Big Four (White Star Line)
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Harland and Wolff, Belfast |
| Operators | White Star Line |
| Preceded by | RMS Oceanic |
| Succeeded by | Athenic class |
| Built | 1901–1906 |
| In service | 1901–1934 |
| Planned | 4 |
| Completed | 4 |
| Lost | 1 |
| Retired | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 20,904 GRT–24,541 GRT, 13,449 NRT-15,638 NRT |
| Length | 700 to 730 ft (210 to 220 m) |
| Beam | 75.3 ft (23.0 m) |
| Depth | 44 ft (13 m) |
| Propulsion | Steam Quadruple expansion engines, powering two propellers, total 16,000 hp (12,000 kW) |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Capacity | c. 2,850 passengers |
_postcard.jpg){kind=link}
The "Big Four" were a quartet of early-20th-century 20,000-ton ocean liners built by the Harland & Wolff shipyard for the White Star Line, to be the largest and most luxurious ships afloat. The group consisted of Celtic, Cedric, Baltic and Adriatic.