British Rail Liners
British Rail Shipping
British Railways operated a number of ships from its formation in 1948 on a variety of routes. Many ships were acquired on nationalisation, and others were built for operation by British Railways or its later subsidiary, Sealink. Those ships capable of carrying rail vehicles were classed under TOPS as Class 99.
British Railways operated a number of ships from its formation in 1948 on a variety of routes. Many ships were acquired on nationalisation, and others were built for operation by British Railways or its later subsidiary, Sealink. Those ships capable of carrying rail vehicles were classed under TOPS as Class 99.
SS Accrington
Launched : 1910
Tonnage (GRT) : 1,629
Built in 1910 for the Great Central Railway. Passed to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923. Requisitioned during the Second World War for use as a convoy rescue ship. Returned to LNER post-war and passed to British Railways in 1948. Served until 1950 when scrapped.
Launched : 1910
Tonnage (GRT) : 1,629
Built in 1910 for the Great Central Railway. Passed to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923. Requisitioned during the Second World War for use as a convoy rescue ship. Returned to LNER post-war and passed to British Railways in 1948. Served until 1950 when scrapped.
S.S. Amsterdam
Launched : 1950
Tonnage (GRT) : 5,092
Launched : 1950
Tonnage (GRT) : 5,092
- Built in 1950 by John Brown & Company, Clydebank. Sold in 1969 to Chandris Line, converted to a cruise ship and renamed Fiorita. Laid up in 1978 and used from 1978–80 as an accommodation ship. Renamed Ariane II in 1980 and laid up until 1983. Served as an accommodation ship at Fethaye, Turkey until she capsized and sank in a storm on 27 January 1987.
R.M.S. Antwerp
Launched : 1920
Tonnage (GRT) : 2,957
Built for the Great Eastern Railway. Acquired by LNER in 1923 and operated on the Harwich - Antwerp service. The vessel was returned to the LNER in 1945 and fitted out as a troopship. Passed to British Railways in 1948 and served until scrapped in 1951 carrying troops between Harwich and Hook of Holland.
Launched : 1920
Tonnage (GRT) : 2,957
Built for the Great Eastern Railway. Acquired by LNER in 1923 and operated on the Harwich - Antwerp service. The vessel was returned to the LNER in 1945 and fitted out as a troopship. Passed to British Railways in 1948 and served until scrapped in 1951 carrying troops between Harwich and Hook of Holland.
S.S. Arnhem
Launched : 1947
Tonnage (GRT) : 4,981
Launched : 1947
Tonnage (GRT) : 4,981
- Built by John Brown and Company at Clydebank for use on the Harwich – Hook of Holland route. She was the company's first oil burner. Passed to British Railways in 1948 and served on the Hook of Holland route with her near sister Amsterdam [of 1950] until withdrawn in April 1968. Attempts to sell the vessel failed and she was scrapped in 1969.
S.S. Avalon
Launched : 1963
Tonnage (GRT) : 6,584
Built in 1963 by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow. Served until 1980 when sold to Seafaith Navigation Co, Limassol, Cyprus and renamed Valon. Scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan in January 1981.
Launched : 1963
Tonnage (GRT) : 6,584
Built in 1963 by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow. Served until 1980 when sold to Seafaith Navigation Co, Limassol, Cyprus and renamed Valon. Scrapped at Gadani Beach, Pakistan in January 1981.
S.S. Dewsbury
Launched : 1910
Tonnage (GRT) : 1,631
Launched : 1910
Tonnage (GRT) : 1,631
- Built for the Great Central Railway for service on the Grimsby–Hamburg route. The first vessel in a series of five sister ships which were all built by Earle's Shipbuilding at Hull. Acquired by LNER in 1923. Passed to Associated Humber Lines in 1934 and was converted to a Convoy Escort Vessel in the war.
- She returned to service post-war in late 1945 on the Harwich - Antwerp route with sister vessel Accrington replacing tonnage lost in the war by the Harwich fleet. Passed to British Railways in 1948 she was finally withdrawn from service in January 1959 and was scrapped in May of that year.
S.S. Duke of York
Launched : 1935
Tonnage (GRT) : 3,743
Launched : 1935
Tonnage (GRT) : 3,743
- The Duke of York was a steamer passenger ship initially operated by the London Midland and Scottish Railway which saw service from 1935 to 1964.She was renamed HMS Duke of Wellington for the duration of World War II.In service.
