SS Oriana the last Orient Steam Ship Navigation Company Ltd (Orient
Line) Liner
ssMaritime
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
Page One
Building SS Oriana
Introduction
I created the following three pages for those who
fondly remember SS Oriana, the very last Orient Line liner to be built. In
addition, I trust it will stimulate interest in the younger generation to look
back at the days when the building, launching and a maiden voyage of a grand
ocean-liner really meant something to the world. These great ships made the
news worldwide! Sadly, at the time of compiling these pages (November 14,
2005) SS Oriana is slowly being demolished in China, thus I felt that you might like to look
back at the following events: her birth, her launching, her sea trials and her
handover to Orient Line, concluding with her maiden voyage to Australia and New Zealand.
--Mr. Charles F. Morris, Orient Line Naval
Architect
For those who have sailed on SS Oriana, I
trust that these pages will have you reliving your voyage be it as a passenger
or as a crew member. I am also aware that there are many who admired this fine
liner around the world whilst she was in port. I hope you will also gain much
as you begin reading this special SS Oriana feature. A complete INDEX is
located at the bottom of the page.
97% of photographs on “Oriana the birth
of a liner” were provided to ssMaritime.com by Mrs. Pauline Wakefield
(UK). Mrs. Wakefield was the wife of the late Charles F. Morris, who was an
Orient Line Naval Architect who designed SS Oriana. Many will remember Mr.
Morris’ magnificent book, “Origins, Orient and Oriana.”
I sincerely thank Mrs. Wakefield for her
valuable contribution to this feature.
Reuben
Goossens
Maritime Historian
Part One: Building SS Oriana
The contract for the
£14 million SS Oriana being placed on May 12, 1954, but work on the Oriana did not
commence until September
18, 1957. The first plate for her hull was numbered, 1061, which
many jokingly claimed was her “Maiden Name.” Just over two year
later, on November
3, 1959, Princess Alexandra officiated at her launching. She was
then towed to her fitting out berth to be completed. Twelve months later she
commenced her sea trials and she was officially handed over to the Orient Line
on November 15, 1960.
Orient
Line Naval Architects conclude their plans
1061
- Oriana’s first steel plate used for the official laying of the keel
A
proud moment
Many
steel plates were still moved manually
The
quality welding on Oriana certainly stood the test of time
One
of the massive hull sections being lowered in its place
Almost
there
She
is beginning to look like an ocean liner. All that is now needed is a bow!
Above
and below: Fitting Oriana’s Bulbous bow cone
Oriana
was the first British ship to have a bulbous bow
Working
on the turbines
The twin screws of
SS Oriana were driven through double-reduction gearing by two sets of steam
turbines (above) HP, IP, and LP, of Parmetrada
design, which provided a total shaft (below) horse power of 65,000 at 147
revolutions per minute of the propellers.
Here
we see the grinding of the propeller shaft
The propellers were each made
from single solid castings of 20ft in diameter, and were made of
nickel-aluminium bronze. Each propeller weighed around 29 tons.
Fitting
the propellers
SS
Oriana had one set of stabilizer fins each being 120sq feet
Above
and below: Fitting parts of Oriana’s aluminium superstructure
Part of her advanced
design called for an all aluminium alloy superstructure, which saved a great
deal of weight. The steel weight of Oriana was 13,650 tons, whilst her
aluminium superstructure was just 1,040 tons.
The
Tourist Class main pool is lowered into place
Continuing
to work on the hull
Important notice:
My email box is frequently filled with requests for passenger lists or sailing
schedules. I wish to advise that I am unable to assist due to time
restraints and not having the requested information available. Please be
advised, these requests will no longer be answered.
PLEASE
NOTE: I receive hundreds of requests for Passenger Lists and Sailing Schedules. I hereby wish to advise that I am unable to
assist due to time restrains and as most shipping companies have long gone
these lists/schedules are no longer available. I regret to advise that any
request for these will no longer be answered.
Photographs on ssMaritime and associated cruise sites are 1. By the author. 2. From the
author’s private collection.3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private
photographers. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some
photographs sent to us without details of the photographer/owners concerned. We
would therefore appreciate if owners of these photographs would make themselves
known to me, that due credit may be given.
