TSS Duke of Argyll (1956)

TSS Duke of Argyll was a railway steamer passenger ship that operated in Europe from 1956 to 1975. Out of all three built, it was the longest serving ship and most modified of its type.

History
United Kingdom
Name	1956–1975: Duke of Argyll
Owner	1956–1963: British Transport Commission 1963–1975: Sealink
Operator	1956–1963: British Transport Commission 1963–1975: Sealink
Port of registry	Lancaster, United Kingdom
Route	1956–1975: Heysham - Belfast
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Yard number	1541
Launched	12 January 1956
Maiden voyage	27 September 1956
Out of service	1975
Identification	IMO number: 5094460
Fate	Sold to Greece, 1975
Greece
Name	1975–1987: Neptunia 1987–1994: Corinthia
Owner	1975–1987: Libra Maritime 1987–1994: Hellenic Maritime Lines
Operator	1975–1987: Libra Maritime 1987–1994: Hellenic Maritime Lines
Out of service	1987
Fate	Sold to Hong Kong, 1994
Hong Kong
Name	1994–1995: Faith Power 1995–1995: Fairy Princess 1995–1995: Zenith
Owner	1994–1995: Hong Kong
Operator	1994–1995: Hong Kong
Out of service	1995
Fate	Caught fire, scrapped
General characteristics
Type	Turbine steam ship
Tonnage	4,797 GT
Length	114.63 m (376 ft 1 in)
Beam	17.46 m (57 ft 3 in)
Draught	4.54 m (14 ft 11 in)
Installed power	2 x Parmetrada steam turbines
Propulsion	Twin screw
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity	1800 passengers

Service history

Along with her sister ships the TSS Duke of Lancaster and the TSS Duke of Rothesay, Duke of Argyll was amongst the last passenger-only steamers built for British Railways (at that time, also a ferry operator). She was a replacement for the 1928 steamer built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, RMS Duke of Argyll.

Built at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, launched on 12 January 1956 and making its maiden voyage on 27 September 1956, the vessel was designed to operate as both a passenger ferry (primarily on the Heysham to Belfast route) and as a cruise ship.

Post Sealink

She operated as Neptunia for Libra Maritime from 1975 to 1987, then as Corinthia for Hellenic Maritime from 1987 to 1994.

She arrived in Hong Kong as Faith Power in 1994 and was renamed Fairy Princess in 1995 and then Zenith. In July 1995 she caught fire. The fire was extinguished and she was run aground. Later refloated, she was sold for scrap.