 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
  United Kingdom | |
| Name | SS Gothic |
| Owner | Shaw, Savill & Albion Steamship Co. |
| Builder | Swan Hunter |
| Yard number | 1759 |
| Launched | 12 December 1947 |
| Completed | December 1948 |
| Maiden voyage | 23 December 1948 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Arrived atKaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping, 13 August 1969 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger-cargo liner |
| Tonnage | 15,902 |
| Length | 561 ft (171 m) |
| Beam | 72.2 ft (22.0 m) |
| Draft | 29.7 ft (9.1 m) |
| Decks | 4 |
| Installed power | Geared steam turbines 14,000 shp (10,000 kW) |
| Propulsion | Twin screws |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Crew | 95 |
SSGothic was apassenger-cargo liner launched in December 1947, though not completed until a year later. She became the most famous of the quartet when she was designated aroyal yacht from 1952 to 1954.
Gothic was built bySwan Hunter,Wallsend-on-Tyne, England (yard 1759), the fourth and final of theCorinthic-class liners ordered by theShaw, Savill & Albion Line in 1946. Her sister ships wereCorinthic,Athenic andCeramic. She was launched on 12 December 1947, completed in December 1948, and departed on her maiden voyage on 23 December 1948, sailing fromLiverpool toSydney.[1]
The quartet joined the much largerQSMV Dominion Monarch on the UK to New Zealand service. Each ship was around 15,000 GRT and accommodated 85 first class passengers. Each had 6 large holds, with space for 668,000 cubic feet (18,900 m3) of cargo, of which 510,000 cubic feet (14,000 m3) was for refrigerated goods.
In 1969 she was sold to China Steel Corp and arrived atKaohsiung for demolition on 13 August that year.[1]
In 1952,Gothic was sent toCammell Laird shipyards to be refitted to become theroyal yacht for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Although the tour was cancelled due to the death of KingGeorge VI, considerable work had already been completed and she returned in 1953 to complete the refit, which included a white-painted hull. In 1954 the Queen's visit to Australia occurred andGothic was used for the visit. The Australian Government filmThe Queen in Australia 1954 featured the ship inSydney on arrival andFremantle on departure three months later. This visit was part of QueenElizabeth II's coronation world tour in 1954.[2]