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The Harland and Wolff Standard Motorships
 
Page 3 - Burns & Laird
 
 
In 1936, two new Coast Lines standard ships, Royal Scotsman and Royal Ulsterman (both 3000 grt), were built for the Burns & Laird Glasgow-Belfast service. Unlike their predecessors, they had only one funnel, which gave them a smart modern appearance. Strangely, they were not designed to be able to replace the initial Belfast SS trio on the Liverpool service, since they would not fit the Liverpool locks. They were rather large for their designed service in winter, and one would think ideally suited to cover the overhauls of the Liverpool ships. Both ships survived WW2, and ran on their intended route until the 1960s. I have been sent a history of Royal Ulsterman's war service, and this can be read from this link. You will need Acrobat Reader installed to read this file.
 
In the 1950s, Coast Lines built the last two standard motorships, Scottish Coast and Irish Coast (both 3800 grt). They are shown on this page because both of them regularly spent their summer months on Burns & Laird services.
 
 
The 13 ships in chronological order, with links to their respective pages:-
1929 Ulster Monarch (Belfast SS) - Page 1
1930 Ulster Queen (Belfast SS) - Page 1
1930 Ulster Prince (Belfast SS) - Page 1
1930 Innisfallen (City of Cork SP) - Page 2
1936 Royal Scotsman (Burns & Laird) - This Page
1936 Royal Ulsterman (Burns & Laird) - This Page
1937 Leinster (British and Irish) - Ulster Prince - Page 4
1938 Munster (British and Irish) - Page 4
1947 Innisfallen (City of Cork SP) - Page 2
1948 Leinster (British and Irish) - Page 4
1948 Munster (British and Irish) - Page 4
1953 Irish Coast (Coast Lines) - This Page
1957 Scottish Coast (Burns & Laird) - This Page
 
References:-
The B&I Line: by Hazel P.Smyth - Gill & Macmillan 1984
Across the Irish Sea: by Robert Sinclair - Conway Maritime 1990
Irish Passenger Steamship Services - Volumes 1 & 2: by D.B.McNeil - David & Charles 1969
 
           
 
 
 
 
 
1936 Royal Scotsman
(Burns and Laird)
 
 
An attractive and accurate painting of Royal Scotsman, artist's signature illegible. Both sisters entered service in June 1936 on the Glasgow-Belfast night service, which they operated until October 1967.
 
 
A less accurate painting of Royal Scotsman, which is still full of character, published by Valentines (serial: A690). The red, blue and black Burns & Laird funnel colours were introduced on these ships. The colours were also applied to the Belfast SS trio.
 
 
A real photo on a painted sea, published by OTC.
 
 
A superb real photo card, published by W.E.Walton, Belfast.
 
 
A Real Photographs photo card of Royal Scotsman.
 
 
Royal Scotsman was sold to Ron Hubbard of Scientology fame, who renamed her Apollo. She was scrapped in Texas in 1984. This is a Duncan photo card.
 
 
 
 
 
1936 Royal Ulsterman
(Burns and Laird)
 
 
A painting of Royal Ulsterman, no publisher shown (presumed to be a Burns & Laird official card).
 
 
A real photo on a painted sea, published by OTC. From the window layout, this is a mirror image of the port side negative used for Royal Scotsman above.
 
 
A post-war real photo card, presumed to be a Burns & Laird official. This is again a mirror image of a port-side negative (correct image possibly issued as Royal Scotsman?). Probably a dockside photo transplanted onto 'open sea'.
 
 
A superb real photo card, published by W.E.Walton, Belfast.
 
 
A Real Photographs photo card of Royal Ulsterman. She was used as the accommodation ship Cammell Laird after withdrawal, and later as the Sounion. She sank at Beirut on 3/3/73 and was later scrapped.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Ulsterman.
 
 
 
 
 
1953 Irish Coast
(Coast Lines)
 
Irish Coast was owned by the Burns & Laird parent company, Coast Lines, and was used to cover the other standard ships in the fleet during their annual overhauls. In summer, she was intended to operate the Glasgow-Dublin route, but was later replaced on this service by the Scottish Coast. In subsequent years, she appeared on various routes, including Ardrossan-Belfast in the summer. She never carried Burns & Laird colours, but was associated with their routes more than any others, so I have included her here. Irish Coast was sold in 1968 to Epirotiki Lines. She received the names Orpheus, Semiramis II and Achilleus in quick succession, before settling with Apollon XI. This was rendered as Apollon 11 in 1980. She was sold in 1981, and was lost in a typhoon in 1989.
 
