Associated Humber Lines (AHL) was created in 1935 to manage the services of various railway controlled shipping lines including port activities in the Humber area of the United Kingdom. The ownership of the respective vessels did not transfer to A.H.L and similarly the ports concerned, Hull, Goole and Grimsby, also remained under the control of the railway companies and their successors.
The operation was formed by the amalgamation of the following companies' shipping services: London, Midland & Scottish Railway – Goole Steam Shipping Co Hull & Netherlands Steamship Company London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) – Great Central section London, Midland & Scottish Railway – Goole services Wilson's & North Eastern Railway Shipping Co – wholly owned by LNER
At formation, the joint service operated to 18 continental destinations.
History
In May 1935 the organisation was formed to take over the management of the ships and ports and in June the control committee commenced to function and the process of rationalisation began.
At formation the fleet consisted of 30 ships from the following ownership:
London, Midland and Scottish Railway's – Goole Steam Shipping Co. Ltd.:
"Aire", "Alt", "Besline", "Besway", "Blyth", "Dearne", "Don", "Douglas", "Hebble", "Hodder", "Irwell", "Mersey", "Ouse", "Rother", "Rye", "Transport" and "West Riding".
Hull and Netherlands S.S. Co. Ltd. (wholly owned subsidiary of LNER):
"Melrose Abbey" and "Jervaulx Abbey".
London and North Eastern Railway Company (LNER) (Great Central section):
"Accrington", "Bury", "Dewsbury", , , Felixstowe,"City of Bradford" and "City of Leeds".
Wilson's & N.E.R. Shipping Ltd. (LNER the majority shareholder):
"Harrogate", "Hull", "Selby" and "York".
At handover, two ships of the LNER were laid up – "City of Bradford" and "City of Leeds".
A listing of the ships details and their histories can be found below.
By mid 1937 the integrated fleet had been reduced by six ships, and war losses in the managed fleet and the urgent need for vessels elsewhere around the UK for other services depleted the fleet further.
In 1957 the style became Associated Humber Lines Ltd., with the British Transport Commission being a 91 per cent shareholder and the balance of shares were held by Ellerman's Wilson Line. All the existing fleet at that time were transferred to the new entity and a fleet renewal programme was put in place.
The first of eight newly built ships was delivered in 1958, and in 1959 AHL's operation was expanded to include the Hull-New Holland ferry service.
Control of AHL was transferred to the Transport Holding Company in January 1963 and onwards again to the National Freight Corporation in 1969.
Having faced severe competition from short sea container operators and roll-on/roll-off ferries, operations declined and by 1968 had been reduced to just two container services from Hull to Rotterdam and Antwerp. Losses were such that in November 1971 the AHL operation was closed. The final sailings from Antwerp and Rotterdam being performed by "Leeds" and "Melrose Abbey".
Livery
1935–1939: Funnel – Buff with red band touching black top with 'A H L' in black on red band. Hulls – Black with red boot topping. Fawn-Brown uppers with black vents.
1946 onwards: Uppers changed to white.
Houseflag – Blue with white disc. Red letters 'A H L' on the white disc.
Routes 1935–1939: Goole to German, Dutch and Belgian Ports.
1935–1939: Goole to some French Ports with southern limit at Bordeaux.
1946–1964: Goole to Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
1946–1965: Goole to Copenhagen and Bremen.
1935–1939: Grimsby to Hamburg and Antwerp.
1935–1940: Grimsby to Rotterdam
1946–1967: Hull to Amsterdam, Bremen and Hamburg.
1946–1971: Hull to Antwerp and Rotterdam.
Ships transferred to AHL management in 1935 From London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) ShipLaunchedTonnage GRTNotes and references 19101,629 Built in 1910 for the Great Central Railway and served on the Grimsby–Hamburg, Germany route. Acquired by in 1923 and passed to AHL in 1935. From July 1942 used as a convoy rescue ship during the Second World War and completed 40 escort voyages. Returned to the post-war and in 1946 with her sister Dewsbury was transferred to Harwich to replace war losses. Passed to British Railways in 1948. Served until scrapped in 1951 mainly on the Harwich – Antwerp route. SS Bury19101,634 A sister of Accrington which entered Great Central Railway's Grimsby-Hamburg service in January 1911. Seized in Hamburg in August 1914 and used by Germany as an accommodation ship for pilotage services on the River Jade. Towed to Grimsby in January 1919 and returned to her owners in good condition. After a re-fit she took up the service from Grimsby to Rotterdam. Transferred to AHL in 1935 for a service to Hamburg. In 1941 she was taken over by the Admiralty for work with 2 of her sisters as a convoy rescue vessel. Returned to AHL service in 1946 on the Hull-Rotterdam service. Withdrawn in May 1958 and towed to Nieuw Lekkerkerk for breaking up. 19031,340 Built in 1903 by Earle's Shipbuilding for the Great Central Railway. Made her maiden voyage to Rotterdam before transferring to Scandinavian routes, eventually taking up service on the Grimsby – Hamburg route for which she was designed. In 1914 on passage to Hamburg and being unaware of the outbreak of war, she was intercepted off Heligoland and taken as a prize. Renamed Donau she was recovered by British forces in January 1919 and returned to Grimsby. Acquired by the in 1923 she was transferred to AHL in 1935 but found to be surplus to requirements. Sold in 1936 to the Near East Shipping Co, London and renamed Hanne. The vessel was bombed and sunk off Malta in February 1942. 