SS Lydia was a passenger ferry that was built in Scotland in 1890 for the London and South Western Railway.[1] From 1920 onward she passed through several owners. In 1923 she was renamed Ierax and registered in Greece. She was scrapped in 1933.
In 1890 J & G Thomson Ltd at Clydebank in Glasgow built a set of three sister ships for the LSWR's fast mail and passenger service between Southampton and the Channel Islands:, Lydia and . Lydia was the second of the trio to be built. She was launched on 16 July 1890[2] and made her sea trials on the River Clyde on 12 September 1890.[3]
Her registered length was, her beam was and her depth was . Her tonnages were and .[4] She was built with accommodation for 170 first class passengers, 70 second class and numerous steerage passengers.
Lydia had twin screws, each powered by a three-cylinder triple expansion steam engine. Between them her two engines were rated at 360 NHP[4] and gave her a speed of NaNkn on her sea trials.
The LSWR registered Lydia at Southampton. Her United Kingdom official number was 97217 and her code letters were LNTM.[4]
In 1915 a submarine attacked Lydia, but the torpedo passed 50 yards from the ship.[5]
In 1920 the LSWR sold Lydia. In 1923 Coast Lines bought her and re-registered her in Liverpool.[2] Coast Lines planned to operate her between Dublin and Preston, Lancashire, but then sold her that same year to Navigation a Vapeur Ionienne, who renamed her Ierax and registered her in Argostoli in Greece. Her code letters were changed to JFGT.[6] In 1929 she passed to Hellenic Coast Lines, who registered her in Piraeus. She was scrapped in 1933.[2]