The Assorted Class
MECCA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1873 by A & J Inglis, Glasgow.
Tonnage: 1, 450g, 936n, 1, 960 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, 2 Cylinder Compound Inverted, 1, 042 IHP, 10 Knots, 12.1 Knots (Trials).
Passengers: 26 First Class, 24 Second Class, 999 Deck.
Launched 10th September 1873, Completed 29th October 1873. Yard No 98.
Mecca is the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed in Saudi Arabia approximately 50 miles East of Jeddah.
Originally built for the pilgrim trade from Indonesia to Jeddah this was soon to prove impractical because of her size and she reverted to coastal trades. She was stranded three times in her early years, the first in 1877, the second off Mombasa on the 14th of June 1887 and a day later in the Pemba Channel out of Zanzibar. In 1884 she was also in collision with another Company ship, India, at Aden on the 16th of October. She returned to the Inglis Yard in 1892 to have a triple expansion engine and new boilers fitted. Whilst on passage in the Bay of Bengal, Calcutta to Rangoon on the 23rd May 1998 she discovered the Lindula drifting. Lindula had a broken propeller shaft and Mecca's Commander Captain Parkman wasted no time in getting a towing hawser attached. After connection Mecca set off for Rangoon and during the night some progress was made but the following morning the hawser broke due to the Lindula's continuous yawing.
Captain Parkman went astern in an attempt to reconnect the tow but the Lindula completely out of control rammed into the side of Mecca causing so much damage that Mecca sank in less than an hour. Fifty-two lives were lost including that of Captain Parkman, the survivors which numbered some 250 were picked up by Lindula. After temporary repairs had been affected by the Engineers of Lindula she was able to make her own way to Rangoon.
ZIBENGHLA
Curtsey of W.S.P.L. With Thanks to David Milligan
Built: 1883 by John Elder & Co, Govan, Glasgow.
Tonnage: 4, 163g, 2, 657n.
Engine: Single Screw, 2 Cylinder Compound Inverted, 4, 000 IHP, 14 Knots.
Passengers: 64 First Class, 36 Second Class, 250 Steerage.
Refrigeration: Sufficient for 27, 000 Mutton Carcases in 4 Chambers.
Launched 23rd August 1883, Completed October 1883. Yard No 280.
Zibenghla is a pass near Llasa, also the scene of a battle during the Burmese War of 1886, East of Mandalay.
Zibenghla was one of four sisters purchased from the New Zealand Shipping Company Ltd, and she was completed as Tongariro. She made her maiden voyage on the 25th of October, London - Capetown - Auckland - Wellington passage time was 45 days. She was chartered to Beaver Line on the 6th of August 1897 and she sailed from Liverpool on the same day from Liverpool bound for Montreal and Quebec. During the winter she was used on the Halifax - St. Johns New Brunswick service, at the termination of the charter she was put up for sale with her three sisters and all were purchased by BI on the 22nd of September 1899 for £75, 000. She was refitted at Liverpool for trooping duties and carried troops to the Cape during the Boer war. After discharging the troops she sailed to India to take up her intended service but was diverted to take troops to China for the Boxer Rebellion landing them at Taku in 1900.
On her return from China she took up her intended service of Madras - Negapatam - Rangoon. But for a brief spell on the Calcutta - Rangoon - Hong Kong - Amoy route in 1905 - 06 and three pilgrim voyages to Jeddah during 1907 she remained on the former service. She was sold for breaking on the 28th of April 1910 and work commenced in Bombay on the 15th August.
VASNA
Built: 1890 by Alisa Shipbuilding Co., of Troon.
Tonnage: 904grt, 482nt, 770dwt.
Engine: Single screw, Triple expansion, by Dunsmuir & Jackson, Glasgow, 794 IHP, 10kts, 11.2 knots on trials.
Passengers: 32 1st Class, 24 2nd Class, 1,000 Deck.
Launched on the 22nd March , completed 5th May 1890, Yard No 19.
Vasna is possibly a corruption of Wasna, which is a minor state in the Bombay Presidency.
