On April 13, 2004 Great Britain issued a set of stamps commemorating six British built Ocean Liners. The stamps were designed by John Gibbs, printed by De La Rue in gravure. Sheets of 25 and 50 were produced. The stamps are perforated 14 ½ x 14.

R.M.S. Queen Mary II

The Queen Mary II is pictured on the two, 1st class stamps (one is water activated one is self adhesive). She was ordered on the 6th of November 2000 and launched on March 21 2003 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and named after the earlier Cunard liner the Queen Mary. She was Christened on the 8th of January 2004 by Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen Mary II’s maiden voyage was on the 12th of January 2004 when she departed Southampton for Fort Lauderdale. At the time of her completion she was the world’s largest passenger ship.

R.M.S. Queen Mary II - Technical Details
Tonnage: 148,528 GT
Displacement: 76,000 tonnes
Length: 345 m (1,132 ft)
Beam: 41 m (135 ft) waterline, 45 m (147.6 ft) extreme (bridge wings)
Height: 72 m (236.2 ft) keel to funnel
Draft: 10 m (32.8 ft)
Decks: 13 passenger decks[3]
Installed power: 117 MW (157,000 horsepower) CODAG
Propulsion: Four 21.5 MW electric propulsor pods: 2 fixed and 2 azimuthing Speed: 29.62 knots (54.86 km/h/34.09 mph)
Capacity: 2,620 passengers
Crew: 1,253 officers and crew

S.S. Canberra

The European rate stamp pictures the S.S. Canberra. Ordered on the 20th of December 1956 the SS Canberra was constructed by Hartland and Wolff in Belfast for the P&O Orient Line.
She was launched on the 16th of March 1960. the Canberra’s final voyage was between the 10th and 31st of October 1997.

The Canberra served as a troopship during the Falklands War.

S.S. Canberra Technical Details
Tonnage: 1961: 45,270 gross tons
1962: 45,733
1968: 44,807
1994: 49,073
Length: 249.9 m (818 ft)
Beam: 31.2 m (102 ft)
Draught: 9.97 m (32.7 ft)
Propulsion: Main: Two British Thompson Houston (AEI)
synchronous three-phase, 6,000 volt air-cooled electric motors
providing 85,000 horsepower; power supplied by two 32,200 kW
steam turbine driven alternators; twin screw Auxiliary: Four
steam turbines, each driving a 1,500 kW, 440 V, 3 Phase, 60 Hz
alternator and a tandem driven 300 kW exciter for the propulsion alternators
Speed: Trials: 29.27 knots (54.3 km/h)
1961-1973: 27.5 knots (51 km/h)
1973-1997: 23.50 knots (43.5 km/h)
Complement: 1961-1973: 548 First class, 1,690 Tourist class, 960 officers and crew
1973-1997: 1,737 passengers, 795 officers and crew

R.M.S. Queen Mary

The 42 pence stamp features the R.M.S. Queen Mary. Ordered from John Brown and Company, by Cunard White Star Line on the 3rd of April 1929, the Queen Mary was launched on the 26th of September 1934. Her maiden voyage was on the 27th of May 1936 under the command of Sir Edgard T. Britten. She served as a troopship during the second World War and was taken out of service on the 1st of December 1967. She now serves as a restaurant, hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.

R.M.S. Queen Mary Technical Details
Tonnage: 81,237 GT (gross tonnage)
Displacement: 81,961 tonnes
Length: 1,019.4 ft (310.7 m) oa
965 ft (294.1 m) B.P.
Beam: 118.5 ft (36.1 m)
Height: 181 ft (55.2 m)
Draft: 39 ft (11.9 m)
Propulsion: 160,000 shaft hp Parsons double reduction steam turbines max. 200,000 shaft hp steam turbines, 4 shafts
Speed: approximately 28.5 kn (52.8 km/h/32.8 mph) service speed.
Capacity: 2139 passengers: 776 first (cabin) class, 784 tourist class, 579 third class
Crew: 1101 crew

R.M.S. Maurentania

On the 47p stamp we have the R.M.S. Mauretania. Cunard Line ordered the Maurentania from Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson in 1903. She was launched on the 20th of September 1906. The Maury’s maiden voyage took place on the 16th of November 1907. She was built as a sistership to the Luisitania. During the first World War she served as a troopship transporting troops to the Gallipoli campaign. She was also used by the Canadian and US Governments as a troopship. The Maurentania was withdrawn from service during September 1934 and scrapped in 1935.

R.M.S. Mauretania Technical Details
Tonnage: 31,938
Length: 790 ft (240.8 m)
Beam: 88 ft (26.8 m)
Propulsion: Direct-action Parsons steam turbines (two high pressure, two low pressure), 68,000 shaft horsepower later increased to 90,000 SHP, designed speed 25 knots (46 km/h), Quadruple screws (Triple bladed at launch changed in 1908 to four bladed). Astern turbines available on inboard shafts only
Service speed: 26 knots (48 km/h) Maximum speed recorded 28 knots
Passenger Capacity: 2165: 563 first class, 464 second class, 1138 third class
Crew: 802

S.S. City of New York

The S.S. City of New York is featured on the 57p stamp. Constructed by John Brown and Company for the Inman Line, the SS City of New York was launched on the 15th of March 1888. On the 1st of August she began her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York. She was later operated as the S.S. New York by the American Line, the U.S.S. Harvard and USS Plattsburg by the US Navy. She was scrapped in 1922

S.S. City of New York Technical Details
Tonnage: 10,508 gross tons (29,755 m^3)
Displacement: 17,270 tons (17,550 metric tons)
Length: 560 feet (171 meters)
Beam: 63 feet (19.3 meters)
Power: Triple expansion reciprocating steam engines; 28,000 horsepower.
Propulsion: Twin screw
Speed: 20 knots
Number of Passengers: Total of 1290

P.S. Great Western

The last stamp in this set is the 68p value. The P.S. Great Western was built by William Patterson for the Great Western Steamship Company, the Paddle Steamer Great Western was launched on the 19th of July 1837 and completed the 31st March 1838. Her maiden voyage commenced on the 8th of April 1838 from Bristol to New York. She also served as a Royal Mail Packet Steamer and as a troopship, transporting personnel to the Crimean War. The Great Western was broken up in 1856.

P.S. Great Western Technical Details
Type: Oak-hulled paddle-wheel steamship
Tonnage: 1340 GRT, later 1700 GRT
Displacement: 2300 tons
Length: 71.6 m (234.91 ft), later 76.8 m (251.97 ft) long
Beam: 17.59 m (57.71 ft) across wheels
Installed power: 2-cylinder Maudslay steam engine 750 HP
Propulsion: Two paddle-wheels
Speed: 8.5 knots
Capacity: 128 passengers in 1st class + 20 servants
Crew: 60

Sources:

Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary_2
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Canberra
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Mauretania_(1906) Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_City_of_New_York
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Great_Western