RMS Pendennis Castle Union-Castle Line 1959 Model 1:1250 CMKR 51

Price: NZ$94.95

Code: BH1105

RMS Pendennis Castle Union-Castle Line 1959 Model 1:1250 CMKR 51

Please note that the accessories shown with the ship described are not included in the cost, they are there to add interest and show some possibilities should you wish to set the ship into a diorama scene yourself or request us to do it for you.

This is a beautifully detailed model made by the highly regarded maker Carlo Marquardt has been long out of production. RMS Pendennis Castle was passenger and cargo ocean liner built for the Union-Castle Line . The vessel served 1959-1976 on a regular route between the UK and South Africa for the Southampton to Las Palmas , Cape Town , Port Elizabeth , East London and Durban “Cape Mail” service. She later sailed under the names Ocean Queen , Sinbad , and Sinbad I after her sale from Union-Castle. RMS Pendennis Castle embarked on her maiden voyage on 1 January 1959. Commanded by Commodore George Mayhew of the Union-Castle fleet she set out from Southampton bound for Cape Town. The vessel was promoted as the “fun ship” and appealed to younger passengers because it offered an organized recreational program. The shipping press voted Pendennis Castle as the “ship of the year” and the vessel also broke with British ocean liner tradition by having female waiting staff in the dining room: “Stewardettes”. In 1964 the vessel’s air conditioning was extended into all first class cabins. Private showers were fitted into 21 additional cabins. In July 1965 Union-Castle introduced a faster mail service by reducing the voyage time from 14 to 11 days, allowing service to be operated by seven liners instead of eight. In May 1968 an on board fire broke out she was berthed in Southampton, resulting in damage to some of the accommodation. However the vessel managed to sail with Harland & amp; Wolff workers on board performing the repairs. One year later, when diverted to Antwerp due to labor dispute in Southampton, she struck the quayside and had to be taken out of service for a month. Later that year she would set a new Union-Castle record for the fastest running time from Cape Town to Southampton. Rising oil prices in 1973 forced Union-Castle to add one day to the service and increase fares. By 1976 however the move to containerization of cargo and the rise in air travel made the Union-Castle mail ships unprofitable. On 23 April 1976 she sailed from Southampton for the final time, bound for South Africa. On her final voyage from South Africa to Southampton she flew her paying off pennant.

Model is in good used condition, see the images, we have cleaned it as this collection was poorly stored by the previous owner. Approx. 180mm long or 7”

Should you require it we offer a complete renovation service, we can completely strip these models, restore masts etc and repaint to you specifications. We can also set into a diorama scene using other port accessories we have on offer please contact us if you require this service https://www.boathousecollectables.co.nz/contact/ .

If you choose to buy playworn models from us, we can restore them for you and set them in an attractive display format, whether it may be a bookcase, coffee table or a piece of your choosing. Then you can build and rebuild your personal port display as many times as you would like while keeping your collection safe and on display in your home!