Vasna was designed for the coasting trades around Ceylon and southern India. She spent her first two years trading on the Colombo-Tuticorin-Tenasserim mail service and in 1892 was transferred to Burmese waters for coasting duties southwards from Rangoon. Both Vasna and her sister, Vita, returned to trade in Ceylonese waters in the mid 1890's before Vasna returned once more to the Tenasserim coast in 1901 with the occasional trip in the Bay of Bengal. One particular cargo on this run was padouk logs which could weigh anything from three to seven tons. Whilst fully loaded en route to Madras early one morning the ship experienced tremendous vibrations, on inspection it was discovered that two of the blades had sheared from the propeller, leaving the other two in situ on the same side. She managed to make Madras albeit extremely slowly only to find that there were no dry-dock facilities available. So by use of ballast and partly flooding No 1 hold work commenced to change the propeller. The photograph below depicts this very manoeuvre.
With thanks to Gordon McWilliam
Vasna and her sister spent two years on a new Mozambique coastal service from 1902 to 1904, the experiment failed. She was sold out of the company to Japanese owners on the 15th of April 1905 and passed through various other Japanese owners before running aground on Okushiri Island off Hokkaido and sinking when en route Karafuto-Fushiki on the 4th of June 1925. Her final name being Kisshin Maru.
KOLA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1890 by A & J Inglis, Glasgow.
Tonnage: 1, 192g, 498n, 1, 270 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion, 2, 292 IHP, 12 Knots, 14.6 Knots (Trials).
Passengers: 24 First Class, 16 Second Class, 1, 459 Deck.
Launched 14th July 1890, Completed 22nd September 1890. Yard No 212.
Kola is the name of Goldfields near Bangalore, Southern India.
The Kola was the last of seven loosely connected 'K' Class built between 1887 - 90. The fastest of the seven near sisters she spent most of her life on the North West Indian Coast between Bombay and Karachi, outward bound she stopped at all ports of call, homeward bound was a direct passage. She made occasional trips to the Persian Gulf but in the main remained on the Kathiawar Coast. She ran aground twice in her career, at the Kutch Mandvie on the 5th of April 1900 and the Avramada Reef in February of 1906. her career was by far the shortest of the 'K's and she was sold for breaking in Bombay on the 23rd of June 1914.
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1904 by William Denny & Bros, Dumbarton.
Tonnage: 2, 171g, 941n, 1, 420 dwt.
Engines: Triple Screw, Three Single Stage Parsons Turbines, 1, 800 IHP, 450 NHP, 16.92 Knots (Trials).
Passengers: 25 First Class, 22 Second Class, 1, 215 Deck, 13 Officers, 58 Ratings.
Launched 13th July 1904, Completed 18th October 1904. Yard No 729.
Lhasa is the Capital of Tibet.
Lhasa the first of four sisters to be completed for the Calcutta - Ragoon and Bombay - Karachi mail runs was British India's first turbine ship. On her maiden voyage to Karachi she achieved nineteen knots, a record that was to stand for twenty years. In the main she had a trouble free career and in the March of 1914 she was chosen as the Viceroy's yacht to break the ribbon at the opening of the Alexandra Dock at Bombay. In April of 1917 she served as a Royal Indian Navy Patrol and Board vessel and following the Armistice spent a short period under the Liner Requisition Scheme. She was sold for scrap on the 18th of June 1925 along with her sister Linga to Goolam Hoosein Essajee for breaking at Bombay.
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1904 by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co, Ltd, Middlesbrough.
Tonnage: 5, 766g, 3, 756n, 8, 860 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion, 801 NHP, 4, 200 IHP, 12 Knots, 12.5 Knots (Trails).
Refrigerated Space: 280, 100 cu ft.
Passengers: 4 and 300 Emigrants.
Launched 15th August 1904, Completed December 1904. Yard No 481.
P & O Collection.
Her name comes from a Gulf in Northern Australia.
Originally ordered by Gulf Line of Greenock in 1901 as the Gulf of Carpentaria the Company had financial problems during construction and was purchased by Furness Withy & Co Ltd (Duncan Haws states that she was laid down as Vega).At the time of purchase Furness had no interest in the Australian trade for which the ship was designed and cancelled the contract, the hull lay on the stocks for two years. Eventually work recommenced on the ship and she was given the name Carpentaria and on the 23rd of February 1905 she was purchased by British India. In 1910 she broke her rudder stock off Cape Morgan en route Durban to Capetown but was able to make Durban for repairs unassisted. She became Cadet ship in 1917 and in the same year joined the Liner Requisition Scheme; she was also narrowly missed by a torpedo on the 19th of November of the same year whilst on passage in the English Channel. Her last voyage for British India commenced in March of 1924 Sydney to the UK via Cape Horn and the River Plate. She was sold to S. Censini of Genoa on the 11th of June 1924 becoming Vega and in 1926 she became Mar Bianco for Andrea Zanchi also of Genoa. Her name was changed to Capo Nord for the same owner in 1938 and broken in 1939.
