Warsailors Forums

Good evening, I am trying to find the reason for the differences in the completion and registration dates of the ship St. Essylt (ON162150) in various sources. She was built in 1940 at J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., North Sands shipyard for Saint Line. The Empire Ships book has the completion date 07.1940, Miramar site gives the completion date 09.1940, also http://sunderlandships.com/ on 09.1940, Lloyd's Register 1942 on 09.1941, also https://www.crewlist.org.uk/ on 09.1941 and registration of the ship on 18.09.1941. How was it really? Best regards, Kris.

All was on schedule for the intended mid-1940 completion/delivery when WW2 broke out.
The Doxford-type engine was made by Richardsons Westgarth, but the crankshaft was subcontracted to SA John Cockerill, Seraing, Bekgium. That was lost on the German occupation of Belgium; and then there were difficulties in finding a replacement supplier, no doubt exacerbated by the priority warship programme. The hull was finished and ready to be classed by Lloyd's Register, but then laid up until 1941, when the engine could be completed and installed.

In my view, "built 1940" is, at best, misleading

Hello, thank you very much for explanation