List of Red Funnel ships

Last updated

The following list is of Ferries and boats that have been operated by Red Funnel.

Contents

Between 1840 and the 1960s, Red Funnel line and its predecessors operated 40 different classic passenger ferries, many of these being paddle steamers. Later ferries sometimes had space allocated for carrying cars but it was not until 1959 that the first purpose-built car ferry was introduced. Classic passenger vessels continued in service until the Balmoral was sold in 1969. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Paddle steamers

PS Princess Elizabeth Port de Plaisance du Bassin de la Marine, Dunkerque - Princess Elizabeth-7632.jpg
PS Princess Elizabeth
ShipServiceNotes
PS Gem 1840–1883
PS Ruby 1841–1872The first Isle of Wight steamer to be built of iron
PS Pearl 1844–1867
PS Queen (I)1848–1876
PS Medina (I)1852–1882
PS Emerald 1857–1871
PS Sapphire 1860–1873
PS Lord of the Isles 1861–1889
PS Lady of the Lake 1861–1887
PS Vectis 1866–1910
PS Southampton 1872–1902
PS Carisbrooke 1876–1905
PS Prince Leopold 1876–1905
PS Princess Beatrice 1880–1930
PS Princess Helena 1883–1950Sent to Dunkirk in 1940
PS Her Majesty 1885–1940Sunk during an air raid on Southampton
PS Princess of Wales 1888–1888Sunk during trials in Scotland before entering service
PS Bangor Castle 1888–1899Ex-PS Palmerston chartered to replace the sunken Princess of Wales [6]
PS Solent Queen 1889–1948Sent to Dunkirk in 1940
PS Prince of Wales 1891–1937
PS Lorna Doone 1891–1947
PS Duchess of York 1896–1949HM Minesweeper 0102 1916–1922. Renamed Duchess of Cornwall in 1928
PS Victoria (I)1899–1900Launched 1881. Ex-London & South Western Railway and London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. Status unclear. Transfer recorded in official register but no mention on Red Funnel's records [7]
PS Balmoral (I)1900–1947
PS Queen (II)1902–1938Renamed Mauretania in 1936 then renamed Corfe Castle in 1938
PS Princess Royal 1906–1906Not accepted after trials and sold to Cosens & Co Ltd. Renamed Emperor of India
PS Stirling Castle 1907–1916Sunk off Malta on war service
PS Bournemouth Queen 1908–1957
PS Lord Elgin 1908–1955
PS Princess Mary 1911–1919Sank in the Mediterranean after colliding with the sunken wreck of HMS Majestic
PS Princess Elizabeth 1927–1959Sent to Dunkirk in 1940. Appeared in the 1962 Walt Disney film In Search of the Castaways. [8] Now moored at Dunkirk as a conference centre
PS Gracie Fields 1936–1940As HMS Gracie Fields she was sunk at Dunkirk
PS Lorna Doone (II)1949–1952Ex-Queen of Kent, ex-HMS Atherstone
PS Solent Queen (II)1949–1951Ex-Queen of Thanet, ex-HMS Melton

Twin-screw steamers

ShipServiceNotes
TSS Upton 1946–1950Purchased from Birkenhead Corporation
TSS Robina 1948–1949Purchased from Coast Lines Ltd

Motor vessels

The Balmoral in Waverley Excursions ownership MV Balmoral at Menai 1.jpg
The Balmoral in Waverley Excursions ownership
ShipServiceNotes
MV Medina (III)1931–1962The first diesel engined ferry on the Solent
MV Vecta (I)1938–19652 × English Electric 6LM type diesels. [9] Sold to P & A Campbell, renamed Westward Ho
MV Balmoral (II)1949–1969Operated by P & A Campbell from 1968 to 1980. In 1981 she was sold for use as a floating nightclub in Dundee. Bought in 1985 by Waverley Excursions, she acted as the sister ship of the Waverley until 2012. Entered service on 19 June 2015 with White Funnel Ltd.

