SS Canberra
Canberra in 1984
| |
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | Canberra |
Namesake | City of Canberra, Australia |
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Port of registry | London |
Route | Southampton–Sydney via Suez, thence Sydney–Vancouver (1973, Cruising) |
Ordered | 20 December 1956 |
Builder | Harland and Wolff, Belfast |
Cost | £17 million (1956) |
Yard number | 1621 |
Laid down | 23 September 1957 |
Launched | 16 March 1960 |
Sponsored by | Dame Pattie Menzies, GBE |
Completed | May 1961 |
Maiden voyage | 2 June 1961 |
Out of service | 10–31 October 1997 (final voyage) |
Identification |
|
Nickname(s) | The Great White Whale |
Honours and awards | Falklands War |
Fate | Scrapped at Gadani ship-breaking yard , Pakistan, 1997–98 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Ocean liner |
Tonnage |
|
Length | 820 feet (250 m) |
Beam | 103 feet (31 m) |
Draught | 35.5 feet (10.8 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Capacity | 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) of cargo |
Complement | 1961–73: 548 first class, 1,690 tourist class, 1973–97: 1,500 one class |
Crew | 1961–73: 900, 1973–97: 795 |
SS Canberra was an
History
Ocean liner
The era of mass air travel had begun by the time the Canberra was laid down and air travel prices fell relentlessly in the early 1960s to challenge P&O's lowest fares. In the second half of 1962 Canberra made a short cruise from Southampton followed by two more to New York. More cruises followed but nevertheless most of the ship's first decade was spent on the Australia run.[1]
Cruises
At the end of 1972 she was withdrawn and refitted to carry 1,500 single-class passengers on cruises.[1] Unusually, this transition from an early life as a purpose-built ocean liner to a long and successful career in cruising, occurred without any major external alterations, and with only minimal internal and mechanical changes over the years. One of her public rooms included a 'Cricketers Tavern', which contained a collection of bats and ties from cricket clubs all over the world; she also had the William Fawcett reading/writing room, named for the first P&O ship.[2]
In 1961, while still a student at the Royal College in London, the now famous British artist David Hockney (born 1937) was commissioned to create a mural for the ‘Pop Inn’, a special lounge for teenagers onboard. Hockney graffitied and drew on the walls for five days and the fee earned assisted him to travel to New York for the first time.[citation needed]
Engineering
Like
There are several operational and economical advantages to such electrical de-coupling of a ship's propulsion system, and it became a standard element of cruise ship design in the 1990s, over 30 years after Canberra entered service. However, diesel engine- and gas turbine-driven alternators are the primary power source for most modern electrically propelled ships.
Canberra had a bulbous bow, two sets of stabilizers, and two funnels side-by-side. The lifeboats, which were made from glass fibre, were placed three decks lower than usual for ships of her type, and were recessed into the hull to allow improved view from the passenger decks.
The iconic spiral staircase and entrance halls in Australian walnut were designed by Hugh Casson and created by H.H. Martyn & Co.[4]
Falklands War
On 2 April 1982,
Nicknamed the Great White Whale, Canberra proved vital in transporting 3 Commando Brigade to the islands more than 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km) from the United Kingdom.[5] Canberra was sent to the heart of the conflict.[5]
Canberra anchored in
Canberra then sailed to
Final years
After a lengthy refit, Canberra returned to civilian service as a cruise ship. Her role in the Falklands War made her very popular with the British public, and ticket sales after her return were elevated for many years as a result. In March 1986, the Golden Cockerel trophy was transferred from the old Oriana to the Canberra due to Oriana's retirement. Age and high running costs eventually caught up with the Canberra though, as she had much higher fuel consumption than most modern cruise ships. As refitting her to meet the new 1997 SOLAS regulations would have been very expensive, P&O opted to retire the old vessel.[9]
On 25 June 1996 P&O Cruises announced that the Canberra would be retired at the end of 1997. Although
Canberra was withdrawn from P&O service on 30 September 1997 and sold to
Gallery
-
Canberra in Gibraltar August 1980 cruise 016
-
Canberra's official stamp
-
Canberra port main steam turbine
-
Canberra port main propulsion alternator
-
Canberra port main propulsion motor
-
Canberra starboard tail shaft and propeller
Media
- An edition of The Rank Organisation film series Look at Life - 'Shape of a Ship'. Featured the SS Canberra whilst she was still being constructed. The program also described the changes in ship design that were being implemented at the time.
