ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
The Ships of
New Zealand Shipping Company
Page One
MS Rangitiki
One of the three 1929 "Rangi" Sisters
Authors collection
To break the stranglehold that Shaw Savill Line and
the Albion companies had on the
This feature will highlight seven of the latter ships (1929 – 1967)
of the NZSC liners, the five “Rangi” ships, as well as the Ruahine
and the last ship of the fleet, the ex Cunard liner Parthia, renamed Remuera.
MS Rangitata
During
the war Rangitane (1) and several other NZSC
ships were lost, however, the Rangitane’s sisters, Rangitiki
and Rangitata having carried
thousands of British and American servicemen during the Second World War,
survived and were returned service in 1949. In that same year, NZSC
ordered two new “Rangi” ships, Rangitoto and Rangitane,
which would replace the ships lost. Three years later another,
slightly smaller ship was ordered, being the companies last new-built passenger
liner, the Ruahine. These new ships together with the two original
“Rangi” ships maintained a regular passenger cargo service between
MS Rangitata arrives at Lyttelton during
her last visit to the port
The reason she is fully dressed (with
flags) is that it was the Queen's Birthday weekend in 1961
Photograph by & © Dave Edge
-
I have been asked, “What was so special about
these ships”? They offered an excellent service, with simple understated
luxury and comforts. This was combined with old fashioned service and typical
British fare. Obviously, they could net be compared with the luxury of
passenger ships of today, but, then our needs were simple and a voyage,
let’s say on the Rangitoto was a special event and a joyful experience.
For those of my age, I am sure the many photographs contained in this feature
will bring back memories of a time when ships were ships. For our younger
readers, these ships will reveal their fascinating lines, the usefulness of
their day transporting passengers in comfort, whilst also carrying general and
frozen cargo from one end of the world to another. Passengers would look on
with fascination as cargo was loaded into the holds. Those days there were no
containers, everything was loaded by cranes, lifting pallets and nets. These
were working ships, genuine liners that offered transport to and from ports in
total comfort.
In their day, the “Rangi” ships were the supreme ships on
the service, setting the standards of ocean travel. However, then Shaw Savill
built the most luxurious and largest all first class Cargo Passenger ever to be
built, and she somewhat took the gloss of these fine ships. Yet they continued
sailing successfully until either their age caught up with them, or in the case
of the younger ships, ocean travel simply collapsed and these fine ships sold
to Asian interests.
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MS Rangitiki
Author’s collection
In 1925 NZSC ordered three “Rangi”
ships to be built by John Brown and Co
Rangitata
Authors
collection
The first of the trio, Rangitiki, departed Southampton on
Dimensions
Built: John
Brown and Co., Glasgow
Rangitiki Launched: 29
August 1928
Tonnage: 16,985
Rangitata Launched: 26 March 1929
Tonnage: 16,929
Length: 552ft
– 168.2m
Width: 70ft
– 21.3.
Draft: 34.1ft
– 10.4m
Engines: Brown-Sulzer – later Doxford type diesels
Propellers: Two
Service speed: 15
– later 16 knots
Passengers: 100
first / 80 second / 400 third. Later: 122 first / 284 tourist
Passenger Decks: 6
Crew: Approximately
350
Livery: Black
hull, white superstructure, red boot-topping & yellow funnel
Service: London-Curacao-Panama-Papeete-Wellington-Auckland
In July, 1930 a little over one year into her long
career, Rangitata was in the news having rescued the crew of the cargo ship Targis, which had caught fire in the
After a distinguished 33 year career, Rangitiki was
sold in May 1962, to Spanish breakers, whilst the Rangitata was sold to Dutch breakers in 1962 who
renamed her Rang. However, she was duly sold to a Yugoslavian Company who had
her broken up at a breaker in
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© Simplon -
Visit www.simplonpc.co.uk
Dimensions
Built: John
Brown and Co., Glasgow
Launched: 27
may 1929
Tonnage: 16,712
Length: 552ft
– 168.2m
Width: 70ft
– 21.3.
Draft: 34.1ft
– 10.4m
Engines: Brown-Sulzer
diesels
Propellers: Two
Service speed: 15
knots
Passengers: 100
first / 80 second / 400 third.
Passenger Decks: 6
Crew: Approximately
350
Livery: Black
hull, white superstructure, red boot-topping & yellow funnel
Service: London-Curacao-Panama-Papeete-Wellington-Auckland
In late November 1940, Rangitane sailed for the
INDEX
Page One… Rangitiki
Page Two-B… Ruahine (3) – The last
new built liner for NZ Shipping Co
Page Two-C… Ruahine (3) - Her final
voyage
Page Three… Photo Album 1 …
Rangitiki
Page Four… Photo Album 2 …
Rangitoto, Rangitane (2),
Ruahine (3) and Remuera (2)
Page Five… Photo Album 3 …
Rangitoto
-1947 - in Colour
Page Six… Photo Album 4 …
Rangitane
(2) - 1947 in Colour
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