Riviera

Vessel name on Arrival: Laird's Isle

Original Builder: William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton

Original Yard No: 937

Official Number: 132546

Vessel Type: Passenger

GRT: 1675

Year Built: 1911

Arrival Date: 09/10/1957

Breakup Started: 17/10/1957

Date First Beached: 04/02/1958

Date Breakup Completed: 07/04/1958

Draught For’d: 12' 00"

Draught Aft: 11' 10"

Name Changes:

1911  :  Launched as RIVIERA for the South East & Chatham Railway, London

1923  :  Owners name changed to Southern Railway Company, London without change of vessel name

1914 :  Requisitioned by Admiralty, now HMS RIVIERA Pendant No. N85

1920 :  Reverted to original mercantile service name of RIVIERA

1932 :  Acquired by Messrs Burns & Laird Lines of Glasgow and renamed LAIRD'S ISLE

1939  :  Requisitioned by Admiralty for war service with Pendant No. 4.21 and name retained

1945  :  Returned to Burns & Laird without further name changes

Other Information:

Launched  :  01-04-1911                                        Completed   :  June 1911

Propulsion by three Parsons steam turbines, each driving an independent shaft/screw, developing 850 NHP when supplied with steam from five of the installed six coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox Water-Tube Boilers, to provide a service speed of 20.5 knots.  After acquisition by Burns and Laird, she was converted to oil-firing by Ardrossan Dockyard.

Under the Southern Railways Company she saw service on the Dover – Calais route.

Under Burns & Laird she saw service on the Belfast – Ardossan route.

During WWI she saw service as a Seaplane Carrier

During WWII she saw service as an Armed Boarding Vessel and later as a Landing Ship Infantry