An iconic liner

摘要

In 1956 P&O placed an order with Harland & Wolff for the 45,720gt liner Canberra, which was to be the company's new flagship and the largest ship to be built in Europe since Queen Elizabeth of 1940. She was 15,000gt larger than any other vessel of the P&O fleet and five knots faster. Her passenger capacity of 2,238 was the largest of any conventional liner afloat. Her design, by naval architect John West, was in many ways revolutionary. Her machinery was a turbo-electric two-shaft installation by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd, which produced 68,000shp for her normal service speed of 27.5 knots. Although this system was more expensive than traditional steam turbine machinery, one of its biggest advantages was that there was significantly less vibration from the engines than from conventional turbine engines. Unusually, her twin propeller shafts were carried outboard in A-braekets to reduce drag.