Malcolm Cranfield owned neg
photo David Shackleton
Durban, S.A.

Completed in 1965 with one sister GOOD HOPE CASTLE.

Subsequent History:
78 FRANCA C. - 83 FRANCA

Disposal Data:
BU Dalian 19.1.84

These two ships showed that Britain's shipbuilders, very much on the back foot by the mid 60's could still produce a superb design, the finest cargo liners ever built in Britain and at the time the most powerful cargo liners yet built by any nation.

They produced a staggering 34720 bhp to propell a 10538 GRT hull at 25 knots.

By way of comparison NZ Shipping's Taupo class at approximately same GRT needed half the power, 17600 BHP for 20 knots.

Very few British cargo merchant ships have bettered the service speed of these two superb Union Castle ships, only a few reefers coming close and some of the first generation containerships being somewhat faster.