Turkistan Voyage History

The steamship Arator, originally built as the Turkistan.

LAUNCH AT WEST HARTLEPOOL

Northern Daily Mail Sept 26/11

Yesterday, Messrs. William Gray and Company, Limited, launched the large steel screw steamer Turkistan, which they have built to the order of Messrs. Frank C. Strick and Co., Limited, of Swansea and London. The vessel will take the highest class Lloyd’s Register and is of the following dimensions vis.: Length over all, 384ft. 6in.; breadth, 50ft., and depth, 30ft.  

She is a handsomely modelled vessel of the double-deck type, with poop, long bridge and topgallant forecastle, having very tasteful cabin accommodation in houses on the bridge deck for passengers, captain and officers, and is fitted throughout with electric lighting.  The vessel has a cellular double bottom and after peak tank for water ballast, and in addition there is a deep tank or hold compartment fitted for water ballast abaft the engine room, giving a total capacity for water ballast of about 2,000 tons. The whole of the outfit including steam windlass, steam steering gear, ten steam winches, with return exhaust to winch condenser of the Contraflo type, are  of the most approved description

The machinery is made by the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, being of the triple-expansion type with cylinders 28in., 46in., and 77in.  diameter, with a piston stroke 48in. she is fitted with a Contraflo main condenser, Weir’s feed pump and heater and large steel multitubular boilers working by Howden’s system of forced draught at a pressure of 180lbs. per square inch.
             
The vessel and machinery have been constructed under the superintendence of Mr. Archibald Walker, on behalf of the owners, and the ceremony of naming the steamer Turkistan was gracefully performed by lady Beresford-Peirse, of Bedale, wife of Sir Henry Beresford-Peirse, of Bedale, a trustee of the debenture holders of Wm. Gray and Co., Ltd.

TRIAL TRIP OF THE s.s. TURKISTAN

Northern Daily Mail Nov 7/11
    
On Saturday, the large steel screw steamer Turkistan built by Messrs. Wm Gray and Co., Ltd., for Messrs. Frank C. Strick and Co., Ltd., of Swansea and London, was taken for her trial trip. The vessel has been built to Lloyd’s highest class, and her principal dimensions are: Length over all, 384ft.6in.; breadth, 50ft., and depth, 30ft. 

She is a handsomely modelled vessel of the double-deck type, with poop, long bridge and topgallant forecastle, having very tasteful cabin accommodation in houses on the bridge deck for passengers, captain and officers, and is fitted throughout with electric lighting.  
    
Triple-expansion engines have been supplied from the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, having cylinders 28in., 46in., and 77in.  diameter, by 48in. stroke, and three large boilers of the builders well known flanged shell type, adapted for a working  pressure of 180lbs. per square inch, and  worked under Howden’s system of forced draught. The port openings in the cylinders are large to insure an easy passage for the steam and so obtain the maximum efficiency from it. The engines are fitted with a “Contraflo” main condenser, a “Contraflo” atmospheric type being installed for the auxiliary machinery. A pair of Weir’s feed pumps and heater are also fitted which, in conjunction with a special arrangement of boiler feed heating by means of the exhaust steam, insure a high feed temperature. The engine room auxiliaries include a number of duplex pumps of the builders C.M.E.W. type, are very complete, and were carried out in accordance with the requirements of the owners’ superintendent engineer.
    
There were on board Mr. A. Walker and Mr. Clarkson (the former gentleman having superintended the construction of the vessel and machinery), Mr. R. Marshall, of the Board of Trade, West Hartlepool, Mr. D. McAuslan and Mr. James Innes of Lloyd’s Registry, West Hartlepool. An extended trial was made, the results obtained being highly satisfactory both in regard to ship and machinery.
    
The vessel afterwards proceeded to Middlesbrough to load.