Slieve Bawn
The Slieve Bawn leaving Dublin in the twilight of her career. © Pat Sweeney.
On the Irish Sea
the cattle trade formed a considerable part of British Railways’
operations and as such their cargo vessels were primarily built for
shipment of livestock. Irish Government records for 1956 indicate that
livestock accounted for almost 35 per cent of Ireland’s total exports.
Some 37 per cent of this livestock trade was handled by BR routes from
Heysham, Holyhead and Fishguard.
For this trade, in 1929 the company placed a £93,463 order with Wm Denny Bros. for the first in what would be a class of four ships for the Holyhead to Dublin cargo/livestock service, each offering capacity for approximately 640 head of cattle. The final vessel in the lineup was the Slieve Bawn, coming out in 1936.
Along with the
reciprocating steamer Slieve
Donard of 1921, the
four modern turbine steamers remained in the company’s service
throughout the war.
The Slieve Bawn, away for Dublin.
Shortly after
nationalisation, closed containers for the shipment of fresh meat and
other perishable goods were introduced. Up to 60 small containers of
four tons and capacities ranging from 500 to 775 cu. ft. could be
shipped at any one time. This method of transportation proved so
successful that major improvements were put in place at the ports to
meet increased demand. While new cranes were installed ashore, the ships
lost their well balanced looks as mainmasts were removed and re-stepped
immediately forward of the funnel, to make way for containers on deck.
The Slieve Bawn's clock - keeping time in Tasmania. © Justin Merrigan
The Slieve Bloom was the first of the quartet to see withdrawal and in 1965 she and the Slieve More were sold to Van Heyghen Freres for breaking up in Belgium. The Slieve League followed her two sisters to Belgian breakers in February 1967, being towed there after sale for £14,000 and leaving the Slieve Bawn as the last of the "old boats" until she too met her fate.