QUILOA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1905 by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
Tonnage: 7, 697g, 4, 942n, 12, 093 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion, 2, 700 IHP, 413 NHP. 11.5 Knots.
Launched 20th July 1905, completed September 1905. Yard No. 341.
Quiloa is a town on the Malabar Coast in Kerala.
Built for the Bulk trades in the Indian Ocean, one of three turret design ships ordered from Doxford, the largest of their type at the time. Despite being unpopular ships with British India because of the hard working reputations all three gave long and exemplary service during their careers. Quiloa spent nearly all of her career as a Collier before being sold to Murao Kisen Gomei Kaisha, Dairen and renamed Kobe Maru on the 11th of April 1923. Whilst en route from Vancouver to Otaru and Yokohama with a cargo of wheat and general items she was stranded at Tsuri in the Soya Strait, Hokkaido on the 30th November 1924. She was refloated on the 8th of May 1925 but was considered a total loss and was subsequently broken at Otaru.
CHAKDINA
P. Ransome-Wallis, John Freestone
Built: 1914 by Ramage & Ferguson Ltd, Leith.
Tonnage: 3, 033g, 1, 580n, 3, 366 dwt.
Engines: Single Screw, 668 NHP, 3, 800 I.H.P., 12 Knots, 14.5 Knots on trials.
Launched 22nd September 1924, Completed 11th December 1914, Yard No. 239.
Chakdina is a village in the Northern Punjab.
After serving briefly on her intended commercial routes she became an Indian Expeditionary Force Transport in November of 1915 and served out the war as such. During her war service she carried Gurkha's from Rangoon to Basra and Bombay to Basra in 1916, Sikh's from Karach to Basra in 1917 and in 1918. She suffered an engine breakdown when in convoy Basra to Suez in December of 1918 and the convoy had to carry on without her, ten days later she limped into Mattrah successfully landing her troops. After the war Chakdina returned to her normal peacetime role and it wasn't until January of 1940 that she was taken over by the Royal Navy and converted for use as either Convoy Rescue/Armed Boarding Vessel.
She arrived in Aden in June of 1940 and took part in the evacuation of Berbera in the October, the following March she took part in the re-occupation. June saw her at Assab and in the September she was transferred to the Mediterranean. Ironically she was refitted with high angle anti aircraft guns at refit in Bombay but when on passage from Tobruk to Alexandria on the 5th of December 1941 was sunk by an aircraft torpedo.
SURADA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1920 by R & W Hawthorn, Leslie 1 Co Ltd, Hebburn.
Tonnage: 5, 427, 3, 382n, 7, 975 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion, 517 NHP, 3, 000 IHP, 11 Knots, 11.6 Knots (Trials)
Passengers: 9 Cabin Class, 650 Deck, 87 Crew. Launched 4th May 1920, completed 21st July 1920. Yard No. 524.
Surada is a town in the Ganjam District of Madras Presidency.
Surada and her sister Sirsa were the last two Company ships built to the First World War 'B' Type standard design. Though the original contract was cancelled British India then renewed the order and surplus standard materials were used also the ships had the same yard numbers as the original contract. She was used on the Persian Gulf - East African service and during Hadj transported pilgrims to Jeddah. She served in the Liner Division from March of 1940 until the 26th of January 1944 when she was torpedoed and sank by U188 whilst en route in a twenty-ship convoy from Calcutta - Colombo to Aden - Suez. All 87 Crew, 9 Gunners and 7 passengers were rescued and landed at Aden. Between January 20th - 29th U188 accounted for six ships out of the twenty-ship convoy.
NALGORA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1922 by William Gray & Co (1918) Ltd, Sunderland.
Tonnage: 6, 579g, 4, 101n, 10, 523 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Two L.P. Turbines, 7, 700 NHP, 3, 667 IHP, 10.9 Knots (Trials).
Passengers: 8, 105 Crew.
Launched 1st December 1921, Completed 25th July 1922, Yard No. 946.
Nalgora is a village in Pardana District, W. Bengal.