- Built at Harland and Wolff, Belfast and completed in 1935, she was designed to operate as a passenger ferry on the Heysham to Belfast, alongside the existing 1928 ships on that route, RMS Duke of Lancaster, the RMS Duke of Rothesay and the RMS Duke of Argyll
- She introduced a new principle into the cross-channel trade, the tourist class, which had been in use on the Atlantic lines since 1928.The Duke of York had one of the earliest automatic fire extinguishers, by Grinnell. Small glass tubes contained a liquid which expanded on a given temperature being reached, and burst the containers, opening water valves above.
The Duke of York was requisitioned in 1942 for war service. She was renamed as HMS Duke of Wellington as there was a battleship with the name "Duke of York". She was converted to a "Landing Ship, Infantry (Hand-Hoisting)" the latter part referred to her hand operated davits; abbreviated to LSI(H)
The conversions allowed her to carry 250 troops and ten Landing Craft Assault to carry them to shore.For anti-aircraft defence a 12 pounder gun and eight 20 mm cannon were fitted.
She took part in Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942, carrying The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
She took part in the Normandy landings in 1944.
At the end of the War, she transported troops between Tilbury and Ostend.
Post World War II
She reverted to her original name after the war, and in May 1948 she was transferred to the Harwich to Hook of Holland service, alongside the Arnhem.
Originally a twin funnel vessel, she was rebuilt in 1950 with a single funnel. She was upgraded from coal to oil firing and cabin accommodation for 520 passengers was provided.
On 6 May 1953, she collided in fog with the American freighter USNS Haiti Victory.Six passengers were killed and the bow was completely sheered off just in front of the bridge.
She was re-built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company of Jarrow-on-Tyne with a more modern shaped bow and lengthened by about 7 ft. She rejoined the Harwich fleet in 1954.
She was sold in August 1963.
Fantasia
She was sold to Chandris Lines in 1963 and originally named York she was sent to Smiths Dock Company for conversion work which was completed after transfer to the Chandris Company's own shipyard at Ambelaki.She entered service in 1964 as the Fantasia.[9] She ran mainly on cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean, with some winter charters to religious tour groups. She was withdrawn in December 1975 and was broken up in 1976 in Spain.
The conversions allowed her to carry 250 troops and ten Landing Craft Assault to carry them to shore.For anti-aircraft defence a 12 pounder gun and eight 20 mm cannon were fitted.
She took part in Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942, carrying The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
She took part in the Normandy landings in 1944.
At the end of the War, she transported troops between Tilbury and Ostend.
Post World War II
She reverted to her original name after the war, and in May 1948 she was transferred to the Harwich to Hook of Holland service, alongside the Arnhem.
Originally a twin funnel vessel, she was rebuilt in 1950 with a single funnel. She was upgraded from coal to oil firing and cabin accommodation for 520 passengers was provided.
On 6 May 1953, she collided in fog with the American freighter USNS Haiti Victory.Six passengers were killed and the bow was completely sheered off just in front of the bridge.
She was re-built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company of Jarrow-on-Tyne with a more modern shaped bow and lengthened by about 7 ft. She rejoined the Harwich fleet in 1954.
She was sold in August 1963.
Fantasia
She was sold to Chandris Lines in 1963 and originally named York she was sent to Smiths Dock Company for conversion work which was completed after transfer to the Chandris Company's own shipyard at Ambelaki.She entered service in 1964 as the Fantasia.[9] She ran mainly on cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean, with some winter charters to religious tour groups. She was withdrawn in December 1975 and was broken up in 1976 in Spain.
S.S. George
Launched : 1968
Tonnage (GRT) : 7,359
Launched : 1968
Tonnage (GRT) : 7,359
- Built in 1968 by Swan, Hunter, Newcastle upon Tyne. Collided on 15 September 1982 with Koningin Juliana. Sold in November 1983 to Folkline and laid up in the River Fal. Sold in September 1984 to Psatha Navigation Co. Ltd, Limassol, Cyprus and renamed Patra Express. Rebuilt as a cruise ship in 1990 and renamed Scandinavian Sky II. Sold to MSJ Shipping Services, Nassau, Bahamas and renamed Scandinavian Dawn. Chartered to SeaEscape Cruises in 1990 and renamed Discovery Dawn in 1996. Renamed Island Dawn in 1998. Sold in 2000 to Discovery Dawn Partnership, Nassau. Chartered to Viva Gaming & Resorts, renamed Texas Treasure. Used as a casino ship at Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, Texas. Sold to India for scrapping in July 2008.