NORMANDIE LINER

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1945, Page 6

NORMANDIE LINER

FINANCIAL FAILURE. LONDON, October 23. The French liner Normandie (83,423 tons), at one time holder ol the Atlantic speed record, is to be scrapoed. The French Government has refused to use its option to repuichase the ship for France. _ The liner, which has cost £WOO,000 since her launching m 1932, win be worth £35,000 as scrap. rhe Normandie cost £7,000,000 to bund, but after her trials she went back to the shipyard for four new propellers and a £500,000 stern remodel. In 1935 she smashed the Atlantic crossing record in four days three nours iwo minutes. Later the Queen Mary took’ the record, but in 193/ the Normandie made the crossing in three days 23 hours two minutes. In 19333 'the Queen Mary regained the record. When the war came the Normandie stayed in New York harbour, costing £5OOO a month for maintenance. She was requisitioned by the United States Navy, but, while being converted into an aircraft-carrier, she caught fire and capsized. It took 18 months to refloat the liner, and the Navy then attempted to make her a troopship, bringing the total expenditure to £5,000,000. Now France has decided that it would not. be worth while to relit the Normandie as a luxury liner, but there is still £2,500,000 to pay to the owners as an indemnity.