TS Manx Maid (I)

Ex HMS Bruce, Caesarea (II)

Roy Thornton Collection

Steel triple screw turbine vessel, built in 1910 by Cammell, Laird & Co. Ltd., Birkenhead  (Yard No. 223/761), as a mail/passenger ship.

Technical Data

• Length: 90.83 m (overall) 86.7 m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth: 11.89 m
• Depth: 4.8 m
• Draught: m
• Tonnage: 1499 – 1505 – 1500 – 1505 gross/ 601 – 603 – 598 net/955 t deadweight
• Engines:1 x High Pressure and 2 Low Pressure Parsons wing steam turbines
• Power: 4800 kW/6500 shp
• Speed: 15 knots
• Capacity: 980 – 1474 passengers
• Call Sign: HRQM, GKMF
• ID Number: 80521 (LR 1939)
• Official Number: 181763 (LR 1912)
• Port of Registry: Southampton/UK 🇬🇧
• Sister-ships : Sarnia (I) (335)

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History

May 26^th 1910: Launched. Delivery delayed by strikes at her builders.

Roy Thornton Collection

September 14^th 1910: Sea trials on River Mersey

September 24^th 1910: Delivered to London & South West Railway Co making her maiden voyage Southampton – Channel Islands.

After five trips she was withdrawn from service for alterations in the engine room.

Roy Thornton Collection

Also spent time on Southampton – Le Havre service, but the turbines, being direct drive, made the ship uneconomical to operate in the winter, and she was laid up off Netley.

Roy Thornton Collection

October 1914: Taken over for war service and converted into an Armed Boarding Vessel being used off the north coast of Scotland.

March 1915: Served in the Dardanelles.

December 1915: Converted to a troopship and operated mainly out of Southampton; towards the end of this service, she made a number of trips to Bergen and is stated to have called at Archangel when returning Russian refugees.

October 1919: Handed back to her owners and sent to Caledon yard at Dundee for reconditioning.

June 12^th 1920: Arrived back in the Channel Islands and continued service to Southampton.

January 1^st 1923: Transferred to the Southern Railway.

July 7^th 1923: Struck a rock off Noirmont Point off the south coast of Jersey. Although badly damaged she was put ashore outside the harbour at St Helier.

Roy Thornton Collection

July 20^th 1923: After work by company engineers, she was re-floated.

Roy Thornton Collection

August 4^th 1923: Left Jersey in tow of the tug CANUTE. When dry-docked it was decided not to repair her.

December 5^th 1923: Sold to Isle of Man Steam Packet and renamed MANX MAID I. Returned to her builders for complete refurbishment and tenders were called for to convert her to burn oil fuel.

Roy Thornton Collection

1924: Returned from builders.

June 12^th 1924: Trials from Barrow, then commenced sailings Isle of Man – Liverpool

1940: Taken over for war service and renamed HMS BRUCE. Classed as an Anti-Aircraft Guard Ship.

March 21^st 1945: Returned to her owners at Ardrossan.

Roy Thornton Collection

May 27^th 1945: Laid up at Barrow until the 1946 summer season.

1946 (Whitsun): Re-entered service between Fleetwood – Douglas. Her main mast, which had been removed in 1939, was not replaced.

August 26^th 1950: Final sailing Liverpool – Douglas.

November 12^th 1950: Towed to Barrow for demolition.

1950: Broken up by T. W. Ward  Co. Ltd., Barrow.

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All information is believed to be correct, and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. 

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)