ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
P&O
Lines
SS
Iberia
This is one of the early P&O postcards of
the Iberia
From the author’s private collection
After WWII P&O decided to upgrade their fleet
for the Australian service considering P&O had lost six of their passenger
ships. Four of these had been sunk during jus one of WW 2’s operations,
“Operation Torch,” being the Allied landing in North Africa. Included were the magnificent
Viceroy of India which was only 12 years old, and the companies
newest ship, the four year old Strathallan,
Obviously, even the ships that survived WWII
needed considerable refitting at great cost. Thus P&O commenced a plan to
build a series of new ships that would be economically more viable and have a
sustainable future, for the much loved black hulled Mooltan
and Maloja which had entered service in 1923 and 1924
respectively were almost 27 years old. They were noted for having been the
first P&O ships to exceed 20,000 GRT,
but the time had come to consider replacing them with more effective and more
modern units. Other problems had arisen, such as who were going to build these
ships, due to steel shortages, rising inflation and industrial problems as well
as competition from abroad. However once the details were worked out, British
shipbuilders were decided on, as at the time they were considered to be
“the best in the world.”
In order to recommence the rebuilding plan, in
1946 P&O placed an order for the first ship to be built, the 28,000 GRT SS Himalaya, which was
followed up four months later by an order for smaller version of the Himalaya,
the 24,000 GRT
SS Chusan.
Then the next two ships to be built, although
similar to the Himalaya,
they would be updated versions of her, Externally this
would be most obvious be most obvious by their modern stylized funnels.
The order was placed for the first ship, SS
Arcadia to be built at Clydebank in autumn 1951, whilst the Iberia’s
order was placed in the winter of 1951. The Arcadia
was the first to be completed and she departed on her maiden voyage for Sydney
on February 22, 1954.
She could always be distinguished from the Iberia
as her funnel was toped with a black smoke deflector.
SS Iberia was built by the famed shipyards of
Harland & Wolff Ltd, Yard 1476, in Belfast, Ireland. Her
keel was laid down February
8, 1952.
The hull of Iberia has taken shape and is now her superstructure is starting
to take shape
Seen at the Harland & Wolff shipyards during
the building process
From the Harland & Wolff Collection
Iberia finally reaches the water having been launched on January 21,
1954
From the Harland & Wolff Collection
She was launched on January 21, 1954 by Lady McGrigor the wife of the “First Sea Lord” -
Admiral Rhoderick McGrigor.
After launching she went to her fitting out wharf. For interest, her interior design was entrusted to “A. McInnes, Gardner & Partners” of Glasgow, who
followed a well trusted standard set by her earlier sisters, but also made some
new innovations!
Iberia almost completed - seen in June 1954 at Victoria Wharf fitting out basin
When completed, she underwent sea her trials
during September 1954 where she achieved a respectable 24.9 knots. She was
delivered to P&O on September
10, 1954. It was decided to name her Iberia after the 1836
namesake SS Iberia (I), which was named after the Iberian peninsular where Spain and Portugal
are located and which had a strong connection to the formation of P&O and
the company's early years.
*There was another ship that carried the name
“Iberia,”
but it was not related to P&O, yet for some reason P&O still considered
this to be the third Iberia.
It is obvious to all followers of the Orient
Line and P&O story that 1. These two ships were contemporaries of Orient
Line’s Oronsay and Orsova respectively. In addition: 2. That the
Himalaya, Arcadia
and Iberia of P&O had been paralleled by Orient Line's Orcades, Oronsay and
Orsova. These ships marked a coming together of new liners of the two
companies. Indeed the six ships worked closely together on their Australian
service with their sailing schedules organised so that sailings alternated
between P&O and Orient. Thus they formed a Southern Dominions "Big
Six" fleet.
The 29,614 GRT Iberia departed on her
maiden voyage on September
28, 1954 from London
(Tilbury) for Sydney, Australia, sailing via the
Suez Canal. She arrived
in Fremantle on October 22, then sailing via Adelaide
and Melbourne, arriving in Sydney
on November 1. Iberia
had a cargo capacity similar to that of his sisters, of around 239,800 cu ft.