Car ferries

MV Cowes Castle approaching Town Quay MV Cowes Castle.jpg
MV Cowes Castle approaching Town Quay
MV Norris Castle, in the Solent Norris Castle.jpg
MV Norris Castle, in the Solent

Although some earlier ferries provided space for cars, Red Funnel introduced its first purpose-built car ferry in 1959. Besides the Raptor-class vessels that are still in service, the following car ferries have been used by Red Funnel: [5] [10] [11]

ShipServiceNotes
MV Norris Castle (II)1947–1962Ex-LCT 828
MV Carisbrooke Castle 1959–1974Sold to Italy and renamed Citta di Meta. Scrapped 2007 [12]
MV Osborne Castle 1962–1978Sold to Canada and renamed Le Gobelet d'Argent, then Le Maxim, then Cavalier Maxim [12]
MV Cowes Castle 1965–1994Sold to Croatia and renamed Nehaj. Scrapped 2008 [12]
MV Norris Castle (III)1968–1994Sold to Croatia and renamed Lovrjenac. Scrapped 2008 [12]
MV Netley Castle 1974–1997Sold to Croatia and renamed Sis [12]
MV Bergen Castle 2003–2005Ex-Nordhordland, purchased to maintain a three-boat service during refit period of current fleet. Sold and renamed Stella [12]

Fast passenger ferries

The first fast ferry introduced by Red Funnel was the Sea Coach Island Enterprise, a motor cruiser capable of carrying 11 passengers at 20 knots. She was built by the British Power Boat Company in Hythe, and operated from 1933 to 1938. [5]

Hovercraft

In 1968 the company ran trials with an HM2 sidewall hovercraft, number 002, in order to compete with the Seaspeed service which used an SRN6 between Southampton and Cowes. Due to the unreliability of the craft it never entered passenger service. In 1981 Red Funnel acquired a pair of HM2 MkIIIs, GH2019 & GH2024, which were primarily used on the charter service for Vosper Thorneycroft transporting workers from the Isle of Wight to the Woolston yard and back each day. These two craft were disposed of in June 1982 and the charter was subsequently operated by the augmented hydrofoil fleet. [13]

Hydrofoils

Shearwater 3 at speed on Southampton Water Shearwater 3.jpg
Shearwater 3 at speed on Southampton Water

The first hydrofoils to operate on the Southampton to Cowes route, and the first in commercial service in the United Kingdom were the Italian-designed Shearwater and Shearwater 2. These were introduced by Red Funnel in 1969, and each seated 54 passengers. They were replaced in 1973 by two 67-seat RH70 hydrofoils, built by Cantière Navale Rodriguez, named Shearwater 3 and Shearwater 4. The latter was delivered some five months after the former and in the interim, a PT20 craft, Fleccia di Reggio, was chartered to stand in. In 1982 Shearwater 5 and Shearwater 6 were added to the fleet. In 1991, with the introduction of the first Red Jet catamarans, the hydrofoils were demoted to backup duties until they were finally withdrawn in 1998. [14]

Red Jets

Red Jet 1 at Town Quay Red Jet 1.jpg
Red Jet 1 at Town Quay
ShipServiceNotes
Red Jet 1 1991–2009Sold to Caspian Mainport, renamed CM Jet 1. [11] [14] [15]
Red Jet 2 1991–2009Sold to Caspian Mainport, renamed CM Jet 2. [11] [14] [15]
Red Jet 3 1998–2019Sold to Adriatic Fast Ferries in Split, Croatia. [16] Renamed Adriatic Express. [17]
Red Jet 4 2003–2024Sold to Namhae Express Co in South Korea. [18]
Red Jet 5 2009–2016Ex-Bo Hengy. Sold to Italy and renamed Schiopparello Jet. [19] [6] [20] [21]

Tugs and tug tenders

Some tugs also had passenger accommodation to enable them to serve as tenders to liners not berthing in Southampton and to augment the excursion fleet on occasion. [22]

