“Traffic” (the Second)
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- “Traffic” (the Second)
“Traffic” (the First)The first White Star Line vessel named Traffic was built by Speakman & Co. at Runcorn. She was launched on 22 September 1872 as a fresh‑water, baggage and stores tender at Liverpool.
In 1896, she was sold to the Liverpool Lighterage Company Limited, Queen Street, Northwich, CW9 5JN or Moss Lane Close, Cuddington, Northwich, CW8 2PT, Cheshire for port duties with the same name. In 1919, her engine was removed when she was converted into a dump barge. On 5 May 1941, she was sunk in Liverpool docks by German aircraft during the 'May Blitz'. Later, she was raised and returned to service until 1955 when she was broken up on Tranmere beach in the River Mersey. There is a distinct parallel to the Nomadic. The first Nomadic owned by White Star Line was transferred to the Dominion Line in 1903 and was renamed Cornishman. “Traffic” (the Second)At the beginning of the twentieth century, the facilities of the port of Cherbourg were greatly expanded. This encouraged the White Star Line to organize stopovers for its large steamers with their destinations in America. This would greatly increase their number of customers. These extra passengers could travel from all over Europe by rail to the harbour station and then join their liner to America. Cherbourg was still not a deep-water port and was protected by a long sea wall. The large liners could not enter and had to drop anchor in the roads. Smaller shallow draft tenders were used to transfer passengers from the station out to the waiting liners in the roads. Transatlantic traffic was increasing and the new Cherbourg station was formally opened on 3 July 1912. 
Harbour station, Cherbourg, opened July 3, 1912 In 1907, the White Star Line brought into service a small tender named Gallic. The Gallic was built in 1894 by John Scott & Co. in Kinghorn, for Birkenhead Corporation. It was used as a ferry across the River Mersey between Birkenhead and Liverpool until purchased by the White Star Line. The Gallic was a paddle steamer 45.72 m long and only 461 tons. It had the characteristic not having a distinct bow or stern and was able to move easily in both directions. 
Gallic, in Cherbourg
On 25 June 1910, Joseph Bruce Ismay of the White Star Line placed an order for the Nomadic with Harland & Wolff of Belfast (manufacturers of Olympic, of Titanic then of Britannic), and on 19 July 1910, placed an order for the Traffic. They were to be built under the responsibility of Thomas Andrews, (the naval architect of Olympic and Titanic). The second vessel named Traffic was specially constructed as a tender to serve the three “Olympic”‑class ships that would be serving on the North Atlantic run. 
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