- SS Drakensburg Castle
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Career Name: Empire Allenby (1944-46)
Drakensburg Castle (1946-59)Owner: Ministry of War Transport (1944-46)
Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd (1946-59)Operator: Owner operated except:-
Prince Line Ltd (1944-46)Port of registry: 
Sunderland (1945-47)
South Africa (1947-59)Builder: J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland Yard number: 633 Launched: 18 October 1944 Completed: June 1945 Out of service: 5 August 1959 Identification: UK Official Number 180157 (1945-47)
Code letters GJTM
(1945-47)Fate: Scrapped in Hong Kong September 1959 General characteristics Tonnage: 9,904 GRT Length: 475 ft 4 in (144.88 m) Beam: 64 ft 1 in (19.53 m) Depth: 40 ft (12.19 m) Propulsion: 2 x steam turbines double reduction geared driving one screw Speed: 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h) The Empire Allenby was a 9,904 ton cargo liner which was built in 1944. She was renamed Drakenburg Castle in 1946, and scrapped in 1959.
Contents
History
Empire Allenby was built by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland[1] as yard number 633. She was launched on 18 October 1944 and completed in June 1945.[2] Empire Allenby was built for the Ministry of War Transport and operated under the management of Furness, Withy & Co Ltd, who traded as Prince Line Ltd.[1]
In 1946, Empire Allenby was sold to the Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd, who traded as the Union-Castle Line. She was renamed Drakensburg Castle.[3] On 22 July 1947, she was transferred to the South African registry. Although Drakensburg Castle was a fast ship compared to others in the Union-Castle Line fleet, she was expensive to operate and not suitable for use as a tramp. She was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Salvage & Towage Co and arrived for scrapping in Hong Kong on 5 August 1959. Drakensburg Castle was scrapped in September 1959.[4]
Official number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers.
Empire Allenby had the UK Official Number 180157 and used the Code Letters GJTM.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS". Plimsoll Ship Data. http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=44b1208.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ^ ""1180157"" (subscription required). Miramar Ship Index. R.B. Haworth. http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ^ "Empire-A". Mariners-L. http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireA.html. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ^ "INDUSTRIAL SUNDERLAND - PAGE 32, SHIPBUILDERS - PAGE 10". Rogers. Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://ca.geocities.com/ventures0%40rogers.com/sunderland32.html&date=2009-10-25+03:07:39. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
External links
- Photo of Drakensburg Castle.
Empire ships beginning with Empire A Aircraft Carriers Cargo ships Empire Abbey1 · Empire Abercorn1 · Empire Ability · Empire Activity (I) · Empire Addison · Empire Aden · Empire Admiral · Empire Adur · Empire Adventure · Empire Advocate · Empire Airman (I) · Empire Albany2 · Empire Albatross · Empire Alde1 · Empire Aldgate3 · Empire Allenby · Empire Almond · Empire Annan · Empire Antelope · Empire Antigua · Empire Archer · Empire Ardle · Empire Arnold · Empire Arun · Empire Asquith · Empire Athelstan3 · Empire Atoll1, 2 · Empire Attendant · Empire Audrey2 · Empire Austen · Empire Avocet1 · Empire Ayr
Landing ships Tankers Tugs Empire Ace4 · Empire Aid · Empire Alfred · Empire Andrew5 · Empire Ann4 · Empire Ariel5 · Empire Ash ·
Categories:- 1944 ships
- Wear-built ships
- Steamships of the United Kingdom
- Empire ships
- Ministry of War Transport ships
- Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
- Ships of the Union-Castle Line
- Steamships of South Africa
- Merchant ships of South Africa
- Cargo liners
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