MV Hibernia (1949)

Career
Name:	1949-1976: MV Hibernia 1976-1980 Express Apollon
Owner:	1949-1968: British Transport Commission 1962-1976: British Rail
Operator:	1949-1968: British Transport Commission 1962-1976: British Rail
Port of registry:
Route:	1949-1976: Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire
Builder:	Harland and Wolff, Belfast
Yard number:	1367
Launched:	1948
Maiden voyage:	14 April 1949
Out of service:	1980
Identification:	IMO number: 5150111
Fate:	Scrapped in India
General characteristics
Tonnage:	4,972 gross register tons (GRT)
Length:	379.5 ft (115.7 m)
Beam:	54.2 ft (16.5 m)
Draught:	28 ft (8.5 m)

MV Hibernia was a twin screw motor vessel operated by the British Transport Commission from 1948 to 1962 and British Rail from 1962 to 1976.^[1]

History

She was built by Harland and Wolff of Belfast, launched in 1948 for the British Transport Commission and started service in 1949. She replaced a 1920 vessel of the same name, the twin screw steamer Hibernia.

In 1951 she was fitted with Denny-Brown stabilisers. In 1964-65 they were refurbished with airline style seating. Some cabins and staterooms were removed and replaced with second-class lounges, and a cafeteria. The screened areas were extended to provide further covered seating, and the first and second class smokerooms were converted into a tea lounge.

She was sold in 1976 to the Agapitos Brothers in Greece and became the Express ApollonBue never traded in Greece. She remained laid-up at Salamina, and was sold to Indian breakers in 1980. She arrived in Darukhana, India in 1980 for scrapping by Ankom Solid Steel Traders, and had been demolished by 1981.

References