Preserved tug-tender Calshot moored at Southampton Calshot-B.jpg
Preserved tug-tender Calshot moored at Southampton
Red Funnel tug Chale turning the Queen Elizabeth 2 Chale assisting QE2.jpg
Red Funnel tug Chale turning the Queen Elizabeth 2
Sir Bevois (III) tug Sir Bevois.jpg
Sir Bevois (III) tug
ShipServiceNotes
ST Sovereign 1885–1894
ST Alexandra 1885–1897
ST Fawn 1885–1897
TSS T/T Albert Edward 1886–1934
TSST Hercules 1890–1927
TSST Vulcan 1893–1957Rescued the SS New York after her near collision with the RMS Titanic [22]
TSST Ajax 1894–1936
TSST Neptune (I)1896–1904
TSST Hector 1903–1958One of the tugs that assisted RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage [23]
TSST Neptune (II)1910–1961One of the tugs that assisted RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage [23]
TSST Sir Bevois (I)1916–1941Sunk during an air raid in Plymouth
ST Minas 1920–1931
ST Ascupart 1922–1927
ST Morglay 1922–1927
TSST Canute 1923–1965
TSST Clausentum 1926–1966
TSS T/T Calshot (I)1930–1964Sold and renamed Galway Bay. Preserved at Southampton in 1986 as Calshot. Scrapped in 2022.
ST Empire Lilliput 1944–1947Managed for Ministry of War Transport
ST TID 69 1944–1947Managed for Ministry of War Transport
ST Bantam 1946–1958
TSS T/T Paladin 1946–1960She appeared in the 1959 Peter Sellers film The Mouse That Roared to transport the Grand Fenwick army from France to invade America.
ST Beamish 1951–1952Ex-Queensgarth, ex-Empire Paul. Later renamed Thunder Cape
TSST Hamtun (I)1953–1970
TSST Sir Bevois (II)1953–1968
TSMT Atherfield 1956–1971
TSMT Culver 1956–1983
TSMT Dunnose 1958–1980
TSM T/T Gatcombe (I)1960–1969
TSMT Thorness 1961–1983
TSM T/T Calshot (II)1964–1985Sold in 1987 to Antrefo. Sold in 1989 to Dublin Bay Cruises and renamed Tara II. Then to Remolques del Mediterraneo SA in 1992 and renamed Boluda Abrego. Scrapped in 2012.
MT Bonchurch 1966–1983Ex-Baie Comeau, ex-Abeille No 13, ex-TID 174
TSMT Chale 1965–1986
MT Gatcombe (II)1970–1997Sold and renamed Multratug 6
MT Vecta (II)1970–1999Sold and renamed Multratug 8, renamed Serwal 4
TSMT Clausentum (II)1980–1993Sold and renamed Strathfoyle, renamed Westlund
TSMT Gurnard 1982–1985Ex-Aziebank, ex-Azie
TSMT Totland 1982–1985Ex-Europabank, ex-Europa
TSMT Hamtun (II)1985–2002Renamed Multratug 16
TSMT Sir Bevois (III)1985–2002Renamed Svitzer Bevois, renamed Beaver
TSMT Portunus 1985–1993Ex-John af Goteborg, resumed name of John af Goteborg, renamed John
TSMT Redbridge 1995–2002Renamed Adsteam Redbridge, renamed Svitzer Redbridge

Medina crossing

ShipServiceNotes
SL Precursor (I)1867–1883
SL Princess Louise 1871–1944Sunk in collision with a landing craft off Town Quay shortly before D-Day
SL Medina (II)1884–1931
SL Precursor (II)1898–1939Requisitioned by the Admiralty for service in the Mediterranean
ML Norris Castle (I)1938–1939Requisitioned by the Admiralty for service in the Mediterranean

Hythe Crossing Ferries

In 2023, the Hythe Ferry was acquired by Red Funnel, previous ferries to have operated on the service include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Funnel</span> Ferry company operating on The Solent

Red Funnel, the trading name of the Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, is a ferry company that carries passengers, vehicles and freight on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight. High-speed foot passenger catamarans, known as Red Jets, run between Southampton and Cowes, while vehicle ferries run between Southampton and East Cowes. It also runs the ferry between Southampton and Hythe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hythe Pier, Railway and Ferry</span> Pier, railway and ferry in Hampshire, England

Hythe Pier, the Hythe Pier Railway and the Hythe Ferry provide a link between the port of Southampton and Hythe on the other side of Southampton Water. It is used both by commuters and tourists, and forms an important link in the Solent Way, England Coast Path and E9 European coastal paths. The railway is the oldest continuously-operating public pier train in the world. The ferry is now operated by Red Funnel, while the pier and tracks are owned by Hythe Pier Company. Hythe Pier Heritage Association have taken ownership of the tractors and carriages upon restoration of each unit.