 
This is an attractive official Coast Lines card, painted by John S.Smith.
 
 
A variation on the official Coast Lines card above, with a title bar at the bottom.
Painted by John S.Smith.
 
 
This is an attractive night official Coast Lines card with a plain back, artist unknown.
 
 
An official Coast Lines photographic card.
 
 
An official Coast Lines photographic card.
 
 
An A.Duncan photographic card.
 
 
 
Irish Coast was sold in 1968 to Epirotiki Lines. She received the names Orpheus, Semiramis II and Achilleus in quick succession, before settling with Apollon XI. This was rendered as Apollon 11 in 1980. She was sold in 1981, and was lost in a typhoon in 1989.
 
 
Early postcard of the ex-Irish Coast, in Epirotiki Lines service in Rethymnon.
Can anyone identify which name she would be carrying at this stage? Please email: simplon@simplon.co.uk
Scan: Micahel Kenyon.
 
 
 
 
This is an official Epirotiki card as Apollon XI.
 
 
Another official Epirotiki card as Apollon XI.
 
 
This is an official Epirotiki card of the "inviting Artemis dining room" aboard Apollon XI.
 
 
This is a Duncan photo card as renamed Apollon 11 in 1980.
 
 
 
 
 
1957 Scottish Coast
(Burns and Laird)
 
Scottish Coast was the last of the thirteen standard ships. Built in 1957, she was delivered in Belfast SS colours, initially running on the Liverpool-Belfast route. She then ran the Burns & Laird Glasgow-Dublin service until 1965. In subsequent years, she appeared on various routes, including Ardrossan-Belfast in the summer, and relief for other routes during winter overhauls. She ran the Glasgow-Belfast service after the withdrawal of Royal Scotsman/Ulsterman, closing the route in September 1969. In 1969, Scottish Coast was sold to Kavounides Lines for Mediterranean cruising, and renamed Galaxias. Following the failure of Kavounides, Galaxias spent an unsuccessful spell in Vancouver and Mexico between 1986-1989, after which she was sold to Louis Cruise Lines of Cyprus, running to Rhodos, Patmos, Mykonos, Santorini, Heraklion, Port Said and Ashdod as Princesa Amorosa. She was laid up in 2000, and sold for beaking up in India in 2002.
 
 
Burns & Laird official postcard of Scottish Coast.
 
 
This is an Ensign photo card of Scottish Coast.
 
 
Burns & Laird official real photo card of Scottish Coast.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Burns & Laird official real photo card of Scottish Coast.
 
 
This is a Duncan photo card of Scottish Coast. This photo also appears to show Belfast SS colours.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Scottish Coast at Liverpool.
 
 
Plastichrome Colourpicture card serial P40372, photographed by G.I.Bearcraft, titled "B.& I. Boat, Dublin Harbour". The large ship in the centre is in fact Scottish Coast, in Burns & Laird colours when running on the Glasgow-Dublin service. The Burns & Laird vessel in front of her is the cattle carrier Lairdsglen. To the left is the Irish coaster Murell, of J.Tyrell Ltd., Arklow.
 
 
Scottish Coast, in Burns & Laird colours on the River Clyde in Glasgow, when running on the Glasgow-Dublin service. The card is M&L serial O51.
 
 
The Scottish Coast was sold in 1969 to Kavounides Lines for Mediterranean cruising, and renamed Galaxias.
Official company card of Galaxias.
 
 
Duncan photo card of Galaxias.
 
 
Following an unsuccessful spell in Vancouver Galaxias was sold to Louis Cruise Lines of Cyprus, for whom she is still in service. This is their official card.
 
 
Photograph of Princesa Amorosa.
Photo: © Panteleimon Lelekis.
Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.
 
 
 
 
 
Coast Lines
H&W Motorships Page 1 - H&W Motorships Page 2
H&W Motorships Page 3 - H&W Motorships Page 4
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