Nalgora suffered a fire in number 4 Shelter Deck in a cargo of jute on the 27th of February 1927. She came under the Liner Division in the March of 1940. She was in convoy OB 261 which had sailed from Roslyn bound for Aden and Alexandria, after the convoy had dispersed Nalgora proceeded off the coast of Portugal. On the 2nd January 1941 when off the Cape Verde Islands she was struck by two torpedoes from U65 and the order was given to abandon ship. During evacuation the U-boat continued to shell and machine gun the ship fortunately with no loss of life to the crew, all made landfall and in the case of the ship's Commander after eight days adrift.
KISTNA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1924 by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Newcastle.
Tonnage: 1, 466g, 672n, 1, 974 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, 6 Cylinder 2S. C.S.A. Neptune, 1, 100 BHP, 10 Knots, 11.8 Knots (Trials).
Passengers: 4.
Launched 21st December 1923, Completed 19th March 1924, Yard No. 1152.
Kistna is a large river which flows into the Bay of Bengal.
Kistna sister to Kola was the first to be completed for the Singapore - Bangkok feeder service, she was also the Company's first single screw motor ship. She served uneventfully on her intended service throughout the Twenties and Thirties and joined the Liner Division in March of 1940. Like her sister she became a Cased Petrol ship and served in many dangerous ports but came through untouched even after serious attention from enemy planes. In November of 1944 she was based at Manus as an Armament Stores Issuing Ship for the British Pacific fleet. After the war she returned to the feeder service until being sold to the Heap Eng Moh Steamship Co Ltd of Singapore and renamed Giang Bee. She was sold to the Cathay Shipping Corporation of Panama and renamed Kim Hwa in 1960, in 1964 she became Romeo of Transprotes Maritimas, in 1965 Sinoe for CIA. De. Nav Santos S.A. and in 1966 reverted once again to Romeo. One more move to King Line becoming King Horse again in 1966 before finally being broken in Singapore in 1971 by National Shipbreakers Pte. Ltd.
QUILOA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1925 by W. Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
Tonnage: 7, 765g, 4, 750n, 12, 130 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Quadruple Expansion, 950 NHP, 5, 290 IHP, 12 Knots, 13.3 Knots (Trials).
Launched 22nd July 1925, Completed 22nd October 1925, Yard No. 970.
Quiloa is a Malabar Coast Town.
This second class of 'Q's were the largest cargo ships built for the British India Fleet and served on the India - Australia - New Zealand routes. Apart from a grounding in the Hooghly after leaving Calcutta on the 3rd of March 1938 she had an uneventful life and joined the Liner Division in March of 1941 and in April was sent to Greece carrying a cargo of mules for use in mountain warfare. After successfully outmanoeuvring enemy aeroplane attention for two days at Salamis she eventually landed her charges at Scaramanga Bay on the 11th of April. Whilst discharging railway lines she received a direct hit from a dive-bomber and ran aground to prevent sinking. After patch up operations an attempt was made to refloat her, unfortunately to no avail and she was abandoned on the 19th fortunately with no loss of life to her crew. The wreck was subsequently broken after the war.
SOFALA
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally Shown in BI News.
Built: 1937 by Henry Robb Ltd, Leith.
Tonnage: 1, 031g, 491n, 1, 385 dwt.
Engines: Twin Screw, 2 x 5 Cylinder Polar, 2S.SA, 1, 450 BHP, 312 NHP. 12 Knots.
Launched 25th August 1937, completed 30th October 1937. Yard No. 241.
Sofala is a port in Mozambique. Also a town in New South Wales.
Sofala was specifically built for the East African Coastal Trades, she had four work boats aft to assist in cargo working at Roadstead ports, and she was the first Company ship with her Engine Room aft. She entered the Liner Division in March 1940 and exactly a year later became a Mechanical Transport Ship for service in the Somaliland Campaign. In October of 1941 she became a Cased Petrol Ship and had the distinction of being the first British Merchant Ship to enter Benghazi four days after it had been captured by the Allies in 1942. After her war service she returned to the East African coast and remained as such until being sold to African Coasters (PTY) Ltd of Durban on the 15th of May 1955 and renamed Voorloper. She was sold to Orient Maritime Corporation S.A. of Panama in 1968, renamed Sincere Orient and moved to the Far East. She was sold again with no change of name by the Sun Yuan Co in 1971 and was still registered until 1993 after which she was deleted because there had been no recent reports as to her whereabouts.