19031,341 Built in 1903 by Earle's Shipbuilding for the Great Central Railway. A sister of City of Bradford, for service on the Grimsby – Hamburg route. Was in Hamburg when war broke out in 1914 and was taken as a 'seized prize'. She was recovered in early 1919 and towed to Grimsby, where she was refurbished entering service to Rotterdam pending resumption of the Hamburg service. Acquired by the in 1923, and with her sister was transferred to AHL in 1935 but was also found to be surplus to requirements. The vessel was sold and scrapped in 1936 at Blyth, Northumberland. SS Dewsbury19101,631 Built in 1910 for the Great Central Railway for service on the Grimsby–Hamburg route The first vessel in a series of five sister ships which were all built by Earle's Shipbuilding at Hull Acquired by in 1923. Passed to AHL in 1935 and was converted to a Convoy Escort Vessel during the war. She returned to service post-war in late 1945 on the Harwich – Antwerp route with sister vessel Accrington replacing tonnage lost during the hostilities by the Harwich fleet. Passed to British Railways in 1948 she was finally withdrawn from service in January 1959 and was scrapped in May of that year. 1918905 Built in 1918 by Hawthorne & Co at Leith for the Harwich Continental Service of the Great Eastern Railway, transferring to LNER IN 1923.She passed into the AHL fleet in 1935 and maintained the Harwich service until 1948 when she was transferred to the Western Region of British Railways and placed on the Channel Island route. Later in 1948 she transferred to the Larne-Cairnryan route. From 1942 till 1946 she served as the Colchester. In 1950 sold to the Limerick SS Co and renamed Kylemore. Broken up at Rotterdam in 1957 19141,018 Built in 1914 by Swan Hunter at Newcastle upon Tyne for the Great Central Railway. Remained in commercial service during the hostilities mainly serving the Netherlands. Resumed Grimsby – Antwerp service in 1919 and acquired by the in 1923. Transferred to in 1935. Resumed service in 1945 between Goole or Hull to Antwerp or Rotterdam. Passed to British Railways in 1948 and served until scrapped in 1958. 19111,637 A sister of Accrington, which had been ordered to replace the Blackburn another sister which was lost within 3 months of delivery following a collision off Norfolk. Remained on commercial service from 1914 to 1918 and then did repatriation work in 1919 working for the Great Eastern Railway to Harwich. Transferred to the in 1923. Converted to a convoy rescue ship in 1941 but subsequently lost in a torpedo attack in February 1943 whilst on passage to Iceland with survivors from an earlier convoy sinking. All on board were lost.
ShipLaunchedTonnage GRTNotes and references+From Hull and Netherlands Steamship Company: SS Jervaulx Abbey19071,188 Built by William Gray & Company, of West Hartlepool. One of four sisters which together operated a daily service to Rotterdam. Continued commercial service in 1914 but blockade of Holland caused vessel to be deployed as an armed boarding steamer. Returned to her owners in 1920 and transferred to in 1923. Sold in 1936 to Far Eastern interests and renamed Houlee. Sunk by enemy action in 1938. SS Melrose Abbey19291,908 Built by Earle's Shipbuilding of Hull for Hull-Rotterdam service. The final ship to be built for the company. Following fall of Netherlands she operated in coastal convoys until conversion to a convoy rescue ship in 1941, but a grounding whilst on delivery voyage, including being struck by a mine whilst stranded, caused severe damage which, but for war scenario, would have been terminal. Was re-floated and repaired at Aberdeen and finally took up service in February 1942. Resumed Hull-Rotterdam service in March 1946. Renamed Melrose Abbey II in April 1958 to release name for a newbuilding. Withdrawn and laid up in January 1959. Sold to Greek cruising and ferry company Typaldos Bros and renamed Kriti. Served until 1966 when owners were liquidated and laid up in Piraeus where she was broken up in 1984. From Wilson's and N.E.R.Shipping ShipLaunchedTonnage GRTNotes and references SS Hull19071,132 Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Dundee. The first ship built for the new entity, her name was 'railway' rather than 'Wilson' and set a trend for the future. Ownership transferred to in 1923 and joined AHL in 1935. Sold to Algerian interests and renamed Ville de Djidjelli in 1937 who converted her number 3 hold for wine carriage. Scrapped in 1955. SS York19071,132 A sister of Hull with similar history being renamed Ville de Bougie when also sold in 1937 with her sister. Withdrawn in 1956 when owners replaced her with a new ship of the same name. SS Selby19221,039 Built by J.Duthie Torry SB Co., of Aberdeen. Transferred to in 1923 and joined in 1935. Scrapped at Odense in 1958. SS Harrogate19251,029 A sister of Selby except built at Leith by Ramage & Ferguson Ltd. Delivered for Hull-Hamburg route but also served Rotterdam and Antwerp when traffic required. Scrapped in 1958. From London, Midland and Scottish Railway – Goole Steam Shipping Co.
ShipLaunchedTonnage GRTNotes and references 19311,108 Sister of Blyth also built by Cammell Laird for Goole-Rotterdam service. To AHL management in 1935 and served as an ammunition replenishment ship at Scapa Flow in World War II. Inbound from Antwerp to Goole in October 1958 when involved in a collision, was beached and subsequently salved but was found to be a total constructive loss. 19111,004 A sister of Hodder built by Wm.Dobson of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear for Goole–Hamburg, Goole-Rotterdam. Transferred to L.& N.W.R. and L.M.S in 1922 and 1923 respectively. Joined AJL in 1935. Sold out of lay-up and scrapped in Fife during 1954. Besline192843 Dumb Barge which was converted to a motor barge later. Scrapped with Besway in 1951. Besway192843 Dumb Barge- built as sister to Besline but not similarly motorised. Scrapped in 1951. SS Blyth19301,108 Built by Cammell Laird and Co., in Birkenhead and entered service from Goole to Ghent. Operated between Liverpool and Ireland in 1941. Post war she mainly worked on the Hull to Antwerp and Dunkirk route.