May’s unknown ship brought many replies many of whom identified her as the New York City, although several suggested her sister, Gloucester City.

The winner was Capt Bob Blowers of Walmer, Kent.

Peter Rees writes:

My answer is the Gloucester City of Bristol City Line, built in 1954 at John Readhead & Sons, South Shields.

AD Frost writes:

May’s Unknown Ship is Bristol City Lines ss New York City, built in 1956 by Readhead SB. Sold in 1968 and renamed Avis OrnisS and in 1970 renamed Felicity then scrapped in China 1971/72.

Peter Sommerville writes:

I think this ship is the New York City (5,603 gt), built by John Readhead & Sons, South Shields. She was built for Bristol City Line of Steamships Ltd. (Charles Hill & Sons) and entered service in January 1956 for their North Atlantic service. In 1968 she became the Avis Ornis of Leopard Shipping Co. of Gibraltar then in 1970 became the Felicity of Seamaster Shipping Co., Cyprus and finally being sold to the Chinese Government in 1971. Deleted from Lloyds Register in 1992 she was presumably broken up around this time. The Gloucester City built a couple of years earlier was very similar and the only difference I can spot to tell them apart is the vent pipe on the port king post aft of the accommodation which the earlier ship does not appear to have in any of the photographs I have looked at.

Chris Hoddinott writes:

This month’s Mystery Ship is the S.S. Gloucester City belonging to Charles Hill and Sons’ Bristol City Line of Steamships Ltd. She was launched in June 1954 at the John Redhead & Sons Ltd. West Yard, South Shields, Yard No: 579 and Official No: 186538. Her Gross Tonnage was 5,581 on a length of 449ft, breadth 58ft. and 25ft. draught. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine and low pressure turbine built by Redheads with an Indicated Horse Power of 4600 and 13.5 knot service speed. In 1957 her ownership changed to Bristol City Line (Canada) Ltd. and in 1968 her name changed to St. John and her owners were The Finance Sg. Co. SA.

She was wrecked at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar on October 30th 1968 on a voyage from Montreal to Djakarta.

Peter Rees writes:

The answer is the Gloucester City of Bristol City Line, built in 1954 by John Readhead & Sons Ltd., South Shields.

Ray Purdy writes:

I think this months unknown ship is the Gloucester City. Built 1954 at John Readhead & Sons Ltd., West Yard, South Shields. 5,581 grt. 449.4 x 58 x 25 ft. Engines also by John Readhead.

Started out as Gloucester City with the Bristol City Line (Cananda) Ltd., Bristol. (Charlie Hill). 1968 Sold to Finance Shipping Co. SA, Panama & renamed St. John. Later in 1968 she was wrecked at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar after her mooring broke on a voyage from Montreal to Djakarta with general cargo.

Bob Blowers writes:

I believe this month’s unknown ship is the SS New York City of Charles Hill’s Bristol City Line which operated cargo services between Europe and North America. The rather unsightly galley exhaust fan trunking taken up the lower boat deck port side samson post would appear to differentiate her from similar vessels.

New York City, the fifth ship to hold the name, was completed in January 1956 by John Redhead at South Shields and fitted with a triple expansion steam engine which together with an exhaust turbine gave her a service speed of 13.5 knots. Her Gross Tonnage was 5,603, with a length of 449.4 ft and breadth 58 ft.

• 1968 – After 12 years of service with Bristol City Line she was sold to Leopard Shipping Co. of Gibraltar and renamed Avis Ornis.
• 1970 – Sold to Seamaster Shipping Co. Ltd. and renamed Felicity.
• 1972 – She was sold on to the Chinese Government and is presumed to have been broken up soon afterwards.
• 1992 – Finally deleted from Lloyds Register.

John Jordan writes:

This steamship was built in 1954 by Redheads of South Shields in the last hurrah for Triple Expansion Steamers. She is the SS Gloucester City of Bristol City Line. She had a GRT of 5,581 and a deadweight of 8,500 tons.Her dimensions were 449.4ft x 58ft x 25ft. She had 4,600 IHP and a service speed of 13.5 knots.

