Pretoria Castle
Ship Number
1332
Vessel Type
Passenger Ship
Built
Belfast
Slip Number
2
Launch Date
August 19, 1947
Launched By
Mrs Smuts, by radio telephony, from Africa.
Delivered
July 10, 1948
Owner
Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co.
Weight
28705 grt
BP Length
700 feet
Breadth
83-6 feet
No. of Screws
Twin
Speed (approx)
21 knots
Propulsion
2 x 3 Double Reduction Steam Turbine, 35, 000 SHP
Official No.
181944
Registered
London
Fate
Scrapped
Pretoria Castle

Union-Castle's replacement for the lost Windsor Castle. She was Slip Number radio from Irene, Transvaal, by Mrs. Jan Smuts in August 1947 and entered Union-Castle's Southampton-Durban mail service in July 1948. In June 1953, Pretoria Castle carried Government guests at the Coronation Review held at Spithead. Later, in 1962, a refitting resulted in the fore mast being reduced to funnel height, the main mast being removed, and a new mast fitted at the bridge.
 
In 1966, the ship was sold to the South African Marine Corp. and renamed Oranje. She remained on her old route, under Union-Castle management, and was staffed by Union-Castle officers and crew, but wore  South African Marine livery.
 
Oranje was broken up at Kaohsiung in 1975.