| Name: | RANCHI |
| Type: | Passenger Refrigerated Cargo Ship |
| Launched: | 24/01/1925 |
| Completed: | 29/07/1925 |
| Builder: | R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co |
| Yard: | Hebburn |
| Yard Number: | 534 |
| Dimensions: | 16738grt, 8827nrt, 548.5 x 71.3 x 43.2ft |
| Engines: | 2 x Q4cyl (32.5, 46.5, 67 & 96 x 60ins) & LP Turbine, DR geared |
| Engines by: | R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co, Newcastle |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Screws, 17.0knots |
| Construction: | Steel |
| Reg Number: | 148130 |
| History: | |
| 07/07/1925 | Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co Ltd; registered at Newcastle |
| 19/01/1953 | Broken up |
| Comments: | Accommodation for 312 x 1st & 275 x 2nd Class passengers |
| Built for the London to Bombay mail service & cruising | |
| Purchase price £919,080. Sister ship to RANPURA | |
| 27/08/1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty as HMS RANCHI, an armed merchant cruiser | |
| Armed with 8 x 1 x 6ins & 2 x 1 x 3ins guns and the aft funnel was removed | |
| 16/03/1943: Converted for use as a troopship by the Ministry of War Transport | |
| 18/07/1947: Returned to owners | |
| 1948 to 1952 Used as an emigrant ship between England & Australia | |
| Accommodation now for 950 x outward bound emigrants | |
| 07/01/1953: Sold to BISCO (British Iron and Steel Corporation) for £200,000 | |
| Allocated to John Cashmore Ltd for breaking up | |
| 18/01/1953: Arrived at Newport, Monmouthshire | |
| 19/01/1953: Handed over to J Cashmore for breaking up |
Above photo is courtesy of Kevin Blair
Above: RANCHI at Malta as a troopship. Photo is courtesy of Photoship
RANCHI as an emigrant ship in Australia. Photo is copyright of of Allan C Green
RANCHI as an emigrant ship in Australia. Photo is copyright of of Allan C Green
Shields Daily News, Monday, 26/01/1925