Although themselves rapidly outdated, the Type 12 proved to be an excellent basis for a series of frigate designs used by the British and Commonwealth navies for the next 20 years.

These two features meant that the hull not only cut through the water, but that spray was thrown upwards and outwards, away from the bridge and gun turret.

This was especially important in high latitudes where war experience had shown that spray could cause rapid and undesirable ice build-up on the forecastle.

The deck edges and hull also met at a curve rather than an angle, the anchors were recessed, and protrusions were kept to a minimum to limit the potential sources of ice build-up and spray generation.

The Mark 6 gunhouse was large and heavy, so had to be carried low to maintain stability and give a good view over it from the bridge.

The hull form, coupled with a twin-shaft double-reduction geared steam turbine plant (the Y-100) that operated at high temperature and pressure (for efficiency) and low revolutions, with new five-bladed low-cavitation propellers (for efficiency and quietness) lent themselves to the perfect hull for a high-speed, all-weather anti-submarine vessel.

The original funnel was a straight, cylindrical affair that was designed to resist a nuclear blast, but this was prone to down-draughting and did not clear the hot exhaust gasses particularly well.

Scarborough and Tenby were intended to have been sold to Pakistan, but the country could not afford the refits required for the two ships, and thus the sale was cancelled.

Torquay was modified and fitted with Computer Assisted Action Information System (CAAIS) for use as a trials and training ship.

In 1959 Triang Minic Ships produced a series of 1:1200 (one inch to 100 feet) metal models of Type 12 frigates, carrying the names Whitby, Tenby, Torquay and Blackpool.