RMS Olympic (II)

RMS Olympic (II)

TSS Olympic (II) -- Pub. Raphael Tuck & Sons'

Built: 1911, Harland & Wolff, Belfast.
Yard No: 400
Funnels: 4 Masts: 2
Tonnage: 45,324 GRT
Dimensions: 268.8 x 28.2 m / 882 x 92.5 ft.
Engines: Triple Expansion plus Low Pressure Turbine by builders.
Triple Screw; 51,000 IHP; 21, max 22 kn.
Hull: Steel, 5 Full Decks, fcsle-127 ft, bridge-540 ft, poop-76 ft.
Passengers: 1,054-1st Class, 510-2nd Class, 1,020-3rd Class.
Crew: 860

The keel for the Olympic was laid down on December 16, 1908, and she was launced a little less than two years later on October 20, 1910. She was completed and handed over on May 31, 1911, and made her maiden voyage on June 14, 1911 from Southampton to New York. She was the biggest ship in the world until 1912/13. On September 20, 1911 the Olympic collided with the British cruiser Hawke off Southampton. Both ships badly damaged. The Olympic was blamed for the accident. She was rebuilt by Harland & Wolff during the winter of 1912-1913. Safety measures such as bulkheads were improved in the light of the Titanic disaster. Additional lifeboats were installed. Passenger accommodation was changed to: 735-1st Class, 675-2nd Class, 1,030-3rd Class and her tonnage was now listed at 46,439 GRT. In October 1914 the Olympic made an unsuccessful attempt to tow the British battleship Audacious, sinking after striking a mine in the Irish Sea. After the Olympic had taken on board the battleship's complement and connected towing lines, the Audacious sank. During September 1915 she was used as troop transport. On April 4, 1917 The Olympic became a troop transport under the White Ensign. On May 12, 1918 the Olympic was attacked in the Atlantic by the German submarine U-103. The liner was able to avoid the torpedoes, whereby the submarine ran under the bows of the Olympic, was badly damaged and sank. One crew member was rescued by a US destroyer. On August 12, 1919 she returned to Belfast for overhaul. She was converted to oil-firing and her passenger accommodation was changed to 750-1st Class, 500-2nd Class, 1,150-3rd Class. On July 21, 1920 she made her first post-war voyage from Southampton to New York. In 1928 Second Class was renamed Tourist Class. Passenger accommodation was now listed as: 675-1st Class, 561-Tourist Class, 819-3rd Class. Her passenger accommodation was reduced again at the beginning of the thirties to 618-1st Class, 447-Tourist Class, and 382-3rd Class. In February 1934 the White Star Line merged with the Cunard Line to form Cunard-White Star Line. On May 16, 1934 In a thick fog, the Olympic rammed the Nantucket lightship which at once sank. Seven lives lost. On March 27, 1935 she made her last voyage from Southampton to New York. Upon her return, she was laid up at Southampton beginning on April 12, 1935. In September 1935 she was sold to Metal Industries for breaking up. On October 13, 1935 the Olympic arrived in Jarrow, where she was partially dismantled. On September 19, 1937 what was left of her hull was towed to Inverkeithing and scrapped there.