The Union Castle Line operated between Great Britain and South Africa from 1857 until as recently as 1977.  In 1999, a group staged a "resurrection" of sorts, chartering the classic P&O liner Victoria (formerly Swedish American's Kungsholm) for a 60-day cruise 'round Africa.  You can read the complete Union Castle history, as well the plans for the historical re-enactment voyage here.

• A brief history of the Union-Castle Line by Martin Cox

Built in 1910 with accommodation for 800 passengers, the Balmoral Castle, like her sister the Edinburgh Castle, was a two-stacker, 590 feet long and 13,360 GRT.   She served as a royal yacht and a trooper, and then returned to the passenger/mail run until 1939, when her slow speed (17 knots) made her obsolete. 

Her keel was laid in 1915 but the Arundel Castle was not completed until 1921.   She was 661 feet long, 19,000 GRT and could carry 1,200 passengers in four classes, including steerage, when built.

In 1937 she was rebuilt with new engines, bringing her top speed from 17 to 20 knots and replacing her four funnels with two as seen here.

Completed in 1936, the Athlone Castle was 25,564 GRT and 725 feet long.   From 1939 until 1946 she served as a trooper in WW2.  She carried about 720 passengers, and had two similar sisters, the Stirling Castle and the Capetown Castle.  She was scrapped in 1965.

The latter of two ships to carry this name, the Warwick Castle shown here was launched in 1938 as the Pretoria Castle.  A sister, the Durban Castle, joined the fleet the following year.  Her namesake was a two-stacker, built in 1931 and lost during World War 2. 

The Pretoria also saw war service, being used for a time as an early-edition aircraft carrier and launcher, her planes landed at sea and were hoisted back aboard!

She was rebuilt in 1939 and renamed the Warwick Castle, and placed on the 'round Africa route.  She remained thus until 1962, when she was retired and broken up.  A later Pretoria Castle became the S.A. Oranje for Safmarine.

Kenya Castle anchored off Zanzibar in 1958.  
Photo © Ray Marsh

The Kenya Castle was built by Harland & Wolff of Belfast in 1952.  She is 576 feet long, 74 feet wide, and originally 17,041 GRT.  Her  capacity was for 526 passengers. 

She was laid up in 1976, and sold to Chandris.  They rebuilt her as their Amerikanis, 19,904 GRT with capacity for 617 guests in lower berths, or 900 total.  Her superstructure was extended and her cargo cranes removed.

She was withdrawn in the late 'eighties and remained idle in Greece until she was scrapped in India.

The Kenya Castle at the docks of Lourenco Marques (now Maputo) in 1958. Photo © Ray Marsh

The Rhodesia Castle, sister ship to the Kenya Castle, departs Mombasa in1956. 
Photo © Ray Marsh

Built in 1958, the Pendennis Castle became the first new ship in the new combined fleet of the Clan Line and Union Castle, and she was also the first to be stabilised.  She carried about 700 passengers in two classes, and could make 22 knots.  She left Union Castle service in 1976, and after a series of lay-ups and renamings, she was scrapped in 1980.

At 37,640 GRT and 783 feet long, she was the largest vessel ever built for Union Castle.  She carried nearly 800 passengers in two classes, and could make 22½ knots.

The Windsor Castle ended 120 years of Union Castle service in 1977, sailing from London for the last time on 6th September.  She was sold to the Latsis Group of Greece and renamed the Margarita L. After being used as an accommodation ship and was recently sold for scrap.

• Maritime Matters: Tour of the Margarita L.