Bristol City Line
Encyclopedia
Bristol City Line was a British shipping line based in Bristol
, England that traded from 1704 until 1974. From 1760 Bristol City Line also built ships.
The company's fleet was distinguished with the name of each ship ending in "City", and named after cities in Britain, the USA and Canada. Some names were re-used up to five times for successive ships.
the first SS Bath City sprang a leak off Grand Banks
, Newfoundland and sank. 14 months after that, on 23rd February 1883 the first SS Gloucester City struck an ice floe and sank. On 10th February 1887 the first SS Wells City collided with the SS Lone Star in the Hudson River
and sank. She was salvaged but sold. On 23rd February 1900 the second SS Bath City was wrecked on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel
. On 31st January 1904 the first SS Boston City collided with SS Colardo and was beached off Sandy Hook
, New Jersey. She was refloated but sold.
shelled and sank the second about 40 miles off Fastnet Rock
. On 30th August 1917 sailed from New York and was lost. On 18th December 1917 SM U-94
torpedoed the second off the south coast of Ireland with the loss of 30 lives. On 2nd January 1918 SM U-91
torpedoed and sank the second in St. George's Channel.
, Newfoundland. The company added a service to Canada in the same year.
in the Atlantic when U-108 torpedoed and sank her with the loss of all hands.
On 21st December 1942 U-591 torpedoed and sank the first in the Atlantic. On 5th May 1943 U-358 torpedoed and sank the third .
in 1958.
In 1970 the company's first container ship
was launched. However, in 1971 Bibby Line
took over the company and the ship was completed as the 31,036 MV Dart America. Her sister ship MV Dart Atlantic was launched in 1972. In 1972 MV Halifax City was sold to Thai owners and MV Coventry City and the third MV Toronto City were transferred to Bibby Line. In 1974 Dart America was transferred to Bibby Line, leaving only Dart Atlantic which was sold to C.Y. Tung
in 1980.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England that traded from 1704 until 1974. From 1760 Bristol City Line also built ships.
The company's fleet was distinguished with the name of each ship ending in "City", and named after cities in Britain, the USA and Canada. Some names were re-used up to five times for successive ships.
Early steamship services
Bristol City Line started a regular transatlantic steamship service between Bristol and New York in 1879. The early years of the service were troubled by shipwrecks. The first SS Bristol City sailed from New York on 28th December 1880 and was lost. Just under a year later, on 3rd December 1881, her sister shipSister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
the first SS Bath City sprang a leak off Grand Banks
Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are relatively shallow, ranging from in depth. The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream here.The mixing of these waters...
, Newfoundland and sank. 14 months after that, on 23rd February 1883 the first SS Gloucester City struck an ice floe and sank. On 10th February 1887 the first SS Wells City collided with the SS Lone Star in the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and sank. She was salvaged but sold. On 23rd February 1900 the second SS Bath City was wrecked on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. On 31st January 1904 the first SS Boston City collided with SS Colardo and was beached off Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit along the Atlantic coast of New JerseySandy Hook may also refer to:-Places:United States* Sandy Hook , a village in the town of Newtown, Connecticut* Sandy Hook, Kentucky, a city in Elliott County...
, New Jersey. She was refloated but sold.
First World War
On 19th August 1915 the German submarine SM U-24SM U-24
SM U-24 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was engaged in commerce warfare during the First Battle of the Atlantic....
shelled and sank the second about 40 miles off Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean and the most southerly point of Ireland. It lies southwest of Cape Clear Island and from County Cork on the Irish mainland...
. On 30th August 1917 sailed from New York and was lost. On 18th December 1917 SM U-94
SM U-94
SM U-94 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-94 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic....
torpedoed the second off the south coast of Ireland with the loss of 30 lives. On 2nd January 1918 SM U-91
SM U-91
SM U-91 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-91 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic....
torpedoed and sank the second in St. George's Channel.
Between the wars
In January 1933 the second was abandoned in a gale and sank about 600 miles southeast of Cape RaceCape Race
Cape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", or "bare"...
, Newfoundland. The company added a service to Canada in the same year.
Second World War
On 1st July 1941 the first was serving as a weather shipWeather ship
A weather ship was a ship stationed in the ocean as a platform for surface and upper air meteorological observations for use in weather forecasting. They were primarily located in the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans, reporting via radio...
in the Atlantic when U-108 torpedoed and sank her with the loss of all hands.
On 21st December 1942 U-591 torpedoed and sank the first in the Atlantic. On 5th May 1943 U-358 torpedoed and sank the third .
Post war operations and takeover
The company extended its Canadian service to the Great LakesGreat Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
in 1958.
In 1970 the company's first container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
was launched. However, in 1971 Bibby Line
Bibby Line
The Bibby Line is a British company concerned with shipping and marine operations.Its parent company, Bibby Line Group Limited, can be traced back to the shipbroking partnership of Bibby & Hall, which was founded in 1801. It is and always has been based in Liverpool...
took over the company and the ship was completed as the 31,036 MV Dart America. Her sister ship MV Dart Atlantic was launched in 1972. In 1972 MV Halifax City was sold to Thai owners and MV Coventry City and the third MV Toronto City were transferred to Bibby Line. In 1974 Dart America was transferred to Bibby Line, leaving only Dart Atlantic which was sold to C.Y. Tung
Tung Chao Yung
Tung Chao Yung better known as 董浩雲, , born 18th of the eighth lunar month in 1912; died 15 April 1982), also known as C. Y. Tung, was a Chinese shipping magnate, the founder of the Orient Overseas Line...
in 1980.