In June 1955 Iberia commenced her first
summer season of Mediterranean cruises out of the UK.
Iberia seen at the Sydney “International Passenger Terminal” Circular Quay
Interior &
Exterior Photo Album
1. First Class
The Main Lounge which was certainly built for comfort and
having a simple elegance
This Iberia
postcard collection is from the author’s private collection
The ever popular dance arena was semi indoors, but out on deck with
sliding glass doors
that
could be open or shut pending weather conditions – cane
furnishings was the popular mode here
The floral and heavy patterned Writing and Reading Room
The ever popular Library and reading area
The Observation Lounge, the forerunner of greatly extended “Crows
Nest” on the modern P&O ships
The expansive spaces of the Sports Deck
Far aft is the popular Verandah Café overlooking the stern
The Dining Room was adorned with fine timbers and murals
and wall lighting and had an elegant feel!
The superb Verandah Cabin with comfortable lounge chairs
A Single Cabin
Tourist
Class
The Main Lounge was a beautiful room with a fine mural and
a Grand piano
Another view of the Main Lounge
The Smoking Room also had writing desks and was a popular
venue for games
Verandah
Café was a beautiful room with a fine mural
I was impressed that the Tourist Class Dining Room has so
many tables for four
This postcard of SS Iberia was part of the above Iberia postcard collection – note the aft
(tall) mainmast
Iberia’s General History – 1956 to 1973
Sadly, Iberia
eventually became known as a much “troubled ship” due
to accidents and constant breakdowns as the following overview will disclose.
It is not that the author dislikes this ship, far from it, she was simply
superb and I not only sailed on her, but I also visited her many times and
dined on her often as a P&O guest. She and the Himalaya were my two
favourites of the P&O ships of the time, Arcadia
was OK, but somehow she lacked something for me. Thus, although the following
will seem rather negative, I am simply presenting the facts and it saddens me
for she was a fine ship and her passengers greatly loved her!
Below is a list of both good and the bad
incidents of her ongoing troubled career.
On March 14, 1956 Iberia departed Tilbury
bound for Australia
via the Suez Canal.
However, on March 27 at approximately 0130 Iberia was rammed
broadside (amidships - portside) by the Esso tanker
“Stanvec Pretoria” whilst sailing in
heavy seas about 275 km (170 miles) off Colombo. Iberia
received extensive damage to her portside Promenade, Boat and Sports Decks.
Temporary repairs were made at Colombo. One of the
things that had to be done was vertical irons bars had to be welded to the side
of the ships upper decks to support boat deck. As soon as the work there was
completed, Iberia
continued to Sydney, and
entered into the Sydney’s
Cockatoo Shipyards on April 16 for extensive repairs. After seventeen days of
extensive work, both at the shipyard and whilst docked at Pyrmont wharf, she
was returned to her regular duties.
Collision Photo Album
Iberia is seen at Colombo during temporary repairs – Note the Iron bars just
aft of the funnel
Holding the decks together, in order the will
not collapse during the voyage to Australia
*Sources of
these photographs are unknown – Please see Photographic notes at the bottom
of page
Here we see some of the extensive damage
up on Boat deck
It even extended as high as Sports Deck.
The Stanvec
Pretoria had damage on its lower hull see lower left, as well as the upper bow
Just aft of her name where the plates have
buckled extensively. However Iberia came off the worse of the two
Iberia is seen here in Sydney during her final repairs
In April 1957 she called at St Paul Island in the Indian Ocean and this marked the first call
there by a P&O ship since the Malacca rescued the crew of the HMS Megaera which had run around there in 1871.
On February 15, 1959 Iberia ran aground whilst
sailing the Suez Canal
northbound.
In January 1958 P&O and Orient services to
Australia
were extended across the Pacific in a joint service marketed as Orient &
Pacific Line. The Iberia
thus started operation in March 1960 on her first trans-pacific services and
sailings continued from Sydney
to Auckland, Suva, Honolulu,
Vancouver and San Francisco.
In May 1960 her management and operation was
transferred to P&O-Orient Lines.
In 1961 from January to March she was refitted
by J.I. Thornycroft Ltd, Southampton. During the work
she was modernised and finally fitted with air-Conditioning and
stabilizers.
