Gothic (2)

The Gothic (2) was one of four sister ships built for Shaw, Savill & Albion's England-New Zealand service in the post-war period. Launched in 1947, she achieved fame as the Royal Tour vessel for Queen Elizabeth II's first Commonwealth tour in 1952.

Construction and Design

Built jointly by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead and Swan Hunter of Wallsend-on-Tyne, Gothic (2) was launched on December 30, 1947, and completed in October 1948. She featured a distinctive 'rolled stem' bow design and 'mushroom' style ventilators, appearing more rakish than her predecessors with taller funnel-caps. The vessel was part of the later 'Corinthic' class, which included sister ships Corinthic (2), Athenic (2), and Ceramic (2).

Early Service

Gothic (2) commenced her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Sydney on November 16, 1948. The vessel offered a high standard of luxury, with first-class cabins featuring luxury suites, most with private facilities. The dining salon and public rooms were positioned high in the superstructure just below the bridge.

Royal Tour Service

In 1952, Gothic (2) was selected as the official vessel for Queen Elizabeth II's first major Commonwealth tour. For this prestigious role, she underwent a complete refit and was repainted in an all-white livery with a gold-orange riband at mid-hull level, while retaining her traditional Shaw, Savill funnel colors. The Royal Tour saw unprecedented demonstrations of loyalty in Australian waters, with small craft escorting the ship and the Royal couple in every port.

Final Years and Fate

In August 1968, tragedy struck when Gothic (2) caught fire while steaming off New Zealand. Seven lives were lost in the incident, and the ship had to limp to Wellington for temporary repairs before returning to London. The repair costs were deemed too high, leading to the vessel being laid up and subsequently sold. She made her final journey to breakers in Taiwan in July 1969.

Key Facts

Specification	Details
Gross Tonnage	15,896/15,911
Length	564 ft (171.9 m)
Beam	72 ft (21.9 m)
Draught	30 ft (9.1 m)
Propulsion	Twin-geared steam turbines (14,000 SHP)
Speed	17 knots
Passenger Capacity	85 (First Class)
Crew	95
Passenger Decks	4