SS Ruahine
{{other ships|Ruahine (disambiguation)}}
{{other ships|SS Auriga}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= |Ship flag= |Ship name= *until 1949: Ruahine
|Ship namesake: *until 1949: Ruahine Range
|Ship owner= *until 1949: New Zealand Shipping Co
|Ship operator= *until 1949: New Zealand Shipping Co
|Ship registry= *until 1949: {{flagicon|UK|civil}} Plymouth
|Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder= William Denny and Brothers |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= 880 |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= 19 August 1909 |Ship completed= 6 November 1909 |Ship christened= |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification= *UK official number 124582
|Ship fate= Scrapped 1957 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type= Ocean liner |Ship tonnage= {{GRT|10870}}, {{NRT|6872}} |Ship displacement= |Ship length= *{{cvt|480.6|ft|abbr=on}} registered
|Ship beam= {{cvt|60.3|ft|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship depth= {{cvt|32.1|ft|abbr=on}} |Ship decks= 3 |Ship power= 848 NHP |Ship propulsion= *2 × triple-expansion steam engines
|Ship speed= {{convert|14|kn|km/h}} |Ship capacity= *as built: 520 passengers
|Ship crew= |Ship sensors= *by 1930: wireless direction finding
|Ship notes= sister ships: {{SS|Rotorua|1910|2}}, Remuera }} |
SS Ruahine was a UK-built ocean liner and refrigerated cargo ship. She was launched in 1909 in Scotland for the New Zealand Shipping Company, who operated her in scheduled service between Britain and New Zealand. She survived both World wars.
In 1949 she was sold to Fratelli Grimaldi of Italy, who renamed her Auriga. She was scrapped in 1957.
She was the second of three NZ Shipping Co ships called Ruahine. The first was a steamship that was launched in 1891, sold and renamed in 1900 and scrapped in 1945.{{cite web |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=15027&vessel=RUAHINE |title=Ruahine (1891) |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |accessdate=16 December 2020}} The third was the motor ship {{MS|Ruahine||2}} that was launched in 1950, sold in 1967, renamed in 1968 and scrapped in 1974.{{cite web |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=3481&vessel=RUAHINE |title=Ruahine (1950) |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |accessdate=16 December 2020}}
Building
William Denny and Brothers built Ruahine at Dumbarton. She was launched on 19 August 1909 and completed on 6 November.{{cite web |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=15397&vessel=RUAHINE |title=Ruahine (1909) |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |accessdate=16 December 2020}} She was {{cvt|497|ft}} long overall,{{cite book |last=Miller |first=William Jr |year=2001 |title=Picture History of British Ocean Liners 1900 to the Present |place=Mineola |publisher=Dover Publications |isbn=0-486-41532-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/picturehistoryof0000mill/page/10 10] |url= https://archive.org/details/picturehistoryof0000mill/page/10 }} {{cvt|480.6|ft|abbr=on}} registered length, {{cvt|60.3|ft|abbr=on}} beam and {{cvt|32.1|ft|abbr=on}} depth. Her tonnages were {{GRT|10870}} and {{NRT|6872}}.{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b1016.pdf |year=1930 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=Steamers & Motorships |volume=II |place=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register |via=Plimsoll Ship Data |accessdate=16 December 2020}}
Ruahine had twin screws driven by twin triple-expansion steam engines. Between them they were rated at 848 NHP and gave her a service speed of {{convert|14|kn|km/h}}.
As built, Ruahine had berths for 520 passengers divided into three classes. Her holds had capacity for {{convert|274549|cuft}} of refrigerated cargo.{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30a0615.pdf |year=1930 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=List of Vessels Fitted with Refrigerating Appliances |volume=I |place=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register |accessdate=16 December 2020}}
Denny's followed Ruahine with two sister ships for the New Zealand Shipping Company: {{SS|Rotorua|1910|2}} launched in 1910{{cite web |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?official_number=&imo=&builder=&builder_eng=&year_built=&launch_after=&launch_before=&role=&propulsion=&category=&owner=&port=&flag=&disposal=&lost=&ref=15432&vessel=ROTORUA |title=Rotorua |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |accessdate=20 December 2020}} and Remuera launched in 1911.{{cite web |url= http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=15443&vessel=REMUERA |title=Remuerua |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |accessdate=20 December 2020}}
Service
Ruahine entered service for the New Zealand Shipping Company in 1910, sailing from London to Auckland and Wellington. Her primary passenger traffic was emigrants from Britain to New Zealand. Her cargo was finished goods to New Zealand and raw foods to Britain.
Ruahine was refitted in 1926 with reduced passenger accommodation, and again in 1933 with 220 tourist class berths.
By 1930 Ruahine had wireless direction finding equipment. In 1934 the call sign GLYM{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/35/35b0708.pdf |year=1935 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=Steamers & Motorships |volume=II |place=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register |via=Plimsoll Ship Data |accessdate=16 December 2020}} superseded Ruahine{{'}}s code letters HPVS. By 1935 she was fitted with an echo sounding device.
On 4 February 1938 Ruahine was involved in a collision with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker {{ship|RFA|Broomdale|A168|6}}, which was on sea trials in the Firth of Clyde.{{Cite web |url= http://www.historicalrfa.org/rfa-broomdale |title=RFA Broomdale |website=Historical RFA |publisher=Royal Fleet Auxiliary Historical Society |accessdate=23 February 2019}}
From 1938 Ruahine ceased carrying passengers. From May 1938 until October 1939 she was laid up in the River Fal.
In 1949 Fratelli Grimaldi bought Ruahine, renamed her Auriga, and had her refitted to carry 800 passengers. She operated on emigrant routes from Italy and France. She was scrapped in 1957 at Savona in Italy.
References
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Category:Ships of the New Zealand Shipping Company
Category:Ocean liners of the United Kingdom
Category:Passenger ships of Italy
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom