British Transport Commission (BTC)FerriesPast and PresentSealink

TS Duke of Lancaster (III) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 5094496

TS Duke of Lancaster (III)

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)
© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built by William Denny & Bros, Ltd., Dumbarton in 1956 (Yard No 1540) for The British Transport Commission originally as a passenger and cargo vessel

Technical Data

  • Length: 114.64m (overall) 107.91m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth of hull: 17.48m (extreme)
  • Depth: 5.95m
  • Draught: 4.522m (maximum)
  • Tonnage: 4,450 gross/1,962 gross/849 deadweight
  • Engines: Four Denny Pametrada double reduction geared steam turbines
  • Power: 7833 kW/ 10,500 shp
  • Speed: 14 knots (service), 21 knots (max)
  • Capacity: 600 first-class and 1,200 second-class passengers (1956)/1,200 passengers and 105 cars (max)(1970)
  • Call Sign: GVDY
  • IMO Number: 5094496
  • Official Number: 165014
  • Registry: Lancaster/United Kingdom 🇬🇧

History

December 14th 1955: Launched. The Duke of Lancaster was the first of the three Duke’s, the others being DUKE OF ARGYLL and the DUKE OF ROTHESAY.


Launch

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library) © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library) © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library) © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

Duke of Lancaster  – © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

Trials

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)  © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)  © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)  © British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

August 1956: The Duke of Lancaster was delivered to The British Transport Commission (Midland Region).

Courtesy of Jim Ashby  Courtesy of Jim Ashby Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Interior

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library  National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

© British Railways Board (National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library)

August 1956: Commenced services between Heysham – Belfast.

© William Macdonald

© William Macdonald

June 1958: Maiden cruise sailing from Southampton for Amsterdam, Ostend and Rouen.

@ Ostend

July 12th 1958: Collided with PRINCESS MAUD in Heysham Harbour.

September 19th 1959: “First West Highland Cruise”: Left Heysham for inter alia Oban, Skye, Iona (16 day)

June 16th 1961 “First from Harwich”: Left Harwich for Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ostend (6 Day)

January 1st 1963: British Railways Board succeeded British Transport Commission.

© Derek Longly

© Derek Longly (Southampton)

1964: Vessels painted in the new livery of British Railways, (blue hull and red funnels) and the “Double -Arrow”.

‘til 1966: Various long-distance cruises, to the Western Highlands, Norway, Denmark, Holland and Spain etc.,

1967: Required continuously on the Heysham – Belfast service

© Ian Collard

🆕 © Ian Collard

November 1969: It was announced that British Rail’s Shipping and International Services Division (S.I.S.D.) had adopted the new brand name Sealink and as a consequence all vessels were painted in the new house colours.

Courtesy of Jim Ashby Courtesy of Jim Ashby  

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

January 3rd 1970: Last passenger sailing before entering Harland & Wolff for conversion to car ferry.

Courtesy of Jim Ashby Courtesy of Jim Ashby  

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

April 25th 1970: Resumed commercial service between Heysham – Belfast.

© Kenneth Whyte

🆕 © Kenneth Whyte

1973: Sealink trading name painted on hulls

Courtesy of Jim Ashby Courtesy of Jim Ashby  

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

April 5th 1975: Service closed and made last sailing from Belfast – Heysham.

April 1975: Laid up in Barrow.

June 19th 1975: Relief on Fishguard – Rosslare service.

July 15th 1975: Support vessel on Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire services.

© Chris Howell © Chris Howell  

© Chris Howell (06/1977)(Left) (07/1977)(Right)

November 9th 1978: Last commercial sailing as relief between Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire, then laid up in Holyhead.

January 1st 1979: Registered to Sealink UK Ltd.

Januaruy 21st 1979: Sold to Empirewise of Liverpool and towed to Barrow.

August 10th 1979: Arrived at a landlocked berth at Llanerch-y-Mor, near Mostyn, North Wales, where she currently lays. Plans to convert her to an entertainments centre have never materialised.

© Malcom Cranfield © Carsten Dettmer  

© Malcolm Cranfield (07/05/2005)  (Left) © Carsten Dettmer (19/10/2016)(Right)

©  Carsten Dettmer

🆕 ©  Carsten Dettmer (21/04/2019)

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Jim Ashby, Ian Collard, Terry Conybeare, Malcom Cranfield, Carsten Dettmer, Chris Howell, Derek Longly, the National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library, William Macdonald and Kenneth Whyte for their assistance in compiling this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

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