SS Osterley sailed regularly from London to Sydney in 45 days, with 282 first, 130 second and 688 third class third class passengers. Launched Govan, Glasgow, 1909. She served as a troop ship in the First World War both from Australia and on the North Atlantic run.

OSTERLEY (1909)


Base data at 22 June 1909. Last amended November 2002. * indicates entries changed during P&O Group service.

Type Passenger liner
P&O Group service 1918-1930
P&O Group status Owned by a subsidiary company

Registered owners Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd
Managers* Anderson, Anderson & Co and Frederick Green & Co
Operators Orient Line

Builders London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Company
Yard Govan, Glasgow
Country UK
Yard number 333

Registry Glasgow, UK
Official number 128287
Signal letters HPGN
Classification society Lloyd's Register

Gross tonnage 12,129 grt
Net tonnage 6,871 nrt
Deadweight 8,664 tonnes (8,528 tons)

Length 168.46m (552.9ft) o/a, 163.01m (535.0ft) b/p
Breadth 19.26m (63.2ft)
Depth 10.39m (34.1ft)
Draught 8.658m (28ft 5in)

Engines Quadruple-expansion steam engines
Engine builders London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Company
Works Govan, Glasgow
Country UK

Power 14,000 ihp
Propulsion 2 screws
Speed 18 knots

Passenger capacity* 282 first, 130 second and 688 third class
Cargo capacity 7,493 cubic metres (264,640 cubic feet) including 2,681 cubic metres (92,940 cubic feet) refrigerated
Crew

Employment UK/Australia mail service


Career

20.01.1909: First attempt at launching, by Lady Jersey, was a failure as she stuck on the ways after only moving some 12 metres (40 feet).
26.01.1909: Finally entered the water.
16.06.1909: Registered.
22.06.1909: Delivered. With her elder sisters Orsova and Otway she completed the first trio of 12,000-ton ships ordered by Orient to compensate for the withdrawal of Royal Mail Line from their joint service to Australia.
06.08.1909: Maiden voyage London/Australia.
31.10.1908: Hit by Russian steamer Roman while moored in Port Said homeward bound, but only slightly damaged.
06.1911: Present at the Coronation Naval Review at Spithead.
1914: When war broke out she remained on the mail run, though often she sailed via the Cape.
04.1917: Requisitioned for trooping, initially remaining on the Australian route.
01.1918: Australia/Egypt/South Africa trooping.
07.1918: Switched to the North Atlantic.
29.07.1918: Opened fire on a submarine in the Atlantic.
01.1919: One commercial voyage to Australia before being reconditioned.
05.1919: Released from requisition.
27.09.1919: First post war sailing for Orient Line. Now 282 first, 130 second and 688 third class passengers.
06/09.1922: Chartered to an American tourist agency for three Norwegian cruises out of New York.
1924: Stranded for a while in the Brisbane River, but re-floated by tugs after discharging cargo into lighters
11.1928: Went to assistance of German barque Pommern in the India Ocean, standing by while a tug took the damaged sailing ship in tow.
1929: Taken off the Australian run and laid up.
03.1930: Sold to P&W MacLellan of Glasgow for £26,000, to be broken up.
14.04.1930: Arrived at Bo'ness for demolition.

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