CROSSINGS CRUISES and CALAMITY

Having purchased Anchor Line in November 1911, Cunard interchanged Anchor’s ships with their own during World War I, and both lines undertook the largest building programme to date at the end of the conflict. This included two 16,000grt ships, Cameronia and Tyrrhenia, for Anchor’s Mediterranean-New York service, ordered from William Beardmore in 1919. Shortly after Tyrrhenia was laid down, Cunard took over the £1.36 million contract for her.

Tyrrhenia’s building proved protracted. She was laid down on 2 June 1919, but her launch on 18 May 1920 was delayed to 31 May owing to gales on the original day. Her intended maiden voyage from London to Montreal on 4 May 1922 was cancelled due to a joiners’ strike and it was not until June 1922 that she undertook her trials.

CLASSIC 1920S

Measuring 16,243grt with an overall length of 578ft and 70.4ft beam, Tyrrhenia was a classic 1920s intermediate liner, with handsome lines. Driving twin screws, her 12,500shp Brown-Curtis double-reduction geared turbines and six double-ended oil-fired 220psi boilers gave her a service speed of 16.5 knots. Seven holds, four forward and three aft, had a 400,000ft³ (bale) and 29,000ft³ (reefer) capacity.