SS Colchester

Summary

TSS Colchester was a passenger vessel built for the Great Eastern Railway in 1888.[1]

SS Colchester by A. J. Jansen
History
Name1886-1919:TSS Colchester
Operator1886-1916:Great Eastern Railway
Route1886-1916:Harwich to Rotterdam and Antwerp
BuilderEarle's Shipbuilding, Hull
Launched16 October 1888
Out of service1919
FateScrapped 1919
General characteristics
Tonnage1,160 gross register tons (GRT)
Length280.8 feet (85.6 m)
Beam31 feet (9.4 m)
Depth15.2 feet (4.6 m)
Speed14.5 knots

History edit

The ship was built by Earle's Shipbuilding in Hull for the Great Eastern Railway and launched on 16 October 1888.[2] She was launched by the Mayoress of Colchester (Miss Paxman). She was placed on the Harwich to Hook of Holland route.[3]

Was operating to neutral Holland when captured by Germany on 21 September 1916.[4] Captain Bennett and his crew of 29 were interned at Ruhleben.[5] The Colchester was damaged in an attack on Zeebrugge on 17 February 1917.[6]

She grounded at Kiel in 1918 and was scrapped in 1919.

References edit

  1. ^ Duckworth, Christian Leslie Dyce; Langmuir, Graham Easton (1968). Railway and other Steamers. Prescot, Lancashire: T. Stephenson and Sons.
  2. ^ "Launch of "The Colchester" at Hull. Christening by Miss Paxman". Essex Standard. England. 20 October 1880. Retrieved 30 October 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ Haws, Duncan (1993). Merchant Fleets – Britain's Railway Steamers – Eastern and North Western Companies + Zeeland and Stena. Hereford: TCL Publications. ISBN 0-946378-22-3.
  4. ^ "A Berlin telegram states…". Essex Newsman. England. 30 September 1916. Retrieved 30 October 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Crew of the Colchester in Captivity". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 4 October 1916. Retrieved 30 October 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "New Zebrugge Attach". Sunday Mirror. England. 18 February 1917. Retrieved 30 October 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.