AQUITANIA inwards for Tees Dock 05.07.13.British Flag and London registry.

AQUITANIA (9300491), United Kingdom, 31238gt, completed Chiba 12-2006

From the South Gare - 5 July 2013: Ron

Seeing a current AQUITANIA trading under the British flag inevitably drew comparison with a predecessor of the same name.
It is just over 100 years ago that Cunard's famous four-funnel AQUITANIA was launched on the Clyde in April 1913, with completion in May 1914. She served through the two wars and on into my own lifetime (although well before my interest started 10 years later) being scrapped in Scotland in February 1950.
There are many references to her on the 'net, including the Wikipedia entry at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Aquitania

Worth reflecting, in passing, on the extensive changes in ship design and trading over those 100 years, and then to think back a further 100 years and the tremendous changes that arose in the industry during the 19th century. What will ships be like in another 100 years??

Ron