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THE ACCIDENT THAT TIME FORGOT

              05.30 25/11. The damage to the stern doors did not delay the
              landing and loading of milk tankers.

              Temporary repairs will be made as quickly as possible.’

          Incident 4: 2  November 1952
                        nd
              The  final  accident,  although  minor  in  nature,  was  to  be  a
          contributory  factor  to  the  January  1953  disaster  although  no
          significance was attached to it at the time of its occurrence. On
          2 November 1952, while the vessel was tied up at the mail pier
          in Larne, she was struck on the starboard side by the SS Empire
          Gaelic outward bound for Preston. The for’ard moorings of the
          MV Princess Victoria were carried away by the collision and she
          drifted backwards and struck the pier and ramp with her stern.
          Taken  out  of  service,  she  was  sailed  to  Henderson’s  Yard  in
          Glasgow where a full examination revealed that her bow and hull
          had  been  damaged  as  had  the guide  rails of  the  sliding door
          which could still move and down but could not be locked in place
          over  the  stern  doors  as  was  its  original  purpose.  The  ship
          surveyor advised that the damage to the rails could be repaired
          at the owners’ convenience. The MV Princess Victoria was then
          returned to service with this damage remaining un-repaired. This

          meant that the shield could not be lowered to prevent sea spray
          getting on the open rear car deck.

          The Final Voyage

              At the end of January 1953 a massive storm began forming
          in the North Atlantic which would later cause great devastation
          along the East Coast of England and in Holland. As it grew in
                                 th
          intensity, on Friday 30  January the B.B.C. [British Broadcasting
          Corporation] broadcast a gale warning which was subsequently
          re-broadcast  by  various  maritime  radio  stations,  including
          Portpatrick Radio. More warnings were transmitted on Saturday

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