Edinburgh Castle
Ship Number
1333
Vessel Type
Passenger Ship
Built
Belfast
Yard
Musgrave Yard
Slip Number
14
Launch Date
October 16, 1947
Launched By
HRH Princess Margaret
Delivered
November 26, 1948
Owner
Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co.
Weight
28705 grt
BP Length
700 feet
Breadth
83-6 feet
No. of Screws
Twin
Speed (approx)
21 knots
Propulsion
2 x 3 Double Reduction Steam Geared Turbine 35, 000 SHP
Official No.
182892
Registered
London
Fate
Scrapped
Edinburgh Castle

Sister ship to the Pretoria Castle she was built as a replacement for the Warwick Castle (War loss)
 
Launched by Princess Margaret, her first major public engagement Edinburgh Castle was delivered well behind her contract date. One funnel, two masts, twin screw and accommodation for 227-1st class and 478-cabin class passengers. She sailed on her maiden voyage to the Cape with Southampton Master Mariner Captain T. W. McAllen in command on the 9th of December. She established a new record for the voyage in January of 1954 of 11 days, 13 hours and 11 minutes UK to the Cape.
 
She was withdrawn for about ten weeks in 1962 and given an extensive overhaul by Harland & Wolff at Southampton, and fitted with air conditioning.
 
March of 1964 she achieved her 100th round voyage, sailing 1, 368, 800 miles and carrying 209, 000 passengers.
 
Rebuilt in 1965 to carry 155-1st and 491-tourist class passengers, and her mainmast removed, she was then used on a new accelerated service of eleven and a half days to Cape Town in conjunction with Safmarine. She continued on this service until her last arrival at Southampton on 12.4.1976. Sailed for Durban, where she arrived on 10th May with cargo only, and then on to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where she arrived on 3rd June for breaking up.
 
[The Cape Run by W.H.Mitchell & L.A.Sawyer]