S.S. France, France 1960 - 1979
S.S. Norway, 1980 - 2005
"Blue Lady" 2005 -2007
As The France she was the last of the great French transatlantic Ocean Liners
and the longest ever made (until Queen Mary 2) until she was laid up from 1974
until 1979. She was also the last ship designed solely for the
transatlantic service - so arguably the last true transatlantic ocean liner.
As The Norway, with reduced power & speed to make for more economic cruising,
she became one of the most famous cruise ships afloat. In 1990 her
appearance changed as 2 decks were added high on her superstructure,
dramatically spoiling her classic ocean liner lines.
A boiler explosion in 2003 spelt the end for her, as repair costs proved
prohibitive. After a long drawn out battle, she ended her days on the beach at
Alang shipbreakers, August 2006.
Built at Penhoet, St. Nazaire as FRANCE Yard #G19
66,348 GRT
1,035 x 110.5 feet
Quadruple Screw, geared CEM-Parsons geared turbines from builders
Service speed 30 knots, max 35.21 knots
160,000 shaft horsepower
407 First Class, 1,637 Tourist Class passengers
Nice tribute video
This one is a nice slideshow of images :-
This one is very moving - as the Norway leaves Germany, where she had
been meant to be getting repaired... she gets a nice send off.
This video is worth it just to hear the difference between a proper
steam fog horn (near the end, as the Norway answers) and the air powered
horn:
And another nice tribute video of slideshow images
