TSS Duke of Argyll (1956)

The Duke of Argyll was a railway steamer passenger ship that operated in Europe from 1956 to 1975.

History
United Kingdom
Name: 1956-1975: Duke of Argyll
Owner:
Operator:
Port of registry: Lancaster, United Kingdom
Route: 1956-1975: Heysham - Belfast
Builder: Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Yard number: 1541
Launched: 12 January 1956
Maiden voyage: 27 September 1956
Out of service: 1975
Identification: IMO number: 5094460
Fate: Sold to Greece, 1975
Greece
Name:
  • 1975-1987: Neptunia
  • 1987-1994: Corinthia
Owner:
  • 1975-1987: Libra Maritime
  • 1987-1994: Hellenic Maritime Lines
Operator:
  • 1975-1987: Libra Maritime
  • 1987-1994: Hellenic Maritime Lines
Out of service: 1987
Fate: Sold to Hong Kong, 1994
Hong Kong
Name:
  • 1994-1995: Faith Power
  • 1995-1995: Fairy Princess
  • 1995-1995: Zenith
Owner: 1994-1995: Hong Kong
Operator: 1994-1995: Hong Kong
Out of service: 1995
Fate: Caught fire, scrapped
General characteristics
Type: Turbine steam ship
Tonnage: 4,797 GT
Length: 114.63 m (376 ft 1 in)
Beam: 17.46 m (57 ft 3 in)
Draught: 4.54 m (14 ft 11 in)
Installed power: 2 x Parmetrada steam turbines
Propulsion: Twin screw
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity: 1800 passengers

In service

Along with her sister ships the TSS Duke of Lancaster and the TSS Duke of Rothesay she was amongst the last passenger-only steamers built for British Railways (at that time, also a ferry operator).[1] She was a replacement for the 1928 steamer built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, RMS Duke of Argyll.

Built at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, launched on 12 January 1956 and making its maiden voyage on 27 September 1956, it was designed to operate as both a passenger ferry (primarily on the Heysham to Belfast route) and as a cruise ship.[2][3][4]

Post Sealink

She operated as Neptunia for Libra Maritime from 1975 to 1987, then as Corinthia for Hellenic Maritime from 1987 to 1994.

She arrived in Hong Kong as Faith Power in 1994 and was renamed Fairy Princess in 1995 and then Zenith. In July 1995 she caught fire. The fire was extinguished and she was run aground. Later refloated, she was sold for scrap.

References
  1. Duke of Lancaster, hhvferry.com, retrieved 12 December 2007
  2. Second New Ship for Heysham-Belfast Service Railway Gazette 20 January 1956 page 85
  3. Second New Ship for Heysham-Belfast Service Railway Gazette 28 September 1956 page 394
  4. Sea breezes: the ship lovers' digest, Pacific Steam Navigation Company. 1997
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