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MOLDAVIA (1922)
Service dates: 1922-1938
Official number: 145973
Shipping lines: P&O STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY
Ship type:
Passenger Liner.
Career
- 05.12.1916
- Ordered, but construction delayed by the War.
- 01.10.1921
- Launched.
- 19.09.1922
- Ran trials and delivered as Moldavia for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company at a cost of £1,246,380. She was the first P&O ship fitted with double-reduction-geared steam turbines. She and her sister Mongolia were designed for the Australia run with a rather dated appearance - counter stern and a single funnel. She was named after a principality on the Danube, part of Romania since 1859. The name had been previously used by P&O in 1903.
- 13.10.1922
- Maiden voyage Tilbury/Australia.
- 26.12.1923
- Fire broke out in a cargo of fibre from Colombo as she approached Fremantle. The fire brigade had to flood the hold which destroyed not merely the cargo but also a substantial proportion of the passengers’ heavy luggage.
- 20.02.1924
- Carried P&O Chairman Lord Inchcape from Colombo to the UK.
- 1928
- Fitted with a second (dummy) funnel in order to counter criticism of her design, although arguably she hardly looked any better. Boilers converted to burn oil fuel. Second class accommodation re-designated third class.
- 14.02.1929
- Docking at Marseilles delayed by a blizzard.
- 1930
- Cruised from Southampton.
- 04.1930
- Changed to third class only (840 passengers) with Australian passages costing as little as £38.
- 08.1931
- Now designated ‘one-class Tourist’ after refit at Tilbury.
- 1934
- Steam superheaters and new screws fitted which increased her speed by a knot or so.
- 21.07.1935
- Port turbine broke down after leaving Monte Carlo on a Mediterranean cruise. Repaired at Gibraltar naval dockyard.
- 1937
- Chartered to carry guests to the Coronation Review at Spithead, much of which was marred by fog.
- 17.09.1937
- Last departure from Sydney.
- 24.12.1937
- Last arrival at Tilbury. Laid up pending sale.
- 05.04.1938
- Sold for £38,000 to John Cashmore Ltd to be broken up.
- 11.04.1938
- Handed over at Tilbury.
- 18.04.1938
- Arrived at Newport, Monmouthshire for demolition.