On October 17, 1961 she suffered a complete
electrical failure having just departed Auckland New Zealand. She required five days of repairs.
On August 12, 1962 she struck a sandbank near
Port Tewfik and damaged a blade of her portside propeller.
A
Christening in the Ships Bell
Teresa
Swan’s journey began in England
where she was born in Kent
on November 8, 1962.
She and her parents Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Swan departed London
England
on the SS Iberia on January
8, 1963 bound for Australia.
Special
arrangements had been made to have baby Teresa Baptized on Sunday January 20
directly after Holy Mass in the Port Writing Room forward on Promenade Deck.
For this special occasion, it had been decided that they would use the ships
bell as the Baptismal Basin.
The Captain
and the Ships Company gave Teresa and the family two boxes of silver gifts
containing egg cups and napkin rind as well as a special Egyptian teaspoon as
the ship was in the area.
Above SS Iberia’s daily Events & News
paper for January
20, 1963
All images related to this story were provided by Teresa
Shaw
Iberia’s Bell is
seen being used as Teresa’s Baptismal
Basin
With the event over, a happy family gets
together
A beautiful BUB and the gifts given by P&O
Two silver egg cups and napkin rings and note
the delightful Egyptian tea spoon
The
Paul Soper Story
Iberia is seen here at the International Passenger Terminal in Sydney in 1964
Photograph by & © Iberia’s Radio Officer Paul Soper
I received the following interesting story
from ex P&O Radio Officer Paul Soper and decided
to add it to the page as well as his photo above of the Iberia.
I have slightly edited his story, but not changed any of its content in any way
whatsoever.
The Iberia was my first
passenger liner where I served full time as a Radio Officer in 1964, although
the first ship I worked on was the Canberra
earlier in the year when we went to the New York's World
Fair. I had a wonderful time on this fine ship but the highlight of my time on
the Iberia
was probably going to the Olympic Games in Tokyo
in 1964 and we had an absolutely wonderful time even if I did not get to see
any of the games - enough said!
However, during my time on her I can recall at
least two other unfortunate incidents occurring either in 1964 or
1965. The first was when we were in a long beam sea and the stabilizers
became stuck in position. The ship started to roll to port, and continued
rolling and then rolled more and more until the radio transmitters were hanging
off the bulkhead, then the typewriter smashed to the floor and the whole ship
resounded to the sound of breaking crockery. She did eventually come to a
halt, but not before a great deal of damage had been done and I suddenly
realised how many prayers I knew. But all ended well and there were no real
injuries except for a little one related to pride.
The second incident occurred when we were
anchored off Malta
and we were taking passengers ashore in the ship's tenders (lifeboats) for a
run ashore. During the afternoon the sea got a little rough and the crash
boat (which should have been fitted with the optional spray cover over the fore
deck, but was not) ploughed into a big sea and was immediately swamped, and
somehow some of the passengers and crew were flung into the water. Fortunately
they were all picked up by one of the other ship’s lifeboats and there
were no serious casualties, but it could have been quite a serious incident and
in the Radio Room we spent the rest of the day fielding queries from the press
and anxious relatives.
Paul Soper (P&O Radio Officer 1964-1971).
Iberia’s General History – 1956 to 1973 – continued.
In 1966 her passenger capacity was revised to
651 First Class and 733 Tourist. In addition her management and operation was
transferred to “P&O Lines.”
On June 10, 1966 on her way to Yokohama from Kobe,
she had to return for repairs to a turbine coupling. This delayed her voyage by
four days.
On January 19, 1967 Iberia collided with wharf
in Funchal, Madeira and
damaged her bow plates 2.5 metres above the waterline.
On February 2, 1968 she was delayed in Funchal by
two days with a power system breakdown.
On November 16, 1968 her number 2 boiler room
forced draught fan failed. Repairs were made in Dakar
and delayed the voyage by 24 hours.
On June 12, 1969 she sailed on her final voyage
from London (Tilbury) bound
for Australia
before P&O's terminus moved to Southampton.
On December 8, 1969 she finally arrived in
Southampton from Australia
after a much troubled voyage. Whilst in Pago Pago
her funnel caught fire. Then she suffered an electrical failure in Honolulu.