JOHILLA
©JC
I found this photograph in one of my suppliers' lists and couldn't resist it. Johilla is seen here on charter to British India, she was the sole surviving ship from the Nourse Fleet after the second World War.
We think that she had steam engines and was built in 1937, Nourse Line ran jute and gunnies from India to the West Indies, then sugar from the West Indies to the UK. From the UK to Calcutta is where she would have been on charter to British India, the last time my informant saw her was 1946/47, if anyone can add to this it would be appreciated.
ORNA
©IL
Built: 1938 by Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Glasgow.
Tonnage: 6, 895g, 4, 056n, 9, 050 dwt
Engine: Single Screw, 4 Cylinder 2S.C.S.A. Doxford, 3, 060 BHP, 14.04 Knots (Trials)
Passengers: 57 Cabin Class, 633 Deck.
Launched 19th January 1938, Completed March 1938. Yard No. 667
Orna is a village in the Surat District, Gujarat.
Initially designed with her sister Ozarda as Fast Cargo Liners for the UK - European - Indian service. Orna, second ship to carry the name, entered the Liner Division in the March of 1940 and except for short periods serving as a Mechanical Transport or Military Store Ship remained thus. She towed the Derwenthall which had struck a mine in the Suez Canal from Aden to Bombay for repairs in 1941. At the cessation of hostilities she returned to British India and was used on the longer hauls and remained as such until sold for scrapping on the 15th March 1969. Work commenced in March by Fuji, Marden and Co. Ltd of Hong Kong.
ORMARA
©JC
Built: 1938 by William Denny & Bros, Dumbarton.
Tonnage: 5, 417g, 3, 010, 9, 200 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion and L.P. Turbine Geared Through Hydraulic Coupling, 3, 670 BHP, 12 Knots.
Crew: 16 Officers, 84 Ratings.
Launched 20th February 1947, Completed 11th April 1947. Yard No. 1401.
Ormara is a fishing village and port in Pakistan.
The Ormara was designed for general duties within the Fleet and in 1951 was converted from coal to oil fired. Alexander & Sons had patented a new type of propulsion plant, a free piston gas turbine in 1956 and Ormara was to be the first ship to be so fitted but in the end the price was prohibitive and the experiment was abandoned. On the 26th of April 1960 she collided with the German ship Westfalen when on passage from Shanghai to the Persian Gulf and had to put into Hong Kong for repairs. On the 17th of January 1962 along with her sister Obra she was sold to the Ta Hing Co Ltd of Hong Kong and renamed Neptune Fir. In the same year she was sold to the Indonesian Government Fleet and became the Adri XIII, she spent a short period in 1969 in the Indonesian Navy before being sold for scrapping in the December of 1970. Work commenced by China Steel Ltd of Kaohsiung, Taiwan on the 20th of January 1971.
Postcard Picture kindly supplied by David Milligan
Built: 1950 by William Denny & Bros Ltd, Dumbarton.
Tonnage: 5, 424g, 2, 992n, 9, 200 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion by J.G.Kincaid and L.P. Turbine by either Bauer-Wach or Barclay Curle, 3, 600 IHP. 12 Knots.
Crew: 16 Officers, 85 Ratings.
Launched 7th December 1949, completed 28th February 1950. Yard No. 1432.
Olinda is a passage through the reefs of the Torres Strait.
The Olinda was the penultimate ship in the 'O' Class built at the Dumbarton yard her sister Ordia was in fact the last ship to be built by Denny's bringing to a close ninety years of Association between the Builders and British India. She was built for the East African service and apart from various tramping duties remained as thus. She was sold on the 18th of June 1966 to Ocean Shipping & Enterprises Ltd of Hong Kong renamed Ocean Promoter, in 1970 she was sold to Delta Shipping of Hong Kong and renamed Delta Pioneer. She was finally sold for scrapping in August of 1973 and work commenced by Tai Kien Industry Co Ltd in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on the 6th of September.
ITINDA
©J.C.
Built: 1938 by William Gray & Co., West Hartlepool.
Tonnage: 6,619g, 3,979n, 8,700dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion & L.P. Turbine, double reduction geared, coal fired, 3,050 I.H.P., 12 Knots
Passengers: 64 Cabin, 668 Deck, Crew 98 reduced to 65 in 1949.
