Summary

Black & white publicity photograph of the 28,000 ton RMS Himalaya, which operated as a passenger, mail and cargo steamship on the P&O Line's "India and Australia Mail" service between 1949 and 1974.

The 'Himalaya' was built at Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness, in north-west England, and launched on the 5th October 1948, departing on her maiden voyage on 6th October 1949. She was the P&O Line's first new passenger liner delivered after World War II and was a contemporary of the Orient Line's 'Orcades', sharing the same basic hull design. During her service 'Himalaya' underwent a number of improvements the first of which was, although controversial at the time, a funnel cowl to keep the liner's decks clear of soot, without interference to the performance of the boilers. Following the sale of the 'Strath' Class liners by P&O, 'Himalaya' was converted to provide accommodation for tourist-class passengers only.

Voyages of the 'Himalaya' typically departed and ended at London's Tilbury Docks, sailing via Southampton, Gibraltar, Marseille (homeward bound only), Naples, Port Said, Suez Canal, Aden, Bombay, Colombo, Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney.

Physical Description

Black and white photograph of steamship at sea.

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