WARWICKSHIRE  1948
RETURN TO THE HOMEPAGE                                                                                                                                                                                                                               THE OCEAN LINERS
	In 1945, Bibby Line had restarted their Burma service in association with Henderson's.  Two new passenger ships, the Warwickshire and the Leicestershire, joined the fleet in 1948/9 but with accommodation for only 75 persons. Both ships still bore the unmistakable Bibby image and brought the passenger fleet up to a total of five. However, in January 1948 Burma (renamed Myanmar) attained independence and thereafter both the passenger and cargo trade began to decline. In  1952 Bibby's 'Burma Boat' partner, P. Henderson & Co., sold out to Elder Dempster so that their combined fleet could serve either Burma or West Africa. The closure of the Suez Canal in 1956 effectively killed off Bibby's Burma trade as going via the Cape was totally uneconomical. However, a monthly service was maintained until the Suez situation clarified itself six years later. By 1961 only three ships were operating the Burma service, the Herefordshire, and the passenger ships Warwickshire and Leicestershire. The passenger service to Colombo and Rangoon was terminated in 1965 and the two ships, Leicestershire (II) and Warwickshire (II), being unsuitable for charter, were withdrawn and sold to Typaldos Lines of Piraeus for further service.		S.S. Warwickshire (1948) ~ The Last of the Burma Boats ~
	Her Regular Service Route: Great Britain to Burma via the Suez Canal Liverpool - Port Said - Suez Canal - Port Sudan - Aden - Colombo - Rangoon BIBBY LINE LTD, LIVERPOOL

(c) The AJN Transport Britain Collection 2010                                                                                                                                                                                 A Edward Elliott