Slieve Bloom
The Slieve Bloom at the Goods Outward berth in Holyhead. Capt. Glynne Pritchard Collection.
Performing an equally important role as the passengers ships in the Holyhead fleet were the purpose-built vessels dedicated to the shipment of cargo. While the principal passenger ships carried mails and some amounts of general cargo the pure cargo ships could perhaps be described as the workhorses of the fleet. Despite their ‘unromantic’ roles there was no less pride in these venerable ships over their more illustrious fleetmates and indeed they were each well-found and, for the majority, of handsome appearance.
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. Entering service in 1930 the
Slieve Bloom was a ship
of innovation being equipped with electrically operated cranes and Brown
hydro-electric steering. In the engine room instead of the reciprocating
steam engines that had served the port's cargo fleet for so long, a pair
of compound steam turbines with single reduction gearing were
installed.
The Slieve Bloom was followed in 1932 by a sister ship, the Slieve More. A third and slightly different vessel, the Slieve League, arrived in 1935 and she was followed in 1936 by the final ship in the range for Holyhead, the Slieve Bawn.
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.