RMS St Helena

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

3,150 gross tons. UK – Cape Town passenger cargo mail service, 76 passengers. Completed in 1963 by Burrard Drydock Co, North vancoiver as Northland Prince. Renamed St. Helena in 1978. Sold for further trading in 1990, becoming Avalon. Sold again in 1993 becoming Indoceanique. Scrapped in early 1996 at Alang, India.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

A very pretty picture, Bob, and interesting information about the ship – thanks!

Mattias

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks, I spent 11 happy years in that ship, sailing up and down the South Atlantic. My cabin window is just visible in front of the lifeboat at the level of the lifeboat keel. My wife travelled with me on numeorus voyages.

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Looks like the current St Helena will be sailing indefinitely pending resolution of the airport fiasco.

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

It can't go on much longer, because it is now 26 years old! At the moment, sailing on one engine, and requiring a two-week drydock in Cape Town to fix it. They have now built a wharf where small ships can get alongside to load and discharge cargo. They already have a small ship called Helena, that will shortly be taking over the cargo service, and can apparently carry more cargo that the big ship, despite the fact that she is a lot smaller. Smaller aircraft can use the runway, and plans are afoot for a regular air service. Before the two St. Helenas came into service, they only had two ships, Good Hope Castle and Southampton Castle each calling at the island outward and homeward from UK to South Africa each voyage, and they only carried 12 cabin passengers each, plus 48 on deck between Ascension and St. Helena. I was in the Good Hope Castle for two years! Whilst we were away in the Falklands for 13 months, 1982/83, they chartered Centaur in to fill the gap. It will be interesting to see what happens!

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It is reported in today's Times, 18/04/2018, that RMS St Helena is to become an armoury for maritime security operatives in the Gulf of Oman. It will be renamed MNG Taihiti and stocked with supplies to fight pirates.

Now that's what you call a second career!

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Yes, They advised me about it a few days ago. Don't know why they have to spoil a pleasant sounding name by sticking MNG in front of it. I would have preferred Tahiti on its own. Still, a lot better than the indiginity of my first passenger liner, RMS Transvaal Castle, that ended up with the disgraceful name of "Big Red Boat!"

With a name like Tahiti, I would have thought it would be operating in the Pacfic, but I guess we will just have to wait and see. Their biggest problem will probably be maintenance as it is now almost 28 years old.

Here I am inside it on my final few days at sea in late 1992 – Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Just seen a reference on another forum that the ship is to go to Portland for a two year conversion into a private yacht!

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

That is correct. At the moment, they are alongside in Gibraltar taking on bunkers. After that, they will be heading towards the Elbe in Germany, and after that to Portland to begin the two-year refit as a private yacht! At the moment, we have no idea who has bought it, but they apparenty paid twice as much as what it sold for in January!

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Iv'e been looking through your builds (those that I could find) but couldn't find an example of this most famous ship

Are you still looking for another model build as this one with its 'supporting' cast could make an ideal subject.

Paul

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have considered building Ohio in the past, but the plans are quite vague, especially the pipework on deck.

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

There is a large amount of information relating to Ohio available on the internet and your unique skills could produce an amazing model of the Ohio being supported into Grand Harbour.

Paul

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Yes, but I have practically specialised in merchant ships for many years. I know that the Ohio was a merchant ship, but the ones that escorted her in were naval vessels of which I have liitle or no knowledge. If I did anything like that, it would be more likely to be ships like the Rochester Castle, Port Chalmers or Brisbane Star, that made it in under their own steam. Especially as I have sailed in a similar ship (Richmond Castle) of the same era to Rochester Castle, and have also sailed in a wartime ship of the Blue Star Line (Rhodesia Star). If I did build Ohio, it would be in peactime condition. I can build tankers, here is the Louisiana, a very similar ship to Ohio, and of the same era and company.

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Its a shame that you don't like doing naval ships as a model of Ohio being supported into Grand Harbour would be a superb subject. The story of the Ohio is well known but I have never seen a diorama of the event and you have the skills to produce it.

To produce this as a museum quality model could be your biggest ever challenge.

Paul

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

The problem is that most ship modellers who are obsessed with naval ships would not want to make a merchant ship like the Ohio. I prefer the obscure and semi obscure subjects. I can build naval ships, if I want, but I seldom want! Bob

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