MV <i>Balmoral</i> (1949)

MV Balmoral is a vintage excursion ship owned by MV Balmoral Fund Ltd., a preservation charity. Her principal area of operation is the Bristol Channel, although she also operates day excursions to other parts of the United Kingdom. The Balmoral is included on the National Historic Ships register as part of the National Historic Fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Wight ferry services</span> Ferry services connecting the Isle of Wight to mainland England

There are currently three different ferry companies that operate vessels carrying passengers and, on certain routes, vehicles across the Solent, the stretch of sea that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England. These are Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel.

MV <i>Red Eagle</i> (1996) Isle of Wight car and passenger ferry

MV Red Eagle is a Raptor-class vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The largest of its class, Red Eagle is the current flagship for Red Funnel.

MV <i>Red Osprey</i> Isle of Wight car and passenger ferry

MV Red Osprey is a Raptor Class vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She was built by Ferguson Shipbuilders in Port Glasgow.

MV <i>Red Falcon</i> Isle of Wight car and passenger ferry

MV Red Falcon is a vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel from Southampton to East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. It was built by Ferguson Shipbuilders in Port Glasgow.

Red Jet 4 Isle of Wight passenger catamaran ferry

MV Red Jet 4 is a passenger catamaran ferry operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, along with sister ships Red Jet 6 and Red Jet 7.

Schiopparello Jet Former Isle of Wight passenger catamaran ferry

MV Schiopparello Jet is a passenger catamaran ferry, formerly known as Bo Hengy and Red Jet 5. She operates on routes from Piombino to the Tuscan archipelago on behalf of ferry operator Toremar. She was built in 1999.

<i>Red Jet 3</i> Former Isle of Wight passenger catamaran ferry

MV Red Jet 3 is a passenger catamaran ferry formerly operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to Cowes on the Isle of Wight along with sister ships Red Jet 4, Red Jet 5 and Red Jet 6. She was built by FB Marine on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom at a cost of £2.73 million and entered service in 1998. The ship reached a speed of 37.4 knots during a publicity cruise on 14 July 1998 before entering into regular service on 27 July 1998. This entry into service meant that the older Shearwater 5 and Shearwater 6 hydrofoils were no longer needed to provide backup for the Red Funnel high speed service and they were withdrawn. The high speed fleet then consisted of Red Jet 1, Red Jet 2 and Red Jet 3.

TSS T/T <i>Calshot</i>

TSS T/T Calshot was a tug tender built in 1929 by John I Thornycroft & Co, and completed in 1930 for the Red Funnel Line. Calshot was one of only three surviving classical tender ships which served the great ocean liners, another example is the SS Nomadic, which tendered the ill-fated RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage at Cherbourg, France. The third being the Manchester Ship Canal's Daniel Adamson. In her career, Calshot has tendered some of the most famous ocean liners ever built, such as the RMS Caronia, the Cunard Queens RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary, the SS United States, and the White Star Line ship RMS Olympic. During World War II she was requisitioned by the British Admiralty for servicing troop ships and took part in D-Day. She was a registered vessel of the National Historic Fleet of the United Kingdom, holding Certificate No. 1.

MS <i>Sis</i> Car and passenger ferry, formerly operated on the Isle of Wight

Sis is a car / passenger ferry owned and operated by Jadrolinija in Croatia, where she operates between Zadar and the island of Ugljan. The vessel was previously known as Netley Castle when operated by Red Funnel on services to the Isle of Wight in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Funnel Group</span>

Blue Funnel Group refers to a related set of companies providing boat charter, cruise and ferry services around the Solent and Isle of Wight in vessels up to 500 passengers. The Blue Funnel Cruises operating out of Southampton Port and the Solent Cruises operating out of Portsmouth and Cowes as well as the Hythe Pier, Railway and Ferry operations are all run independently but co-operatively.

PS Gracie Fields built in 1936, was the last paddle steamer built for Red Funnel as a ferry and excursion steamer. She ran on the Southampton-Cowes route until the outbreak of World War II, when she was requisitioned and served as HMS Gracie Fields as a minesweeper. After successfully evacuating troops from the Dunkirk beaches, she was seriously damaged by an aircraft bomb on 29 May 1940, and sank the following morning.

<i>Red Jet 1</i> Former Isle of Wight passenger catamaran ferry

Red Jet 1 was a high speed catamaran passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She was built by FB Marine in 1991 and was the first waterjet propelled craft to operate on the route.

