Norddeutscher Lloyd

Kaiser Wilhelm der Große (1897-1914)

The first of the fourteen four-stackers ever built, was built by Vulkan of Stettin. Launched in 1897, she made her maiden voyage on 19 September of that year, from Bremerhaven to New York. In November 1897, she set an eastbound crossing record from Sandy Hook to the Needles and four months later she captured the westbound Blue Riband.

Kronprinz Wilhelm (1901-1923)

The 2nd four funneler built for Norddeutscher Lloyd.  She was taken into service as a troopship under the name USS Von Steuben when America entered the war. She was broken up in 1923.

Kaiser Wilhelm II (1902-1940)

The third of the Norddeutscher Lloyd ships was launched on August 12, 1902 at the Vulkan yards. She was converted to a troop carrier as USS Agamemnon and served succesfully in this role until taken out of service in 1920 and laid up. She was sold for scrap in 1940.

Kronprinzessin Cecilie (1906-1940)

The last of NDL's 4 funnel ships was launched on 1 December 1907. Converted to a troopship, she was renamed USS Mount Vernon, her career finally ending in 1940 when she was sold for scrap.

Hamburg America Line

Deutschland (1900-1925)

Launched in 10 January 1900, the Deutschland was the 2nd 4 funneler built. She was in service till withdrawn in 1910 after which she was rebuilt as a luxury cruise ship and renamed Victoria Luise.

Cunard Line

Lusitania (1906-1915)

Launched on the 7th of June 1906. On the May 1, 1915 Lusitania left New York for the final time. On May 7 with the coast of Ireland in sight, German U-boat

U-20 torpedoed Lusitania. She sank in 18 short minutes taking 1,195 lives.

Mauretania (1906-1935)

Built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend and was launched on 20 January 1906. At the time, she was the largest and fastest ship in the world ( held the Blue Riband from 1909 to 1929 )
 

Aquitania (1913-1950)

Built by John Brown and Co., Ltd., the RMS Aquitania took her maiden voyage from Liverpool on May 30, 1914. She was the only major liner to serve as a troopship in both world wars. After making 443 transatlantic roundtrips, steaming over 3 million miles and carrying almost 1.2 million passengers over a 35 year career, Aquitania was scrapped in 1950.

White Star Line

Olympic (1911-1935)

First of a trio of liners which included Titanic and Britannic, was built at Harland & Wolff shipyards in Belfast, Ireland. Her keel was laid on 16 December, 1908 in slip number 2. Launch followed on 20 October, 1910. In 1935 she was sold and scrapped. Many of her funtishings were sold and are now in private homes, museums, and hotels.
 

Titanic (1911-1912)

She was the most famous of the 4 funnel liners, fame which she would gain as a result of sinking on her maiden voyage. 882ft long with a beam of 92 feet, she was 46,329 gross tons and launched on 31 May 1911. On April 14 1912 she struck an iceberg en route for New York and sank at 2:20 the following morning with the loss of over 1500 lives.

Britannic (1914-1916)

Launched on 26 February 1914. She would never make a commercial sailing and was requisitioned by the Admiralty for war service carrying troops and then as a hospital ship. On November 21 1915 she struck a mine and sank in the Kea Channel in the Aegean.

French Line

France (1910-1935)

She was launched on 20 September 1910 from the Chantiers De Penhoet yards in Saint Nazaire. During World War 1 she served as a troopship and a hospital ship and in 1919 she was returned to service. She was laid up in late 1932 and 1934 sold for scrap.


 

Union Castle Line

Windsor Castle (1921-1943)

Built by John Brown of Clydebank and launched on

9 March 1921. The Windsor Castle was the last 4 funnel liner built.

Arundel Castle (1919-1958)

Built at the Harland and Wolff yards in Belfast, she was launched on 11 September 1919. In 1937 the Arundel was sent back to her builders where she was re-engined and modernised, loosing 2 of her funnels!

She sailed on her last voyage to the breakers on 30 December 1958, the last of the four funnel liners in service.

 

       

       

        

     

 

 

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