TAMAROA / SOPHOCLES

BUILT IN 1922 BY HARLAND AND WOLFF IN BELFAST FOR THE ABERDEEN LINE AS THE 'SOPHOCLES' , SHE WAS A VESSEL OF 12,341 TONS, WITH A SERVICE SPEED OF 13 1/2 KNOTS.HER MAIDEN VOYAGE WAS FROM LONDON TO SYDNEY & BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA VIA THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.  SHE WAS CHARTERED BY SHAW SAVILL & ALBION LINE IN  1926 AND RE-NAMED ' TAMAROA '. AT THIS TIME SHE HAD HER ENGINES  CONVERTED TO BURN OIL, AND WAS USED ON THE SOUTHAMPTON / PANAMA / WELLINGTON  RUN.  IN 1932 SHE CAME UNDER SHAW SAVILL & ALBION OWNERSHIP WHEN THE ABERDEEN LINE WAS TAKEN OVER. SHE WAS USED AS A TROOP SHIP IN 1940. SHE DID NOT RETURN TO HER CIVILIAN ROLE UNTIL 1948, WHEN SHE RESUMED HER LONDON / PANAMA / WELLINGTON ROUTE. AT THIS TIME SHE HAD ACCOMMODATION FOR 372 TOURIST CLASS PASSENGERS. NOT A PARTICULARLY POPULAR SHIP, SHE WAS THE SISTER SHIP TO 'MATAROA'. SHE WAS SCRAPPED AT BLYTH IN 1957.