M 708 - RMS Saxonia

 

 

This is the Tri-ang Minic Ships model of RMS Saxonia lead ship of Cunard's four (4) vessel "Saxonia" Class which were designed and built by John Brown & Company to service the St Lawrence Route to Quebec and Montreal replacing all of Cunard's old pre-Second World War vessels such as Scythia, Samaria, and Ascania.

These ships were large passenger / cargo vessels rather than pure passenger ships and were designed with only two classes of accommodation, a small First Class and a large much improved Tourist Class. This design reflected the perceived changes in demand for sea travel with first class trade increasingly travelling by air but tourist class trade appearing to have a promising future.

The maximum dimensions of these vessels was governed by the restrictions of the St Lawrence Seaway which they had to traverse for nearly 1000 miles to reach their final port of Montreal.

During summer months RMS Saxonia and RMS Ivernia sailed on the Southampton, Le Havre, Cobh, Quebec, Montreal route while in the winter, when the St Lawrence Seaway is ice bound, they would sail on the Southampton, Le Havre, Cobh, Halifax, New York route.

By the early 1960's passenger and cargo demand was dwindling and as the numbers became worse Cunard asked John Brown & Company to convert RMS Saxonia and RMS Ivernia for Caribbean cruising.

The conversion involved the installation of private facilities in all Tourist Class cabins and the replacement of the aft cargo space by a lido deck with verandahs, umbrellas, lounge chairs and a kidney shaped swimming pool.

The two ships were initially re-painted in the same green livery as RMS Caronia and were renamed RMS Carmania and RMS Franconia respectively.

Tri-ang Minic produced identical models of the four "Saxonia" Class ships RMS Saxonia, RMS Ivernia, RMS Sylvania and RMS Carinthia which are distinguished only by the model number and name marked on the underside.

 

Specifications

Name:

RMS SAXONIA

Owner:

Cunard White Star Line

Builder:

John Brown & Co., Glasgow

Launched:

17th February 1954

Displacement:

21637 tons

Length (OA):

608 ft 4 in ( 185.4 m )

Beam:

80 ft 4 in ( 24.5 m )

Draft:

 

Propulsion:

4 boilers, 2  x 2 double reduction geared turbines, 2 shafts, 24,500 bhp

Maximum Speed:

20 Knots

Crew:

457

Passenger Accommodation:

125 - 1st Class
800 - Tourist Class

Disposal / Demise:

1962 converted for cruising and renamed RMS Carmania

 

Further details of the actual ship can be obtained from the following links -

Cunard Fleet Search Engine

http://www.cunard.com/AboutCunard/default.asp?Active=Heritage&Sub=Fleet

Maritime World Online Web Site

http://www.e-cruiseworld.com/saxonia2.htm

Great Ships Web Site

http://www.greatships.net/saxonia2.html