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MV Freshwater (II) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 5121110

MV Sound of Seil

ex Freshwater (II)

Freshwater – Postcard

Steel twin Voith Schneider double ended vessel built in 1959 at Ailsa SB Company, Troon (Yard Number. 505) for British Railways Board, London, England as a passenger and vehicle ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 49.99 m (overall) 44.20 m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 12.96 m
  • Depth: 3.05 m
  • Draught: 1.829 m
  • Tonnage: 363 gross/146 net/81 deadweight
  • Engines: Two Oil 4SA 8-cylinder Crossley Brothers diesels via two Voith Schneider vertical blade propellers.
  • Power: 477 kW/640 BHP
  • Speed: 10.5 knots
  • Capacity: 620 passengers 26 cars
  • Call Sign: GFHL
  • IMO Number: 5121110
  • Official Number: 300711
  • Port of Registry: Southampton/UK

History

June 24th 1959: Launched.

Freshwater –

Seen at Southampton after her delivery voyage from the Clyde (The Marine Engineer and Naval Archives, December 1959)

 

 

Freshwater – (The Marine Engineer and Naval Archives, December 1959)

September 21st 1959: Entered service; replaced FRESHWATER (I). Car and passenger ferry Lymington – Isle of Wight.

Freshwater – Salmon Cameracolour Postcard

January 1st 1979: To Sealink UK Ltd.

© Brian Fisher

Freshwater – © Brian Fisher

January 1979: Operated the Humber ferry service for three weeks during the overhaul of FARRINGFORD.

© Simonwp

Freshwater – © Simonwp (New Holland Pier, 07/01/1979)

1980: Operated the Humber ferry service for FARRINGFORD (called at Dover en-route to the Humber)

© A G Jones

Freshwater – © A G Jones (Dover, 03/01/198)

1982: Stood in, Portsmouth – Ryde, for BRADING and SOUTHSEA during overhauls. She had no covered accommodation so two single deck coaches were parked on deck.

1984: Sold to Pounds Marine Shipping Ltd., Tipnor, Southampton. Laid up.

1985: Sold to Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd. Manager; Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd and renamed SOUND OF SEIL.

June 18th 1986: In service Dunoon – Gourock.

Sound of Seil – Chantry Classic Postcard

November 1987: Chartered for two weeks to Scott Lithgow to ferry workers to the oil rig OCEAN ALLIANCE (Ben – Odeco) anchored in the Clyde estuary.

© Robbie Shaw © Robbie Shaw 

Sound of Seil – © Robbie Shaw (Firth of Clyde, 04/04/1988)

July 1995: Completed service.

July 31st 1996: Sold to Widnes ship-breakers S. Evans & Sons for use as a crane barge.

August 18th 1997: Scrapped at Garston.


                                 

Sound of Seil – 🆕 © Phil Pritchard (Garston, October 2007)


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Brian Fisher, A G Jones, Phil Pritchard, Robbie Shaw, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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