Itinda is a village south east of Calcutta.
The " I " Class were the first cargo ships built for the company in thirteen years and the machinery was provided by the Central Marine Engine Works of West Hartlepool. The Triple Expansion Engine exausted into a Bauer Wach turbine which was hydraulically coupled to the main shaft. She had a three island hull, two masts with prominent crosstree's and a heavy lift 25 Ton derrick on the foremast. Itinda and her pre War sister were distinguishable from their Wartime built sisters by the fact that they had varnished Bridge fronts. Itinda's temporary passenger accommodation had been fitted in 1940 just prior to her being requisitioned for the Liner Division in April of 1940 in which she served until March of 1946. During her War service she never met the enemy once and the only event of any significance was a fire in a hold on the 25th of October 1944 when in Colombo, the fire was extinguished the following day. She was sold to Clipper Steam Ship Co., on the 4th of February 1959 becoming Alinta who sold her again at a profit to The Peoples Republic of China in November of the same year who renamed her Hoping San Shi Ssu. In 1967 she became the Zhan Dou 34 and in 1992 was removed from the register.
ITRIA
©mpl
Built: 1940 by Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Glasgow.
Tonnage: 6, 845g, 4, 035n, 9, 000 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion and L.P. Turbine, 3, 270 BHP, 12 Knots.
Launched 12TH March 1940, Completed May 1940. Yard No. 675.
©J.C.
Itria is a village in the Hamirpur District.
The only one of the seven I's not built by W. Gray of West Hartlepool. She entered the Liner Division on completion and spent most of her uneventful wartime career as either a Mechanical Transport or a Military Store ship. In March 1946 she entered service with British India and served on a variety of routes until being sold out of the Fleet to the United Oriental Steamship Company on the 11th July 1958 and renamed Iqbalbaksh. She was laid up in 1970 and in 1971 was sold for scrapping to Ilyas Marine Company, work commenced on the 1st of April.
ITOLA
©J.C.
Built : 1940 by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
Tonnage: 6, 793g, 3, 969n, 8, 420dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion and L.P. Turbine, Double Reduction Geared, Coal Fired, 3, 500 IHP, 11 Knots.
Launched 21st May 1940, completed July 1940. Yard No. 1102.
Itola is a village in Baroda State, now in Gujarat.
A month after delivery Itola found herself in the Liner Division and from February of 1942 served as a Mechanical Transport Ship. In 1944 and explosion occurred in a cargo of incendiaries she was discharging, fortunately the crew were able to extinguish the resulting flames with no loss of life. In January of 1945 she was a Vehicle Transport at the landings at Kyaukpyu. She remained in the Liner Division until 1946 and then returned to her designated Company service. She was sold to the Karachi Steam Navigation Co on the 9th of July 1958 becoming Pakistan Promoter. She was eventually sold for breaking to the Hardware Manufacturing Corporation of Karachi in 1967 and work commenced in the March.
ISMAILIA
©J.C.
Built : 1940 by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
Tonnage: 6, 793g, 3, 969n, 8, 420dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion and L.P. Turbine, Double Reduction Geared by C.M.E.W., 3, 500 IHP, 11 Knots.
Launched 3rd September 1940, completed December 1940. Yard No. 1105.
Ismailia is a village in the N.W. Frontier, Pakistan.
Served in the Liner Division from completion to March of 1946. On her first convoy she collided with an unidentified ship when forming up on Christmas Eve 1940. Her only other mishap was when she grounded at Calicut on the 25th May 1941. Like her surviving sisters she was converted from coal to oil burning 1949/50 this effectively reduced the ‘I’ Class manning from 98 down to 65. She was sold to the Pan Islamic Steamship Company of Karachi on the 25th of August 1958 becoming Safina-E-Jamhooriyat. She was sold for scrapping to the Hardware Manufacturing Corporation and work commenced in the November of 1966.
IKAUNA
©J.C.
Built : 1941 by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
Tonnage: 6, 793g, 3, 969n, 8, 420dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion and L.P. Turbine, Double Reduction Geared by C.M.E.W., 3, 500 IHP, 11 Knots.
Launched 30th November 1940, completed 28th February 1941. Yard No. 1106.
Ikauna is a town in the former United Provinces, India.
