Toroa (ferry)
 The Toroa on the Waitematā Harbour in the 1950s
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Namesake | Northern royal albatross |
| Owner |
|
| Builder | George Niccol |
| Laid down | 1924 |
| Launched | 28 April 1925 |
| In service | July 1925 |
| Out of service | 8 August 1980 |
| Status | Undergoing restoration |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 309 GT |
| Length | 130.95 ft (39.91 m) |
| Beam | 31.4 ft (9.6 m) |
| Draft | 9.9 ft (3.0 m) |
| Depth | 9.6 ft (2.9 m) |
| Decks | 2 |
| Installed power | Aitcheson, Blair Ltd Triple-expansion steam engine 51 horsepower (38 kW) |
| Propulsion | Triple expansion steam engine |
| Speed | 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
| Crew | 4 |
Toroa, named for the northern royal albatross, is an Albatross-class passenger ferry that served Auckland, New Zealand.
History
[edit]Toroa was laid down in early 1924, with it taking 12 months to complete her. She was launched on 25 April 1925, with Mrs J. Fotheringham giving her blessing to the ship. [1] She would begin service that same year in July, primarily travelling between the Devonport and Auckland CBD ferry terminals with her sister ship Makora.[1][2] At her peak, she would carry about 20,000 passengers a day.[2] After 55 years of service, she was laid up and was set to be buried in land reclamation work at Westhaven along with ferries Korea, Makora, Takapuna, and The Peregrine,[3] but was saved purchased by the New Zealand Maritime Trust. A volunteer group, the Toroa Preservation Society, worked towards a restoration. However, the well-restored vessel sank in 1998 at Birkenhead Wharf in a storm.[2] Toroa would be raised on the second attempt, and would be brought ashore at Henderson in 2001.[2] Restoration work is continuing slowly but regularly.[2]
Other Albatross-class ferries include[1]
- Albatross
- Kestrel
- The Peregrine
- Ngoiro
- Makora
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Balderston, David (1986). The harbour ferries of Auckland (1st ed.). ISBN 1-86934-004-3.
- ^ a b c d e Falconer, Phoebe (26 June 2010). "Observatory director behind Toroa Preservation Society". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ^ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
External links
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