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Information About

Union-castle Line




The company originated as Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, Ltd on 8 March 1900 with the merger of Union Line and Castle Shipping Line , with Castle Shipping Line taking over the fleet.

Union-Castle named all their ships with the suffix "Castle" in their names. They were well known for the lavender hulled liners with black and red funnels, running on a rigid timetable between Southampton and Cape Town . Every Thursday at 4pm a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Southampton bound for Cape Town. At the same time, a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Cape Town bound for Southampton.

In December 1999 , the Union-Castle name was revived for a Millennium Cruise ; the P&O ship ''Victoria'' was chartered for a 60-day cruise around Africa, and had its funnel repainted for the occasion.


REFERENCE

  • Harris, C.J. and Ingpen, B.D., (1994), ''Mailships of the Union-Castle Line'', Fernwood Press, ISBN 1-874950-05-9



EXTERNAL LINKS


See an account of life on board ships of the Union-Castle Line in the 1960s, at http://rgascoyne.canadianwebs.com/LifeAtSea.htm


SHIPS