Ordered | 16 August 1927 |
Builder | John Brown & Company, Clydebank |
Yard number | 516 |
Launched | 27 August 1928 |
Acquired | 31 January 1929 |
Maiden voyage | 5 February 1929 |
Out of service | 13 July 1962 |
Fate | Scrapped October 1962 |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | 16,698 GRT, 10,266 NRT |
Length | 531.0 ft (161.8 m) |
Beam | 70.2 ft (21.4 m) |
Draught | 33.8 ft (10.3 m) |
Depth | 38.1 ft (11.6 m) |
Installed power | 9,300 hp (6,900 kW), 2,186 NHP |
Propulsion | Two Brown Sulzer S90 engines driving twin screws |
Speed | 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Capacity | 598 (1st class: 100, 2nd class: 80, 3rd class: 418) |
RMS Rangitiki was a
Rangitiki measured just under 16,700
Service history
Ordered in 1927, Rangitiki was launched in 1928 and entered service with the New Zealand Shipping Company in 1929 sailing between Great Britain and New Zealand on the route via the Panama Canal.[3]
At the start of the
Returned to service between Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1945 the Rangitiki carried numerous servicemen home from Britain as well a number of war brides. Following an extensive refit in 1947–48 the ship was then used by the New Zealand Shipping Company and continued in service until July 1962 when after 87 peacetime return voyages between Britain and New Zealand it was withdrawn. Sold for scrap, Rangitiki sailed to Spain and was broken up in Valencia in October 1962.[1]
Modifications in service
Both before and after its maiden voyage the ship was found to have stability issues especially when sailing in ballast so modifications including reducing the height of the ship by removing most of the bridge deck, shortening the funnels and adding more permanent ballast were made.[1]
During the refit in 1947–48 the John Brown built Sulzer type engines were replaced with two Doxford diesel engines with a total power output of 12,920 hp (9,630 kW) raising the ships maximum speed to 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph). At the same time passenger capacity was reduced to 405.[1]