SS Kyle
Newfoundland steamship
Vessel Wikidata
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The SS Kyle is a 220-foot (67-meter) steam-powered vessel notable for its historical service and distinctive design. Built by Swan Hunter in Wallsend, England, and launched on April 7, 1913, she was part of the Reid Newfoundland Company’s Alphabet Fleet, which adhered to a naming convention honoring Scottish towns. The Kyle was powered by a 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine, enabling her to reach speeds of approximately 22 miles per hour (19 knots). She measured 32 feet (9.8 meters) in width and had a depth of 18 feet (5.5 meters), with a gross tonnage of 1,055 tonnes. Inside, she was equipped to carry 68 first-class and 142 second-class passengers. Initially serving the northwest coast of Newfoundland, Kyle arrived in St. John’s on May 20, 1913, and was commanded by Captain Lorenzo Stevenson. Her early routes included transportation between Carbonear and Labrador, a service she maintained for over three decades. In 1915, she was reassigned to operate between Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, and North Sydney, Nova Scotia. In 1923, control of the vessel and the Newfoundland Railway was transferred to the Newfoundland government. Following her replacement by the SS Caribou on the Nova Scotia route in 1926, she resumed service between Carbonear and Labrador ports. During World War II, she played a role in transporting soldiers from Newfoundland to Canada and served as an icebreaker, thanks to her heavy forward end and spoon-shaped bow designed for winter navigation. Known locally as the "Bulldog of the North," the Kyle was renowned for her speed and reliability in ferrying passengers and cargo along Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1959, she was sold to Arctic Shipping Ltd. and renamed Arctic Eagle, then later, in 1961, to Kyle Shipping Ltd., when she was repurposed as a sealer. Her career ended after extensive ice damage in 1965 rendered her uneconomical to repair. She was driven aground during a storm in Harbour Grace on February 4, 1967, and subsequently sold for scrap, with efforts to preserve her as a museum being abandoned due to financial constraints. Today, the SS Kyle remains grounded at Harbour Grace, serving as a historic maritime relic.
This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.