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P&O Liners
(Page 4 - 1940-1961)
 
 
This is one of a series of pages devoted to postcards and photographs of P&O liners and cruise ships. This page covers the post war deliveries up to the final ocean liners Oriana (1) and Canberra. Subsequent passenger ships were all cruise ships and are covered on the P&O Princess Cruises pages. Orient Line ships which transferred into the combined P&O-Orient lines fleet (formed 1960) are included on this page only, and separate pages covering the earlier history of Orient Lines are in preparation. There is a table of more detailed individual ship histories on the P&O Header Page.
 
Four pages cover the history of P&O liners, plus three pages on the cruise ships:- Liners Page 1 - Liners Page 2 - Liners Page 3 - Liners Page 4 - Cruises - Page 1 - Cruises - Page 2 - Cruises - Page 3
 
 
Ships on this Page:-
Arcadia (2) (1954-79)
Canberra (1961-97)
Cathay (3) (1961-70)
Chitral (2) (1961-70)
Chusan (3) (1949-73)
Empire Fowey (1946-60) - Troopship
Himalaya (3) (1949-74)
Iberia (3) (1954-72)
Orcades (3) (1962-73)
Oriana (1) (1962-86)
Oronsay (2) (1962-74)
Orsorva (2) (1962-74)
 
P&O Pages:-
P&O Header Page
P&O Liners - Page 1 - 1837-1899
P&O Liners - Page 2 - 1900-1914
P&O Liners - Page 3 - 1915-1939
P&O Liners - Page 4 - 1940-1961 - this page!
P&O Princess Cruises - Page 1 - 1962-1988
P&O Princess Cruises - Page 2 - 1988-1999
P&O Princess Cruises - Page 3 - 2000-
Swan Hellenic P&O Cruises - Page 3
P&O Princess Cruises Photographs
P&O Princess Cruises Cards by Simplon Postcards
Carnival Cruise Lines - P&O and Princess are part of Carnival
 
Associated Pages:-
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page
 
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Empire Fowey (1945)
 
 
 
 
 
Himalaya (3)
(P&O: 1949-1974)
 
Himalaya (3) was the first post-war P&O delivery, starting her maiden voyage to Sydney on 6th October 1949. Problems with smuts on th afterdecks resulted in the fitting of a Thornycroft funnel top in 1953. In 1958 Himalaya did a return from Sydney to the west coast of the USA before her return voyage via Suez to the UK, the first trans-Pacific voyages by a P&O liner. On her next voyage to Australia, she ran eight cruises from Sydney between July and November 1958, before turning to the UK. In 1959 she did another trans-Pacific voyage from Sydney, returning via Japan. In 1963 Himalaya was converted into a one-class liner, carrying 1416 passengers. In 1969, she was the last P&O liner to depart from Tilbury, followed by the move of P&O to Southampton. The early 1970s Himalaya was mainly used for cruising, between November to April from Sydney and from Southampton in the (northern) summer. In April 1974 she made her final liner voyage to Sydney, followed by another series of cruises there, before a final voyage to Hong Kong before being scrapped in Taiwan.
 
Complete history of Himalaya (3)
 
 
P&O official postcard of Himalaya (3).
 
 
Valentines postcard 1794 of Himalaya (3).
 
 
P&O official postcard of Himalaya (3).
 
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.2174 of Himalaya (3).
 
 
 
 
 
Chusan (3) (1949-1973)
 
 
P&O official postcard of Chusan (3).
 
 
P&O official postcard of Chusan (3).
 
 
P&O official postcard of Chusan (3).
 
 
P&O official postcard of Chusan (3).
 
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.123 of Chusan (3).
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
 
 
 
 
Arcadia (2) (1954-1979)
 
Arcadia (2) was built by John Brown of Clydebank in 1954. Her sistership was the Belfast-built Iberia (2) of the same year. They were easily distinguishable due to different funnel tops. Arcadia received full air-conditioning on a refit in Belfast in 1959. Arcadia operated on the UK-Australia passenger service, with increasing numbers of cruises. In 1970 she became a full time one-class cruise ship. In 1976, Arcadia (2) was permanently based out of Sydney. She was scrapped in Taiwan in 1979.
 
Complete history of Arcadia (2)
 
 
P&O official postcard of Arcadia (2).
An early card before the black funnel cap was added.
 
P&O official postcard of Arcadia (2), posted from Southampton on 14th July 1957.
The message reads:- "Have just boarded, weather nice & fine. Of course have not yet got acquainted with any of the passengers. Seems a nicer ship than the Orcades, will write you later."
 
P&O official postcard of Arcadia (2).
 
P&O official postcard of Arcadia (2).
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.750 of Arcadia (2).
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
P&O official postcard SC14120 of Arcadia (2).
Photo: © Mike Roberts.
 
P&O official postcard SC14123 of Arcadia (2).
Photo: © Mike Roberts.
 
 
 
 
 
Iberia (3) (1954-1972)
 
Iberia (2) was built by Harland & Wolff of Belfast in 1954. Her sistership was the Clyde-built Arcadia (2) of the same year. They were easily distinguishable due to different funnel tops. Iberia (2) received serious damage in a collision with a tanker off Colombo, Sri-Lanka, in 1956. The tanker Stanvac Pretoria was running light, so damage was high above the waterline. Repairs were undertaken at Cockatoo Dockyard, Sydney. She received full air-conditioning on a refit in Southampton in 1960. Iberia operated on the UK-Australia passenger service, with increasing numbers of cruises. Iberia was not a reliable ship, and was the first post-war P&O liner withdrawn in 1972, when she was broken up in Taiwan.
 
