SS Sophocles (1921)

For other ships with the same name, see SS Sophocles (1900) and USCGC Tamaroa.

SS Sophocles was a 12,300-ton ocean liner of the Aberdeen Line launched in 1921, and later sold to the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line.

SS Sophocles at the Aberdeen Wharf at Millers Point, New South Wales, on 10 November 1923
History
United Kingdom
Name	SS Sophocles Tamaroa
Operator	Aberdeen Line (1921-1932) Shaw, Savill & Albion Line (1926-1957)
Route	UK to New Zealand
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Yard number	575
Launched	22 September 1921
Completed	2 February 1922
Fate	Scrapped Faslane 1957
General characteristics
Type	Passenger ship
Tonnage	12,375 GRT
Length	500 ft 3 in (152.48 m)
Beam	63 ft 1 in (19.23 m)
Depth of hold	39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
Installed power	5,200 s.h.p.
Propulsion	2 × Steam turbines
Speed	13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph)

Ship history

Sophocles was built at the Harland and Wolff yard in Belfast. She and her sister ship SS Diogenes, like other Aberdeen Line ships were conceived primarily as cargo vessels. Sophocles had accommodation for 130 first class and 420 third class passengers.

In 1926, Sophocles and Diogenes were chartered by Shaw, Savill & Albion for the New Zealand trade. The third class accommodation was greatly improved and both ships benefitted from conversion from coal burning to oil, which brought an increase in speed to 15 knots, for the cost of £70,000 each. At this time Sophocles was renamed Tamaroa and Diogenes was renamed Mataroa.

SS Tamaroa refuelling at Curacao in 1956

During World War II Tamaroa served as a troopship during the North African campaign. At the end of hostilities, she was refitted for tourist class only and served on the UK-Panama Canal-New Zealand route until her scrapping in 1957.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Famous liners of the past - Belfast Built - Laurence Dunn, 1964