She was also unusual in having double boat decks at dissimilar levels either side. In 1957 she changed ownership to Bristol City Line Canada and renamed SS St. John. In 1968 whilst enroute from Montreal to Djakarta, she was wrecked at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, with general cargo, when her moorings broke.

Sid Baker writes:

The ship in May’s magazine is Gloucester City.

Alan Blackwood writes:

This month’s ‘unknown’ is the 5,603 grt steamer New York City, the second of two essentially identical vessels constructed by John Readhead & Sons Ltd. at their West Yard South Shields, to the order of the Bristol City Line (Charles Hill & Sons, Managers) for operation on the Company’s Bristol based North Atlantic cargo liner services. Completed during January 1956, the vessel had overall dimensions of 449’4” x 58’00” x 38’00” (Moulded depth) and a summer draft of 25’00”. Her main propulsion, constructed by the her builders, consisted of a 4,600 IHP triple expansion steam engine plus a low pressure exhaust turbine, fed by three single ended boilers – the whole with hydraulic coupling, double reduction geared to a single screw shaft, to return a speed of 13.5 knots.

During 1968 she was sold for continued trading to the Gibraltar based Leopard Shipping Company (1969) Ltd., when renamed Avis Ornis. During 1970, she was sold on to Cypriot operators, Seamaster Shipping Co., renamed Felicity and registered at Famagusta. The following year she was sold to the Peoples Republic of China and believed broken up during the period 1971/72 and deleted from Lloyds Register during 1992.

Mike Goadby writes:

This month’s unknown ship is the 5,603grt steam turbine New York City, built in 1956 by John Redhead & Sons Ltd., South Shields for Bristol City Line (Charles Hill & Sons, managers). 1968 sold to Leopard Shipping Co. Ltd., Gibraltar (Bird & Co. (London Ltd.) and renamed Avis Ornis. 1970 sold to Seamaster Shipping Co. Ltd., Famagusta, Cyprus and renamed Felicity. 1971 sold to the Peoples Republic Of China, still listed in the 1990 Lloyds Register. Sister ship of New York City was Gloucester City built in 1954

Gerald Dodd writes:

I believe the unknown ship for the month of May is the Gloucester City, built in 1954 for the Bristol City Line (Canada) Ltd. of Bristol. Managers were Charles Hill. The builders were John Readhead, at West Yard, South Shields. She was engined with a 3 cylinder triple expansion engine with a Baurwach exhaust turbine. Gloucester City was a cargo ship, launched on 29 June 1954 and completed on 9th September 1954. She was 5,581grt. Gloucester City was a regular caller at Avonmouth and was an occasional caller at Cardiff. She sailed under the Bristol City Line until 1968 when she was sold to the Finance Shipping Company SA of Panama and renamed the St John. On The 30th October 1968 she was wrecked at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar whilst on a voyage from Montreal to Djakarta, with a general cargo when her mooring lines broke.

Laurance Ward writes:

I believe this ship to be the New York City owned by the Bristol City Line of Steamships. Built by John Readhead & Sons Ltd., South Shields. GRT 5,603, DWT 8,500, Net tonnage 3,066. Overall length 449.4 feet., beam 58 feet, depth 25 feet. Engine built by John Readhead & Sons Ltd. triple expansion engine, bores 27 ins., 45 ins and 76 ins, stroke 48 ins. and low pressure turbine. Single screw 4600 ihp, designed speed 13.5 knots. Keel laid 18th October 1955 and vessel launched January 1958. Vessel changed name and ownership to Avis Ornis owners Leopard Shipping Co (1969) Ltd., in 1968. In 1970 she changed names again to Felicity owners Seamaster Shipping Co Ltd., and in 1972 she was sold to the Chinese Government and presumed to have been scrapped. Deleted from Lloyd’s Register in 1992.

Julie Gough writes:

The unknown ship for May 2018 is Mv Gloucester City – Bristol City Line.

John Fey writes:

I think the unknown ship is the mv New York City – Bristol City Line.

John Livingstone writes:

May’s unknown ship is Charles Hill’s (Bristol City Line) New York City, built by Redheads (South Shields) in 1955/56 for the States/Canada service. Sold in 1968, again in 1970 and to China in 1971,disappeared from the register and probably broken up.