But her problems did not end there, for her the starboard engine failed by the
time she arrived at Acapulco and whilst bunkering in Curacao it was discovered
that some of the fuel has escaped into one of the first class baggage rooms,
which had been flooded with fuel oil.
On December 9, 1969, the day after she returned
to Southampton, she
underwent a major two week overhaul in dry dock. This included the removal of
her (aft) Mainmast.
Iberia is seen here without her aft Mainmast
Photographer unknown – Please see Photographic notes
at the bottom of page
On December 26, 1969, after all the work done at
the major overhaul, guess what? She suffered yet another major a stabilizer
failure.
In October 1971 her management and operation
was transferred to the “P&O Passenger Division.”
Iberia seen on a cruise around 1971
Photographer unknown – Please see Photographic notes
at the bottom of page
On November 6, 1971 she sailed from Southampton
on her final voyage from the UK
bound for Cherbourg, Panama, the USA, Canada and Sydney.
But then in February 1972 it was announced that the Iberia
would be retired from service. Iberia would be the first of P&O's post war
liners to be retired from service as the line voyage loading were less and
less, and Iberia was not as popular as Arcadia as a cruise ship. In addition,
she took precedence over her sisters due to her poor mechanical performance
over the years having been a much troubled ship, whilst her sister had a good
run.
Iberia was withdrawn from service in 1972 arriving at Southampton for the last time on Wednesday 19th April 1972 with an
18ft paying off pennant flying from her mast. Captain Trenfield
rang “finished with engines.” At the end of April, Iberia was laid up at 101 berth awaiting
a buyer, which was soon found for P&O by Mitsui & Co. Taiwanese breakers, Tong Cheng Steel Manufacturing
Co. Ltd, purchased the Iberia
to be broken up.
A superb photograph of the Iberia in mid 1972 - Note that her lifeboats are being removed
Photographer unknown – Please see Photographic notes
at the bottom of page
Again we see the Iberia mid 1972, but now without any lifeboats, she did sail to Taiwan with two lifeboats
Photographer unknown – Please see Photographic notes
at the bottom of page
On June 28, 1972 Iberia sailed from Southampton for the final time, but this
time without passengers and with just two lifeboats up on Boat deck. She was
under the command of Captain Michael Prowse. There
were also 66 other crew members, 14 on deck, 20 in the engine room and 32
catering and fire-patrol staff. Iberia made calls for fuel and stores at Dakar, Durban, Mauritius and Hong Kong arriving at Kaohsiung Taiwan on September 5, 1972. Demolition of the still beautiful
looking 18 year old SS Iberia commenced in October 1973.
Statistics:
Built
by: Harland & Wolff
Ltd - Belfast
Yard
Number: Yard 1476
Launched: January 21, 1954
Launched
by: Lady McGrigor the wife of the
“First Sea Lord” - Admiral Rhoderick McGrigor
Maiden
Voyage: September 28, 1954
Length: 718.8 ft – 219m
Breadth: 90.10 ft – 27.5m
Draft: 36.6 ft
Tonnage: 29,614
Power: Single Reduction Geared
Steam Turbines
Propellers: 2 – 42,500 SHP
Speed: 22 knots service speed -
24.9 max
Passengers: 679 First Class, 735 Tourist - 1966
= 651 First Class and 733 Tourist
Crew: 711
The way we like to remember her!
SS Iberia, a ship with a superb stern and built for
the tropics, thus all those wonderful wide promenade decks!
Today ships are closed in like apartment blocks
and deck spaces are taken up by private balconies that are seldom used
How I miss those wonderful days - when ships were ships – SS
Iberia you make me relive some fine memories
Also Visit our Features on the following Orient Lines/P&O Ships
Orient Lines: RMS
Orcades – SS Oronsay - SS Oriana - RMS Orion
P&O: RMS
Strathaird –
SS Himalaya - SS Iberia - SS Canberra
Read
the book
“Orient Line – A Fleet History”
It is available for £23.50 plus p&p from “Ships in Focus”
Email: sales@shipsinfocus.co.uk
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Commenced
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is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to
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This
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that is, when a page is updated!
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