- British singer/songwriter Sydney, NSW, Australia on this ship on Australia Day, 26 January 1962 at age 11.
- SS Canberra is the liner where, in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd try to kill Bond.[10][11]
- The singer/songwriter Gerard Kenny released "Farewell Canberra" in 1997, which was written especially for the last voyage and a tribute to SS Canberra. The song mentions the ship giving a home and comfort to the Falklands soldiers who were "so brave and alone" and that for the many people who travelled on Canberra, she remains "always in our memory" and "our wonderful home on the sea".[citation needed]
- Part of the TV mini-series Melissa by Alan Bleasdale starring Tim Dutton, Jennifer Ehle, and Julie Walters was filmed on board during the ship's last voyage from Madeira.[citation needed]
Statistics
- Launched by Dame Pattie Menzies 16 March 1960
- Sailed from Belfast to Southampton 28 April 1961
- Entered P&O service 19 May 1961
- Fuel consumption; about 250–300 tonnes/day at sea
- Water consumption, engines; 200 tonnes/day
- Water consumption, domestic; 600 tonnes/day
- Water production capacity; 450 tonnes/day
- The top section of her radar mast was designed to cantilever astern to clear the Sydney Harbour Bridge
References
Footnotes
- ^ ISBN 1877058408
- ^ "Ship Fact Sheet: William Fawcett (1828)" (PDF). P&O Heritage. November 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "SS Canberra - Graces Guide".
- ^ John Whitaker (1985). The Best. pp. 237, 248.
- ^ a b c d "Captain 'DJ' Scott-Masson". The Telegraph. London. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
- TheGuardian.com. 15 June 2012.
- ISBN 0-304-35542-9.
- ^ Article 43, Geneva Convention II, 1949
- ^ a b c "SS Canberra - Times Are 'a' Changing".
- ^ "CANBERRA - the James Bond Ship - Cruising - Posters - P&O Collection".
- ^ Crump, Ian (31 October 2020). "When Diamonds are Forever, starring Sir Sean Connery, was filmed in Southampton". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
Works cited
- Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1967). Cruising Ships. Doubleday.
Further reading
- Vine, Andrew (2012). A Very Strange Way to Go to War: The Canberra in the Falklands. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1845137458.
- Correia, Luis Miguel; Miller, William H (1997). SS Canberra of 1961. Liner Books. ISBN 972-96940-5-2.
- Dawson, Philip (1990). British Superliners of the Sixties. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-542-X.
- Dawson, Philip (1997). Canberra – In the Wake of Legend. Conway Maritime Press for P&O. ISBN 0-85177-707-4.
- McCart, Neil (1983). Canberra – The Great White Whale. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-636-X.
- McCart, Neil (1989). P&O's Canberra – The Ship That Shaped The Future. Kingfisher Railway Publications. ISBN 0-946184-54-2.
- McCart, Neil (1993). P&O's Canberra & Sea Princess. Fan Publications. ISBN 0-9519538-2-6.
- McCart, Neil (1998). SS Canberra 1957–1997. Fan Publications. ISBN 1-901225-00-3.
- Muxworthy, Lt Cdr JL (1982). Canberra – The Great White Whale Goes To War. P&O.
- Odell, Carol (1968). A Liner Goes To Sea. Angus & Robertson. ISBN 2-07-949824-X.