“Uganda” in dryock at Smith's Ship Repairers, North Shields, 25th August 1982, while under re-conversion back from a hospital ship. This is probably the only time that her funnel was painted buff (the usual P&O passenger ship colour), as she reverted to traditional B.I. colours soon after.
Owner: Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O), London
Port of registry: London
Builder: Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd., Whiteinch (Hull-720)
Gross tons: 16,907
Length overall: 164.47 m
Max. draft: 7.684 m
Engines: Parsons steam turbines, 12,300 s.h.p.
Service speed: 16 knots
Completed July 1952 as a passenger/cargo liner for British India S.N. Co., London; originally 14,430 gross tons & 300 passengers in 2 classes
Converted for educational cruising at Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG April 1967-February 1968; now 1,226 passengers (306 cabin & 920 dormitory)
Management transferred 1971 to P&O Passenger Division & ownership transferred to P&O the following year; retained B.I. colours.
Requisitioned by UK Government April 1972, converted to a hospital ship at Gibraltar & served for 2 months off the Falklands Islands during the UK-Argentina War.
Changed to troopship (red crosses removed) & returned to UK carrying troops August 1982; refitted at North Shields (as in this photo) & chartered for 2 years to carry stores from Ascencion Island to the Falklands
Laid up May 1995 in River Fal.
Sold April 1986 to Triton Shipping Co., St. Vincent, renamed “Triton”; taken under tow for Taiwan
Anchored off Kaohsiung July 1986 for scrapping or possible resale
Driven aground August 1986 during a typhoon (see http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=139493). Laid there for several years before being broken up in situ