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New
Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd
R.M.S. Ruapehu
This photograph was
taken later in her life, but note the forward mast and how it changes!
Please see the bottom of the page re photo credits!
Commenced early in 1900, she was launched on February 21, 1901 and
after a rapid fitting out process of her interiors, she ran her sea trails and
was duly delivered to the NZSSCo in
Her First and Second Class public rooms were fitted out in a high
quality and well furnished, whilst the cabins were known to offer from supreme
to good comfort. Although little is known about the Third Class, but knowing
the NZSSCo they would have been of a relatively good standard!
As stated earlier, the RMS Ruapehu offered accommodations for just 340
passengers, being 40 in First Class, 50 Second Class and 80 Third Class,
however there was also space 170 Steerage passengers, but they shared the Third
Class public facilities. Steerage passengers were berthed in temporary quarters
in the ‘tween-cargo-decks. However, the NZSSCo decided remove steerage
just five years later in 1906 as they felt it was no longer required, thus from
that time until her final days she accommodated just 170 passengers in three
classes.
The Ruapehu had been advertised to make her maiden voyage from
RMS Ruapehu departed from
She sailed on without any mishaps and she proved to be a reliable, good
and a sturdy ship. In 1906 the steerage section was removed and she was now
just a three-class ship.
In 1911 she had further changes as she became a two-class ship and she now carried just Second and Third Classes, with First class moving into the original First Class section and Third Class now occupied both Second and the original Third Class areas, thus giving far more space and superior facilities. Now they paid according to their cabin level of comfort and location.
that
could be covered and her forward mast has already changed
She sailed on and passengers enjoyed the good life of this quite
charming ship until World War One, when like every British liner worldwide the
Ruapehu was seconded by the British Admiralty and she became a troop ship and
she was designated HMNZT 79, meaning “His Majesties New Zealand Troopship
#79.” Thankfully she was one of the fortunate ships, as she operated
throughout WW1 and sailed the globe without being harmed. She transported
troops from countless nations. It is recorded that her longest serving officer
on board was Captain J. C. McCarthy and the NZSSCo Ship’s Master was A. W.
McLellar.
Details: in October 1914 she departed Port Chalmers with the Otago
Mounted Rifles Regiment. (First Squadron), the Otago Infantry Battalion (minus
2 Companies and Machine Gun Section), as well as some 31 Officers, a Naval Transport
Officer, Medical Officers, a Chaplain. There were another 785 troops and 244
Horses. From here she headed for
On November 1, 1914 she joined with the first convoy at King George's
Sound at
Then with the fighting over, from June 1917 through to May 1919 she was
taken up under the British Admiralty’s Liner Requisition Scheme.
When she was returned to her owners after the war, she was completely
refitted and restored to her original beauty, if not better, and upon completion
she resumed her regular duties, sailing from
Although not covered as yet, the Ruapehu suffer a number of fires and there
was a bunker fire whilst she was in
However in 1921 the NZSSCo had decided to change their schedule as
there was a new and a far more economical route and she now departed from
London and sailed via the Panama Canal across the Pacific to Auckland
concluding at Wellington, which was by far a faster as well a smoother service!
However, as is with all good ships, being a good 29 years old it was
decided that her career was finally over that she would be sold. Thus the RMS
Ruapehu, the ship that had served the NZSSCo well, as well as countless service
men, she departed
Upon her return to England the Ruapehu was laid up at Falmouth UK on
April 29, 1931 and she was sold on August 5, 1931 for £5,000 to SA Cant di
Porto Venere, being Italian ship breakers and she soon departed with a skeleton
crew having been stripped of all her furnishings, etc., and upon her arrival at
Savona, breaking up commenced quickly. But, she would not give up easily, for
on September 10, that year whilst breaking up had commenced the Ruapehu had
broken loose during a storm and she damaged a wharf in
RMS Ruapehu
Specifications.
Owner: New
Zealand Shipping Company Co, Ltd.
Type of Ship: Passenger and Refrigerated Cargo ship.
Other Names: SS Australasian - whilst with the Allan Line.
IMO: 111357.
Call Sign: SHBP.
Built by: William Denny &
Bros, Dumbarton
Yard Number: 639.
Launched: February 21, 1901.
Delivered: April
18, 1901 (chartered to the Allan Line).
Maiden Voyage: December 5, 1901 for NZSSCo.
Tonnage: 7,705
GRT.
. 4,934
Net tons.
. 9,320 Deadweight.
Length: 457.40ft
- 139.42m.
Breadth: 58.30ft
- 17.77m.
Draught: 27.6ft
– 8.41m.
Propulsion: 2 x three cylinder triple expansion steam
engines, 5,045 IHP by Denny Bros.
Screws: 2.
Speed: 14.3 knots at trails.
Passengers: 1901
– total of 340 - 40 First, 50 Second, 80 Third & 170 Steerage.
. 1906 – total of 170 - 40 First, 50 Second, 80 Third.
Cargo Capacity: 8,013 cubic metres (283,000 cubic feet) refrigerated.
Current status: Sold to be broken up on August 5, 1931.
The
RMS Ruapehu is seen departing
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