Description:This ocean passenger liner is thought to be the RMS Rangitata which was built in 1929. The Rangitata was operated by the New Zealand Shipping Company and usually sailed between the United Kingdom and New Zealand with two other ships of the “Rangi” class. She was scrapped in 1962.
During World War II the Rangitata operated as a troopship with a capacity of around 2600 servicemen. On 9 July 1943 the English Electric Company received an order from New Zealand to supply four “6K” Diesel engines for auxiliary power supplies in two of the “Rangi” class ships. The two engines fitted in each ship would have a total output of 660 B.H.P. The reason for this extra power was to increase the capacity of the forced ventilation system so that the ships could carry their full complement of servicemen without undue discomfort.
Acknowledgement: The War Diary of the English Electric Company 1938 to 1945.
This image has been taken from an original glass negative which has been donated to the Staffordshire County Museum by Alstom Power in Stafford.