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Viking
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the famous Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (IOMSPCo) turbine steamer
Viking
.
Viking
was built in 1905 by Armstrong, Whitworth on the Tyne. She was 350 ft long and 1957 gross tons. Direct drive Parsons turbines of 11,000shp drove triple screws which gave a service speed of 22.4 knots, although she is reputed to have been capable of over 24 knots. It was said at the time that only the latest Cunarders were faster.
Viking
was built in response to the Midland Railway's
Manxman (1)
, used on the Heysham-Douglas route, and was intended to operate from nearby Fleetwood, which she did for most of her career. She held the record from Fleetwood to Douglas, 2 hours 22 minutes, a speed of 23.2 knots.
During the First World War,
Viking
was converted into the first "mixed aircraft carrier"
HMS Vindex
, and survived the conflict unlike her later fleet mate the
Ben-my-Chree (3)
. She was purchased by the Admiralty in 1915, and was converted by Cunard in Liverpool. She emerged with a hangar aft for five seaplanes, and a launching platform forward for two wheeled land aircraft. She was the first Royal Navy vessel of any kind to fly off a landplane, on 3rd November 1916. The land aircraft were intended to attack airships, and initially were Bristol Scout C models armed with explosive darts.
Vindex
was assigned to Harwich and Nore until 1917, on anti-airship patrols. On August 2nd 1916, one of her Bristol Scouts made the first attack by a carrier-based aircraft on an airship, Zeppelin L.17. The attack was unsuccessful. Other aircraft carried included the Bristol Scout D, Short 184 seaplane, and various Sopwiths (Baby, Schneider floatplane, and 1½ Strutter). In 1918,
Vindex
transferred to the Mediterranean, where she served until sold back to her owners the IOMSPCo in Febrauary 1920.
Viking
returned to service later in 1920. She remained the mainstay of Fleetwood service until 1930, when the
Lady of Mann
was delivered, working on general duties from then until the Second World War. She built up a high mileage through the Second War on trooping duties, including participation in the D-Day landings, before returning to IOMSPCo service in June 1945. Little known is her evacuation of civilians from Guernsey.
Viking,
under the command of Capt James Brisdon, arrived at St Peter Port harbour Guernsey at 04.00 on the 21st June 1940, tying up at number one berth. The ship sailed at 11.00 with 2,000 men, women and children, the evacuee's arriving safely in Weymouth. The German invasion of Guernsey took place on the evening of 30th June 1940. She finished work appropriately from Fleetwood on 14th August 1954.
Two days later she left for Barrow to be broken up by T.M.Ward, after 49 years of service.
I have always thought that
Viking
was the most attractive of all IOMSPCo ships, much better than the
Ben-my-Chree (3),
which was more famous in the pre-WW1 years when they served together. All the British direct-drive turbines were elegant ships, but none combined this elegance with such an impression of power, in my opinion.
Sections on this Page:-
Colour Postcards of
Viking
Real Photographic Postcards of
Viking
Monochrome Printed Postcards of
Viking
Viking
at Fleetwood
IOMSPCo Pages:-
IOMSPCo - Header Page
IOMSPCo - Page 1
- 1830-1899
IOMSPCo - Page 2
- 1900-1914
IOMSPCo - Page 3
- 1915-1939
IOMSPCo - Page 4
- 1940-1960
IOMSPCo - Page 5
- 1961-1980
IOMSPCo - Page 6
- 1981-2004
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Viking
IOMSPCo: 1905-1954
Colour Postcards of Viking
Early postcard of
Viking
showing condition as delivered with fully open bridge.
Posted 1908.
Early postcard of
Viking
showing condition as delivered with fully open bridge.
Variation on the image above.
Early postcards of
Viking,
showing condition as delivered with fully open bridge.
Publisher: "Liver" Series.
Official IOMSPCo postcard of
Viking
, posted May 29th, 1907.
Viking
soon received canvas sheets along the main deck railings.
Wins across the decks was quite a problem on these very fast steamers.
An official 1907 Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway postcard of
Viking
, with a 1910 French overprint about services to the Isle of Man via the L&Y's route from Zeebrugge-Hull. I wonder how many visitors from the Continent that the Isle of Man received? The card back is also shown.
Boots "Cash Chemists" postcard of
Viking
arriving at Douglas, posted August 29th, 1906.
Hartmann postcard 2423.13 of
Viking
.
Valentine's postcard 20-1 of
Viking
.
Colour postcard of
Viking
.
Hough (Douglas) postcard of
Viking,
posted 24th July 1911.
Colour postcard of
Viking,
with a busy scene at Liverpool Pier Head, posted 29th December, 1913.
Colour postcard of
Viking
at Douglas, posted 7th July 1914..
The card has been retouched to show the enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, although it is not accurate. A monochrome version of the card is
shown below
.
Colour postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge.
E.T.W.Dennis postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and now two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Colour postcard of
Viking.
Colour postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Tuck's "Oilette" postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Colour postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel. Posted 23rd July 1923.
IOM Stamp of
Viking
on war service as an aircraft carrier.
Real Photographic Postcards of Viking
Max Photo real photographic postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and single lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Real photographic postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Publisher: Howarth M.E.27 "Arrow Series".
Real photographic postcard 87174.JT of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Real photographic postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel. posted 4th August 1925.
Lilywhite real photographic postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two extra lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Viking
is leaving Douglas, with
Manxman (1)
in the background.
World Ship Society photographic postcard (by A.Duncan) of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Real photographic postcard (J.Clarkson?) of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Official IOMSPCo real photographic postcard of
Viking
, shown in post-WW2 condition with additional white painted area at the bow.
A.Duncan real photographic postcard of
Viking
, shown in post-WW2 condition with additional white painted area at the bow.
Monochrome Postcards of Viking
Valentine's postcard of
Viking
in early condition.
Frith & Co postcard 55781 of
Viking
at Douglas, posted 2nd July 1922.
The card has been retouched to show the enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, although it is not accurate. A colour version of the card is
shown above
.
Motor-in-Man postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two lifeboats abreast the rear funnel. The caption says she is shown sailing from Cammell Laird (Birkenhead) for sea trials, possibly following refitting after WW2.
Postcard of
Viking
with enclosed area added ahead of the bridge, and two lifeboats abreast the rear funnel.
Harold Jordan
postcard of
Viking
, shown in post-WW2 condition with additional white painted area at the bow.
Viking at Fleetwood
For many years
Viking
was the main
Fleetwood
boat, and many cards were issued of her there. A selection of cards from Fleetwood is shown below, including her final final voyage.