# Isipingo



## eldersuk (Oct 24, 2005)

Does anyone have any info on ISIPINGO. I know she was one of three sisters built by Workman Clark, Belfast. Who were the owners? When was she built? What were the names of her sisters?

Thanks in advance.

Derek


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## Bruce Carson (Jun 14, 2005)

Derek, there was a thread on the 'Isipingo' and her sisterships last December:

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=3919&highlight=isipingo

Bruce C.


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## A.G.Greenwood (Jan 29, 2006)

*isipingo*

Derek, One of her sisters was the INCHANGA. I used to visit thes ships when they came to Calcutta between 1958 & 1961.
Anthony Greenwood


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## gadgee (Jul 24, 2005)

*Inchanga*

Attached thumbnail c1960 of Inchanga operated by Bank Line. Built 1934, 7073grt, 420ft loa, 57ft beam, 13.5kt twin screw motor ship.


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

eldersuk said:


> Does anyone have any info on ISIPINGO. I know she was one of three sisters built by Workman Clark, Belfast. Who were the owners? When was she built? What were the names of her sisters?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Derek


Derek

Year of build was 1928. Isipingo had 2 sister ships Incomati and Inchanga.

Please find

Incomati - Built by Workman, Clark (1928) Ltd., she was sunk by a torpedo and gun fire from a German submarine off the coast of West Africa on 18th July,1943

Isipingo - Scrapped 1964 no details

Inchanga - Scrapped also 1964 no details

Not sure if owned by certainly managed by Bank Line


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## eldersuk (Oct 24, 2005)

Thanks to your very good selves and others I have had my questions on this ship (Thumbnail) answered.
The first of this trio of elegant twin screw motor ships for Bank Line was the _Isipingo_, completed in February 1934, followed a month later by _Inchanga_. These two were engined by the builders, Workman Clark, with Sulzer S.A. two stroke engines. The third vessel was _Incomati_ completed in April 1934, her machinery being an arrangement of Doxford opposed piston engines. These engines had been salvaged from the _Bermuda_, also built by Workman Clark which twice caught fire during building, the second time being declared a CTL.

Quoting from another source ...."When these ships first came into service they quite naturally attracted considerable attention, the first class accommodation being likened to that of the most modern luxury liners of the period. Spacious and tastefully decorated and furnished public rooms gave the passengers the very best possible relaxation during their sea passages. A notable attraction was the provision of "tea terraces" which flanked the lounge to port and starboard. These were approached from the lounge by French windows, the terraces being enclosed by window screens which could be opened in suitable weather to allow a flow of cool air - but which ensure complete weather-tightness in any inclement weather. A swimming pool of generous proportions was provided, overlooked by a verandah cafe, which provided pleasant shelter. Each had a cargo capacity of 7520 deadweight tons and carried 50 first class and 200 second class passengers and 500 deck passengers."....

With the outbreak of WWII all three ships came under the direction of the M.O.W.T operating from the UK to West and East African ports.

While the _Incomati_ was the last of the trio to join the Bank Line fleet, she was the first to meet her end. On 18th July 1943 on leaving Freetown she was sunk by torpedo and gunfire by U508.

With the downturn in passenger traffic following WWII the two remaining ships were withdrawn from passenger service and were ignominiously reduced to common carriers, lifting gunny bales from Indian and Pakistani ports to the West Coast of Africa as part of the Bank Line - Elder Dempster joint service.

Both ships were sold for demolition in 1964, _Inchanga_ in Ghent and _Isipingo_ in Hong Kong.


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## jimthehat (Aug 5, 2006)

Re the white sisters ,I was 3/0 on the Isipingo for 2 years 56-58,we only did one trip to west africa the rest of the time it was calcutt to Durban ,we still carried a lot of first class pass,and once when there was trouble in Colombo we took over 2000pass up to the north of Ceylon. I had a great time on board and we had the best cricket team on the indian/ south african coasts.

Peloris


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## duquesa (Aug 31, 2006)

My uncle was C/O on the Isipingo early in her career and I believe also on one of the others. He always spoke of her with great affection and his regret at being taken off was only tempered by promotion to Master of Shirrabank. Yes, owned by Bank Line. I still have his various nautical tables and other nav., books with the Bank Line stamps inside.


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## Frannyev (Jul 30, 2021)

eldersuk said:


> Thanks to your very good selves and others I have had my questions on this ship (Thumbnail) answered.
> The first of this trio of elegant twin screw motor ships for Bank Line was the _Isipingo_, completed in February 1934, followed a month later by _Inchanga_. These two were engined by the builders, Workman Clark, with Sulzer S.A. two stroke engines. The third vessel was _Incomati_ completed in April 1934, her machinery being an arrangement of Doxford opposed piston engines. These engines had been salvaged from the _Bermuda_, also built by Workman Clark which twice caught fire during building, the second time being declared a CTL.
> 
> Quoting from another source ...."When these ships first came into service they quite naturally attracted considerable attention, the first class accommodation being likened to that of the most modern luxury liners of the period. Spacious and tastefully decorated and furnished public rooms gave the passengers the very best possible relaxation during their sea passages. A notable attraction was the provision of "tea terraces" which flanked the lounge to port and starboard. These were approached from the lounge by French windows, the terraces being enclosed by window screens which could be opened in suitable weather to allow a flow of cool air - but which ensure complete weather-tightness in any inclement weather. A swimming pool of generous proportions was provided, overlooked by a verandah cafe, which provided pleasant shelter. Each had a cargo capacity of 7520 deadweight tons and carried 50 first class and 200 second class passengers and 500 deck passengers."....
> ...


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## Frannyev (Jul 30, 2021)

I realise that this is quite an old post but I’ve just seen it ans wish to add that my dad was a radio officer on this ship during the war. Does anyone else have links of this nature?


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