Past and Present
In September of 2006 Nigel Thornton joined the website and started compiling his hugely popular ‘Past and Present‘ features. These features profile the timeline of an individual vessel through photography and historical information.
Originally very much focused on the history of the local ferry fleets which have served the Port of Dover, the site has now been expanded to include all different vessel types from around the UK and Ireland.
To help website visitors take their minds of the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 Nigel started to take requests for Past and Present features which have resulted in a large number of updates to the website.
MV Beaumont – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Beaumont – Past and Present
MV Beaumont Exam Damen Bergum 9350 Beaumont – © Frank Behrends (Terneuzen, 01/05/2009) Steel single screw motor vessel built in 2005 by BV Scheepswerf Damen Bergum Industrieterrein Zuid, 9250 AA…
MV Stena Horizon – Past and Present
13th November 2020
MV Stena Horizon – Past and Present
MV Stena Horizon, ex Celtic Horizon, Cartour Beta - Steel twin screw “NAOS 244” motor vessel, built in 2006 by C.N. "Visentini" di Visentini Francesco & C., Donada, Italy (Yard…
MV Stena Superfast VIII – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Stena Superfast VIII – Past and Present
MV Stena Superfast VIII, ex Superfast VIII - Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 2001 by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel (Yard No 358) as a Passenger/RoRo Ferry for…
TS Antwerp – Past and Present
18th October 2020
TS Antwerp – Past and Present
TS Antwerp Ex HMS Antwerp, Antwerp Antwerp Steel twin screw turbine vessel, built in 1920 by John Brown & Co, Ltd., Clydebank (Yard No. 493), for Great Eastern Railway. Technical…
MV Spirit of Adventure – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Spirit of Adventure – Past and Present
MV Spirit of Adventure Spirit of Adventure – © Jochen Wegener Steel twin screw motor vessel built in by Meyer Werft, Papenburg (Yard No 715) for Saga Holidays/Saga Cruise as…
TS Bruges – Past and Present
18th October 2020
TS Bruges – Past and Present
TS Bruges Bruges Steel twin screw turbine vessel, built in 1920 by John Brown & Co, Ltd., Clydebank (Yard No. 494), for Great Eastern Railway. Technical Data Length: 98.43 m (overall)…
MV Star Standard – Past and Present
20th October 2020
MV Star Standard – Past and Present
MV Star Standard Star Standard © F Fornholt (Kiel, 05/08/2020) Steel single screw, “Shikoku Stars” Class motor vessel built in 2009 by Shikoku Dockyard Co., Ltd. Takamatsu. Japan (Yard No…
MV Sea Hunter – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Sea Hunter – Past and Present
MV Sea Hunter Ex Sirius P, Highland, Sirrah Sea Hunter – © Erwin Willemse (Ijmuiden, 17/05/2020) Steel single screw motor vessel built in by ENVC – Estaleiros Navais de Viana…
MV Côte D’Opale – Past and Present
4th December 2020
MV Côte D’Opale – Past and Present
MV Côte D’Opale - Steel twin screw “Stena E-Flexer” class motor vessel built in 2021 by China Merchants Jinling (ex Avic Shipyard, Weihai) China (Yard No W0268) as Passenger and…
TS Malines – Past and Present
18th October 2020
TS Malines – Past and Present
TS Malines Ex HMS Malines, Malines Malines Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1920 by High Walker yard of Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd., Newcastle (Yard No. 972), for…
MV Jaguar (Stena Timer) – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Jaguar (Stena Timer) – Past and Present
MV Ajman 2 Ex Loreto, Stena Timer, Jaguar, Stena Timer Stena Timer (Jaguar) Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1977 at Österreichische Schiffswerften AG, Korneuburg, Vienna (Yard No 711) for…
MV Vox Amalia – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Vox Amalia – Past and Present
MV Vox Amalia Ex C346 CNN Vox Amalia – © Erwin Willemse (Ijmuiden 19/07/2020) Steel twin screw motor vessel built in by Construcciones Navales Del Norte, S.L, The Netherlands (Yard…
TS Amsterdam (II) (1930) – Past and Present
18th October 2020
TS Amsterdam (II) (1930) – Past and Present
TS Amsterdam (II) Ex Hospital Carrier No 64, Amsterdam Amsterdam Steel twin screw turbine steamer built in 1930 at John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank (Yard No 529) as a…
TS Vienna (II) (1929) – Past and Present
18th October 2020
TS Vienna (II) (1929) – Past and Present
TS Vienna (II) Ex HMS Vienna, Vienna Vienna Steel twin screw turbine steamer built in 1929 at John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank (Yard No 527) as a passenger and…
TS Prague (1930) – Past and Present
18th October 2020
TS Prague (1930) – Past and Present
TS Prague Ex Hospital Ship 61, Prague TS Prague Steel twin screw turbine steamer built in 1930 at John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank (Yard No 528) as a passenger…
MV Bon Vivant – Past and Present
18th October 2020
MV Bon Vivant – Past and Present
MV Bon Vivant Ex Vestfjord, Lotus, Nescio Bon Vivant – (Ijmuiden 02/07/2018) Steel single screw motor vessel built in 1993 by Bijlsma Shipyard, Lemmer. Netherlands (Yard No 664) as a…
GTS Jewel of the Seas – Past and Present
18th October 2020
GTS Jewel of the Seas – Past and Present
GTS Jewel of the Seas Jewel of the Seas – © Wil Weijters (Barbados,23/01/2008) Steel twin Azimuthing pod “Radiance class” motor vessel built in 2004 by Meyer Werft GmbH, Papenburg…
MV Star Care – Past and Present
29th October 2020
MV Star Care – Past and Present
MV Star Care Star Care – © Nigel Thornton (Dover, 25/11/209) Steel single screw, “Shikoku Stars” Class motor vessel built in 2009 by Shikoku Dockyard Co., Ltd. Takamatsu. Japan (Yard…