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Empire Taff

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The ship as Apollo
History
Name
  • 1927: Apollo
  • 1945: Empire Taff
  • 1947: Alhama
Namesake
Owner
Operator1945: McAndrews & Co
Port of registry
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Yard number867
Completed1927
Refit1929 or 1930
Identification
Fatescrapped in 1953
General characteristics
Class & typeAjax-class cargo ship
Tonnage
  • 1927: 2,013 GRT, 1,026 NRT
  • by 1930: 2,297 GRT, 1,811 NRT
Length87.48 m (287.0 ft) registered
Beam14.02 m (46.0 ft)
Depth
  • 1927: 4.66 m (15.3 ft)
  • 1929: 7.07 m (23.2 ft)
Decks2
Installed power
Propulsion1 × screw
Sensors &
processing systems
Notessister ships: Ajax, Atlas, Arion

Empire Taff was a steel-hulled cargo steamship. She was built in Germany in 1927 for Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft „Neptun“ as Apollo. In 1945 the United Kingdom seized her as war reparations, and renamed her Empire Taff. In 1947 the UK government sold her to a Scottish shipping company, which renamed her Alhama. She was scrapped in Scotland in 1953.

She was the second of three DG „Neptun“ ships to be named after the ancient Greek god Apollo. The first was an iron-hulled steamship that was built by Möller & Holberg, Stettin, in 1883,requisitioned by the Imperial German Navy in 1914,[1] [2] and last recorded in Lloyd's Register in 1920.[3] The third was a motor ship that was built by Nobiskrug GmbH, Rendsburg, West Germany in 1957,[4][2] sold and renamed Peliki in 1972,[5] and scrapped in 1984.[2]

Ajax-class cargo ships

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In 1927, AG Weser in Bremen built a class of four cargo steamships for DG „Neptun“ (the "Neptune Steamship Company"). Yard number 866 was launched as Ajax; 867 as Apollo; 868 as Atlas; and 869 as Arion.[6] Each had a single screw, and their main engine was a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine.[7][8][9][10]

Each Ajax-class ship had also a Bauer-Wach exhaust steam turbine,[7][8][9][10] which Gustav Bauer and Hans Wach at Joh. C. Tecklenborg in Bremerhaven had patented in 1926. Tecklenborg and AG Weser had then become two of the constituents of DeSchiMAG, and Tecklenborg shared the patented system within the DeSchiMAG group.

Apollo

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Apollo's registered length was 87.48 m (287.0 ft); her beam was 14.02 m (46.0 ft), and, as built, her depth was 4.66 m (15.3 ft). Her tonnages were 2,013 GRT and 1,026 NRT. The combined power of her reciprocating engine plus her turbine was rated at 180 NHP,[8] or 1,170 ihp.[6][11] She was equipped with submarine signalling. DG „Neptun“ registered her at Bremen. Her code letters were QMGD.[8]

By 1930, DG „Neptun“ had each ship of the Ajax class altered to increase their depth from 4.66 m (15.3 ft) to 7.07 m (23.2 ft).[12][13][14] This increased Apollo's tonnages to 2,297 GRT and 1,811 NRT.[15] By 1934, her wireless telegraph call sign was DOKF, and this had superseded her code letters.[16] Her navigation equipment was augmented with the addition of an echo sounding device in 1937,[17] and wireless direction finding in 1938.[18]

Empire Taff and Ahama

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In May 1945, the UK seized Apollo as a war prize at Flensburg.[19] The Ministry of War Transport took ownership of her, and renamed her Empire Taff, after the River Taff in south Wales. She was registered in London; her UK official number was 180673; and her call sign was GNFN. McAndrews & Co of London were her managers.[11][20]

In 1947, the MoWT sold the ship to John Bruce & Co, who renamed her Alhama, and registered her in Glasgow.[21] She was scrapped in 1953,[22] at Faslane in Argyll.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Lloyd's Register 1914, APA–APP.
  2. ^ a b c Swiggum, Susan; Kohli, Marjorie (19 November 2006). "Neptun Line". TheShipsList. Retrieved 24 June 2025 – via Benjidog Historical Research Resources.
  3. ^ Lloyd's Register 1920, APO–APS.
  4. ^ Lloyd's Register 1958, Aoi Maru.
  5. ^ Lloyd's Register 1976, Pelikaan.
  6. ^ a b "AG "Weser" Werftarchiv" (in German). Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  7. ^ a b Lloyd's Register 1928, AIN–AJA
  8. ^ a b c d Lloyd's Register 1928, AOS–APP
  9. ^ a b Lloyd's Register 1928, ATL
  10. ^ a b Lloyd's Register 1928, ARI
  11. ^ a b Mercantile Navy List 1947, p. 115
  12. ^ Lloyd's Register 1930, AIS–AKA.
  13. ^ Lloyd's Register 1930, ATL.
  14. ^ Lloyd's Register 1930, ARI.
  15. ^ Lloyd's Register 1930, AOS–APP.
  16. ^ Lloyd's Register 1934, AOS–APP.
  17. ^ Lloyd's Register 1937, ANZ–APO.
  18. ^ Lloyd's Register 1938, APO–AQU.
  19. ^ a b Mitchell & Sawyer 1990, p. 467.
  20. ^ Lloyd's Register 1945, Supplement: E.
  21. ^ Lloyd's Register 1948, ALG–ALI.
  22. ^ Lloyd's Register 1952, ALG–ALI.

Bibliography

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  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1914 – via Internet Archive.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1920 – via Internet Archive.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers and Motorships. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1928 – via Internet Archive.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers and Motorships of 300 Tons Gross and Over. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1930 – via Southampton City Council.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers and Motorships of 300 Tons Gross and Over. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1934 – via Southampton City Council.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers and Motorships of 300 Tons Gross and Over. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1937 – via Southampton City Council.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers and Motorships of 300 Tons Gross and Over. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1938 – via Southampton City Council.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. II.–Steamers and Motorships of 300 Tons Gross and Over. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1945 – via Southampton City Council.
  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. I. A–L Steamers, Motorships, Sailing Vessels, &c. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1948 – via Internet Archive.
  • Mercantile Navy List. London: Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. 1947 – via Crew List Index Project.
  • Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1990). The Empire Ships (2nd ed.). London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
  • Register Book. Vol. I A–L. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1952 – via Internet Archive.
  • Register Book. Vol. I Register of Ships. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1958 – via Internet Archive.
  • Register of Ships. Vol. M–Z. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1976.
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