She joined the Liner Division on completion and served as a Mechanical Transport Ship from January 1942 to April 1946. She was at the Kyaukpyu Landings with her sister Itola in the January of 1945. Sold on the 18th of October 1958 to the Pakistan S.N.Co. becoming Fatehabad and served as such until arriving at Gadani Beach in the May of 1968 for breaking by the Sind Steel Corporation.
URLANA
©J.C.
Built : 1946 by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
Tonnage: 6, 834g, 3, 985n, 8, 460dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, Triple Expansion by C.M.E.W. and L.P. Turbine BY Swan, Hunter Wigham & Richardson, 3, 500 IHP, 12 Knots.
Launched 18th February 1946, completed 17th May 1946. Yard No. 1193.
Urlana is possibly Urlam a village in the former Madras Presidency.
Urlana and her sister Umaria were near copies of the ‘I’ Class ships and both were converted from coal fired to oil burning in 1950/51. Urlana was sold on the 16th of October 1962 to Mitsui & Co for breaking, work took place at Sakai.
LANDAURA
©J.C.
Built : 1946 by Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Glasgow.
Tonnage: 7, 289, 4,171n, 9, 750dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, 4 Cylinder 2S. C.S.A. Doxford by Builder, 3, 060 BHP, 12 Knots.
Launched June 1946, completed 12th September 1946. Yard No. 705.
Landaur is a cantonment near Mussoorie, Uttar Pradesh, possibly a village in the N.W. Frontier also.
Laudaura spent most of her career on the U.K. to India and East Africa services and was renowned as the vessel which took Officers out to Eastern Service and brought those that wished to return to the U.K. for leave. On the 20th of March 1965 she was sold to Mauritius Steam Navigation Co Ltd becoming Belle Etoile but remaining under BI management. BI supplied the Deck Officers. She was sold to Agios Stylianos Cia. Nav. of Piraeus becoming Agios Stylianos on the 27th of April 1970. Two years later she was sold to Spiritath Cia. Nav. SA for the one way trip to the breakers and renamed Spyridon for the voyage. She arrived at Shanghai for breaking on the 11th of May 1972.
QUEDA
Artist's Impression of a BI Tanker by Lt. Commander L.B. Moffatt
With Thanks to David Milligan. Originally shown in BI News.
Built: 1959 by Scotts S.B. & E. Co Ltd, Greenock.
Tonnage: 13, 252g, 7, 312n, 19, 045 dwt.
Engine: Single Screw, 1 x Two Stage Pametrada Turbines Double Reduction Geared, 8, 800 SHP, 14.5 Knots, 15.66 Knots (Trials).
Launched 14th August 1958, Completed 2nd March 1959. Yard No 677.
Queda or Kheda is a District in Gujerat.
A new venture for British India was launched by Mrs. W.H. Brown wife of the Company's Marine Superintendent. The two 'Q' Class tankers were product carriers, saw service all over the world, had air conditioned accommodation and each were fitted with swimming pools aft. The British India Officers who manned these two ships had served first on secondment to British Petroleum and the crews were recruited from a pool which had previous tanker experience. She transferred to Trident Tankers Management on the 9th of May 1963.After only ten years service this size of tanker was deemed to be too small for the Company's operation and was sold to the Clyde Shipping Co of Liberia and renamed Saint Michael in July of 1969. In 1971 she became the 9 de Octobre for Petroleos De Peru and registered at Callao. Three years later she underwent conversion for use as a liquid petroleum gas carrier and in September of 1981 was stripped of all usable parts at Callao and then broken up.
ASKA
Aska with Rajula in Background.
Photo 5th August 1970 anchored at Singapore.
Built: 1970 by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, South Shield.
Tonnage: 10, 031g, 4, 981n, 13, 921 dwt.
Engine : Single Screw, 1 x 6 Cylinder 2S. C.S.A. Burmeister & Wain. 11, 600 BHP. 17 Knots.
Launched 9th January 1970, completed 21st May 1970. Yard No. 17.
Aska is a town near Madras.
Both this class of ship (her sister Amra) were the first British India ships to have the accommodation aft, they were also air conditioned. The main feature of the ships was the heavy lift Stulken Twin Masts situated amidships, the derrick could be either operated from the Bridge or by a brest set and was ballasted by 1, 300 tons of water in three double bottom tanks. Both ships had been designed to carry large manufactured items for the oil industry from Japan to the Persian Gulf and besides having heavy lift capacity the ships had reinforced decks.
Amra as Strathcarron.