Bloemfontein Castle was the first one-class liner to be built for the Union Castle line. She was designed for the emigrant trade that was expected to be popular following World War 2 and used on the stopping route from London to South Africa and Mozambique (for North and South Rhodesia) calling at Rotterdam, Las Palmas, Ascension Island, St. Helena, Walvis Bay, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Lorenco Marques and Beira. During the fruit season, she would call at Southampton on the return voyage. Unfortunately, the expected traffic did not materialise and Bloemfontein Castle was sold to Chandris Lines in 1959, renamed Patris and put on the Australia run for the next 20 years. From 1979 she was used as a Greek ferry under the names Mediterranean Island and Mediterranean Star for Karageorgis Lines until she was scrapped in Pakistan in 1987.