Complete history of Iberia (3)
 
 
P&O official postcard of Iberia (3).
 
P&O official postcard of Iberia (3).
 
P&O official postcard of Iberia (3).
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard (no serial) of Iberia (3).
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chitral (2) (1961-1970)
 
Jadotville and Baudouinville (3) were the last passengerships built for Cie.Mar.Belge. They had a very short life with their original owners before being sold to P&O as the Chitral and Cathay in 1961, operating from UK to the Far East. In 1970, both sisters passed to P&O subsidiary Eastern & Australian Steamship Co, servinf between Australia, the Far East and Japan. Chitral was scrapped in 1975, but Cathay was sold for further use, becoming the Shanghai of China Ocean Shipping Co.
 
I do not have postcards of these sisters in Belgian or E&A ownership.
If you can help, please email: simplon@simplon.co.uk
 
 
P&O - Orient Lines official postcard of Chitral (2).
 
P&O - Orient Lines official postcard of Chitral (2).
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.2163 of Chitral (2).
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
 
 
 
 
Cathay (3) (1961-1970)
 
Jadotville and Baudouinville (3) were the last passengerships built for Cie.Mar.Belge. They had a very short life with their original owners before being sold to P&O as the Chitral and Cathay in 1961, operating from UK to the Far East. In 1970, both sisters passed to P&O subsidiary Eastern & Australian Steamship Co, servinf between Australia, the Far East and Japan. Chitral was scrapped in 1975, but Cathay was sold for further use, becoming the Shanghai of China Ocean Shipping Co.
 
I do not have postcards of these sisters in Belgian or E&A ownership.
If you can help, please email: simplon@simplon.co.uk
 
 
P&O - Orient Lines official postcard of Cathay (3).
 
P&O - Orient Lines official postcard of Cathay (3).
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.2510 of Cathay (3).
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
Photo of Cathay (3) at Sydney in 1971
Scan: Gary Gillies
Click to open larger image in new window
 
Chantry Classics postcard CC/S26 of Shanghai (ex-Cathay).
Photo: © Paul Morgan.
 
 
 
 
 
Canberra (1961-1997)
 
Complete history of Canberra
 
 
P&O - Orient Lines official postcard of Canberra.
 
P&O Orient Lines official postcard of Canberra.
 
P&O Orient Lines official postcard of Canberra.
Scan: Peter Raywell.
 
P&O official postcard of Canberra.
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.99 of Canberra.
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.99 (later photo) of Canberra.
Photo: © Beken & Son, Cowes.
 
 
 
 
 
Orcades (3)
(1962-1973 - 28,472gt)
 
Orcades (3) was the first Orient Line post-war newbuilding, replacing the 1937-built Orcades (2) which was lost in the war. Orcades (3) was transferred to P&O Line ownership in 1962, later losing her distinctive yellow hull. She was sold fror scrap in 1973.
 
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard of Orcades (3).
Image above reissued with white hull.
These J.Arthur Dixon cards were used as officials on the ship.
 
Postcard of Orcades (3) at Sydney with white hull.
Scan: John E Hoskin.
 
Postcard of Orcades (3) at Sydney with white hull.
Scan: John E Hoskin.
 
Photographic postcard of Orcades (3) with white hull.
 
 
 
 
Oriana (1962-1986)
 
The first Oriana was built in 1960 by Vickers-Armstrong's, Barrow. Ordered by, and registered to the Orient Steam Navigation Co, she was delivered to P&O Orient Lines with the distinctive Orient Line corn-coloured hull. She served on the route to Australia from Southampton (unlike earlier Orient Liners which sailed from London). In 1962 she collided with the carrier USS Kearsarge between San Francisco and Los Angeles in fog. Her hull was repainted white in 1965, when she was transferred to full P&O registry. As time past, she spent more and more time cruising, so that during the late 70s she cruised from Southampton in the summer, and Sydney in the winter, with positioning liner voyages in each direction via the Panama Canal. Her final Southampton season was 1981, after which she stayed in Australia until sold for stationary use in Japan in 1986. She was later sold to China, were she still existed until 2006 when she was scrapped after being damaged in a storm.
 
Complete history of Oriana
 
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.117 of Oriana, with white hull after full integration into the P&O fleet in 1965.
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.117 of Oriana.
 
J.Arthur Dixon postcard SS.117 of Oriana.
 
 
 
 
 
Oronsay (2)
(1962-1974 - 28,136gt)
 
Oronsay (2) was transferred to P&O Line ownership in 1962, and was scrapped in 1974.
 
 
Mike Roberts postcard C23847 of Oronsay (2), with P&O white hull, at Miraflores Lock, Panama Canal.
 
Postcard of Oronsay (2), with P&O white hull, in the Panama Canal.
Scan: John E Hoskin.
 
 
 
 
 
Orsova (2)
(1962-1974 - 29,091gt)
 
Orsorva (2) was transferred to P&O Line ownership in 1962, and was scrapped in 1974.
 
 
Postcard of Oronsay (2), with P&O Line white hull.
Scan: Peter Raywell.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
Postcard of Orsorva (2) at Sydney with white hull.
Scan: John E Hoskin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
P&O Header Page
P&O Liners-Page 1 - P&O Liners-Page 2 - P&O Liners-Page 3 - P&O Liners-Page 4
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