Town-class cruiser (1936)

Liverpool in 1942
Class overview
Name	Town class
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Arethusa class
Succeeded by	Crown Colony class Dido class
Subclasses	Southampton Gloucester Edinburgh
Built	1934–1939
In commission	1937–1963
Completed	10
Lost	4
Retired	5
Preserved	1
General characteristics
Class and type	Light cruiser
Displacement	Southampton class: 11,540 long tons (11,730 t) Gloucester class: 11,930 long tons (12,120 t) Edinburgh class: 13,175 long tons (13,386 t)
Length	Southampton and Gloucester classes: 591 ft 7.2 in (180.3 m) Edinburgh class: 613 ft 7.2 in (187.0 m)
Beam	Southampton class: 62 ft 3.6 in (19.0 m) Gloucester and Edinburgh classes: 64 ft 10.8 in (19.8 m)
Draught	Southampton class: 20 ft (6.10 m) Gloucester class: 20 ft 7.2 in (6.28 m) Edinburgh class: 22 ft 7.2 in (6.89 m)
Installed power	4 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers Southampton class: 75,000 shp (55,900 kW) Gloucester and Edinburgh classes: 82,500 shp (61,500 kW)
Propulsion	4 × shafts; 4 × steam turbines
Speed	Southampton class:32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) Gloucester and Edinburgh classes:32.25 knots (59.73 km/h; 37.11 mph)
Range	5,300 nmi (9,800 km; 6,100 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement	750
Armament	Southampton and Gloucester classes, as designed: 12 × BL 6 in (152 mm) Mark XXIII guns (4 × 3) 8 × QF 4 in (102 mm) Mark XVI guns (4 × 2) 8 × QF 2-pounder (40 mm) Mark VIII pom-pom guns (2 × 4) 8 × .5 in (12.7 mm) Vickers machine guns 6 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2 × 3) Edinburgh class, as designed: 12 × BL 6-inch (152 mm) Mark XXIII guns (4 × 3) 12 × QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mark XVI guns (6 × 2) 16 × QF 2-pounder (40 mm) Mark VIII pom-pom anti-aircraft guns (2 × 8) 8 × .5-inch (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft machine guns (2 × 4) 6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2 × 3)
Aircraft carried	2 × Supermarine Walrus flying boats (removed in the latter part of WWII)
Aviation facilities	1 × catapult

The Town class consisted of 10 light cruisers built for the Royal Navy during the 1930s. The Towns were designed within the constraints of the London Naval Treaty of 1930. The ships were built in the sub-classes, Southampton, Gloucester and Edinburgh, each sub-class adding more weaponry.