The M Class
Built: 1922 by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Govan, Glasgow..
Tonnage : 9, 100g, 5, 521n, 10, 950dwt.
Engines Twin Screw 2 x 3 Stage Parsons Double Reduction Geared Turbines, 4, 100 BHP, 13.8 Knots (Trials).
Passengers: 114/78 First Class, 44/80 Second Class, 1935: 158 One Class
Refrigerated space 1, 000 cu ft.
Launched 14th February 1922, completed 21st June 1922. Yard No. 496
With Thanks to David Milligan. First Shown in BI News.
Mulbera is a hill village in the Northern United Provinces near the Western border of Nepal.
The Mulbera was the last build of seventeen very similar 'M' Class ships and she was the sole representative built by Alexander Stephens Linthouse Yard. For identification purposes the foremast was stepped dead centre of the well and both masts one hatch nearer to the superstructure, her cruiser stern was also of a different design. In 1924 she carried the Duke and Duchess of York to Kenya and in the 1930s Victoria Drummond was numbered amongst the Engine Room staff. She collided with the British steamer Zitella on the 8th of June 1932 inward bound for Antwerp, the same year she struck the pier head in the King George V dock in London, she also ran aground the following year on the Ullenge Reef, Tanga on the 22nd of August. She was fortunate not to sustain serious damage and was assisted off the reef by Dumra and the tug Kifaru. Her war years were spent in the Liner Division on passenger services under Indian Government direction. Immediately after the war she served on the India - Australia service and in 1949 resumed once more on the East African run. Her final voyage was in the February of 1954, being the last 'M' ship still in service her departure was all the more poignant and she was able to fly a 190 ft paying off pennant. She was sold to Bisco on her arrival in London on the 7th of April and work commenced in the same month at Inverkeithing by Thomas W. Ward Ltd.
The first ship of this group to be launched was the Manora followed by Merkara, Morvada and Mulbera the ships were initially designed for the Australian- Japan-Persian Gulf service each ship had the capacity of carrying either 340 pallets or 150 containers, it isn't surprising that the container capacity of the ships were to considerably shorten their effective working careers.
The M class were the first ships built for British India since the Dalgoma (1923) to use Sulzer Engine Propulsion Units, each was a turbo- charged six cylinder, the Devonia built for Bibby Line (1939) had twin 8 cylinder Sulzers. Did any others arrive by the back door that I don't know about?
With the Company introducing a new cadet scheme in February 1971 accommodation for eight cadets was added to Manora and each subsequent M Class ship. No sooner had the class been completed than the McKinsey Rationalisation Programme arrived and all four ships found themselves in the General Cargo Division of P & O.
Built: 1970 by Swan, Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd, Wallsend.
Tonnage : 11, 177g, 6, 098n, 13, 200dwt.
Engines: Single Screw 6 Cylinder Sulzer by Barclay Curle, 6 RND 90, 17, 400 BHP, 19 Knots.
Refrigerated space: 30, 000 cu ft.
Launched 9th March 1970, completed 15th September 1970. Yard No. 21
63 Crew
Manora is a headland and lighthouse near Karachi. She was the fourth ship to carry the name.
In 1971 the Manora joined the General Cargo Division and on the 19th April 1973 came under the ownership of P & O. On the 9th May 1975 she was renamed Strathmay; each of the 'M' Class Ships in the renaming retained its initial consonant and first vowel after the prefix 'Strath', the Strathmay was to serve on the UK-Jeddah-Aqaba Service. In 1978 she was transferred to Strickline ownership and in 1982 she was sold out of the group to the United Thai Shipping Corporation of Bangkok, renamed Jumpa. On the 27th January 1988 she arrived in Bangkok after her final voyage for scrapping.
Built: 1971 by Swan, Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd, Wallsend.
Tonnage : 11, 142g, 5, 947n, 13, 090dwt.
Engines: Single Screw 6 Cylinder Sulzer by Hawthorn Leslie, 6 RND 90, 17, 400 BHP, 19 Knots.
Refrigerated space: 28, 000 cu ft.
Launched 30th November 1970, completed 10th March1971. Yard No. 22
Town in Coorg State between Mysore and the Arabian Sea. She was the third ship to carry the name.
Three days after being handed over on the 13th March the Merkara's maiden voyage was for Blue Star (charter) and then she proceeded on her intended route of Japan-Persian Gulf, in October of the same year she becomes part of the General Cargo Division. On the 19th April 1973 ownership becomes P &O and on the 30th April 1975 she is renamed Strathmeigle. In 1982 she is one of three 'M's to be sold to the United Thai Shipping Corporation of Bangkok and is renamed Kannikar, five years later on the 10th September 1987 she arrived at Huangpu, China for breaking up.
Built: 1971 by Swan, Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd, Wallsend.
Tonnage : 11, 143g, 5, 947n, 13, 090dwt.
Engines: Single Screw 6 Cylinder Sulzer by Barclay Curle, 6 RND 90, 17, 400 BHP, 19 Knots.
Refrigerated space: 28, 000 cu ft.
Launched 22nd March, completed 23rd July 1971. Yard No. 23
Morvada is a Princely State of Tharad and Morwara in Northern Gujerat, the second ship of this name.
This ship was completed by volunteers as delivery date fell during the yards shut down period for summer holidays. She transferred to P & O ownership on the 19th April 1973 and was renamed Strathmore on the 18th June 1975. As her two previous sisters she was sold to the United Thai Shipping Corporation of Bangkok and is renamed Intanih and on the 13th July 1986 she arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for breaking. Work commenced on the 1st August by San To Steel Co. Ltd.
Built: 1971 by Swan, Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd, Wallsend.
Tonnage : 11, 143g, 5, 947n, 13, 090dwt.
Engines: Single Screw 6 Cylinder Sulzer by Hawthorn Leslie, 6 RND 90, 17, 400 BHP, 19 Knots.
Refrigerated space: 28, 000 cu ft.
Launched 13th April 1971, completed 23rd December1971. Yard No. 24
Mulbera is a hill village in the Northern United Provinces near the Western border of Nepal, she was the second ship with this name.
The last of the sisters to be launched the Mulbera was transferred to P & O ownership on the 19th April 1973 and on the 25th June 1975 she is renamed Strathmuir. She has the distinction of being the only 'M' Class not to sail under the Thai flag because she was sold to Mars Limited of Hamilton, Bermuda and renamed Sonia. M.. In 1991 she was sold to Euston Shipping Co. Ltd. of Malta and renamed Sonic but a short while later was sold to Indian Shipbreakers at Alang on the 23rd January 1992 for scrapping.