<i>Red Jet 2</i> Former Isle of Wight passenger catamaran ferry

Red Jet 2 was a high speed catamaran passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She was built by FB Marine in 1991. She is identical to her sister ship, Red Jet 1.

MV Norris Castle was built, in 1942, by Alexander Finlay & Co in Glasgow. She was originally constructed as a tank landing craft, LCT 828, for the Normandy landings. She was 180 ft (55 m) long and had a capacity of 473 gross tons. Acquired in 1947 by Red Funnel, she made her first service voyage on 23 July 1948 and operated as a car ferry until sold in 1962. As she could load from both the front and side, she was used on the Southampton to East Cowes service. Norris Castle made her last sailing for Red Funnel on 16 March 1962.

MV <i>Norris Castle</i> (1968) Former Isle of Wight car and passenger ferry

MV Norris Castle, the third vessel in the Red Funnel fleet to carry the name, was built in 1968 by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Woolston and operated as a car ferry between Southampton and East Cowes until 1994. Mrs Joan Lacon, owner of the namesake building, Norris Castle, named the ship. Originally designed to load and discharge through the bows, in 1976, she was converted to drive through operation, with mezzanine decks and an extended superstructure, by Boele in Rotterdam. As built, she was 191 feet 3 inches (58.29 m) long with a capacity of 734 GT. After rebuilding she was extended to 221 feet 2 inches (67.41 m) and 999 GT.

MV <i>Cowes Castle</i> Former Isle of Wight car and passenger ferry

MV Cowes Castle was a car ferry operated by Red Funnel between Southampton and Cowes/East Cowes. Subsequently, sold to Jadrolinija in 1994 for further service in Croatia. She was scrapped in 2008.

References

  1. ↑ "Vessel Archive 1840–1860". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  2. ↑ "Vessel Archive 1861–1880". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  3. ↑ "Vessel Archive 1881–1900". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  4. ↑ "Vessel Archive 1901–1920". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 "Vessel Archive 1921–1950". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  6. 1 2 Keith Adams [2010], Red Funnel 150; Richard Danielson, ISBN   978-0-9513155-5-2
  7. ↑ Adams, Keith (2010). Red Funnel 150 Celebrating One Hundred and Fifty Years of The Original Isle of Wight Ferries. Richard Danielson. p. 15. ISBN   9780951315552.
  8. ↑ "Princess Elizabeth". Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. ↑ Diesel Engineering Volume 41. Whitehall Press. 1946. p. 78.
  10. ↑ "Vessel Archive 1951–1980". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  11. 1 2 3 "Vessel Archive 1981–2010". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Adams, Keith (2010). Red Funnel 150. Isle of Man: Richard Danielson. ISBN   978-0-9513155-5-2.
  13. ↑ Adams, RB (1986). Red Funnel and Before. Southampton: Kingfisher Publications. ISBN   0-946184-21-6.
  14. 1 2 3 "News Release 21-07-2009". Red Funnel. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  15. 1 2 "Red Jets sail into sunset". Isle of Wight County Press. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  16. ↑ "Red Funnel's Red Jet 3 sold to Croatian ferry company". Red Funnel Ferries. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  17. ↑ "Adriatic Fast Ferries Ltd acquired its first fast ferry". Ferry Spots. 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  18. ↑ "Isle of Wight: Red Jet 4 heading to South Korea after sale". BBC News . 9 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "Red Jet Hi-Speed Fleet". Red Funnel. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  20. ↑ "Vessel details for SCHIOPPARELLO JET". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  21. ↑ "Schiopparello Jet: the new fast way to cross to and from Piombino and Elba". Infoelba s.r.l. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  22. 1 2 Adams, RB (1986). Red Funnel and Before. Southampton: Kingfisher Publications. ISBN   0-946184-21-6.
  23. 1 2 photographs taken by Rev Francis Browne
  24. 1 2 Davies, Ken (1987). Wessex Coast Ferries and Pleasure Craft. Hythe: New Forest Publishing Co. pp. 36–37. ISBN   1 870704 00 2.
  25. ↑ "Hythe ferry services cancelled after ferry crashes into pier injuring three". Southern Daily Echo. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "Contact made by passenger ferry Uriah Heep with Hythe Pier" (PDF). Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports. Marine Accident Investigation Branch. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  27. ↑ "Hythe-Southampton Ferries". Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards. 2006. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2006.
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