FerriesPast and PresentSealinkSociété Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF)

MV Villandry – Past and Present

IMO Number: 6503567

MV Adina Lestari 102

ex Delos, Olympia, Villandry

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1965 by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes-Chantenay, France (Yard No 809) as a passenger and vehicle roll-on roll-off vehicle ferry, for SNCF

Technical Data

  • Length on deck: 104.86m (344.0 ft)(overall)
  • Breadth of hull: 17.68m (58.0 ft)(extreme)
  • Depth: 10.52m (34.6 ft)
  • Draught: 3.96m (maximum)
  • Tonnage: 3,444 (1976), 2,286 (1986)/982 net (1976), 1,424 (1986)/680 deadweight (1965), 615 (1976), 680 (1986
  • Engines: Two 6-cylinder Pielstick diesels
  • Power: 9,235 kW
  • Speed: 21 knots (max on completion)
  • Capacity: 1,200 passengers, 140 cars
  • Call Sign: FNNN, SXLC, YFOO
  • IMO Number: 6503567
  • Registry: Dieppe/France 🇫🇷, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷
  • Sister Ship: Valencay (E 23)

History

“The first ship of the second generation of S.N.C.F. car ferries, after COMPIEGNE (310), consisting of threes vessels; the two first and CHANTILLY (822), which had larger dimensions but, built on similar lines.”.

Matt Murtland Collection  Matt Murtland Collection

Matt Murtland Collection (HHV Ferry)

November 20th 1964: Launched

April 23rd 1965: Left Nantes for fitting out in Brest. Re-routed owing to engine problems during her initial trials off Ushant.

April 27th 1965: Left Brest for Cherbourg

May 1965: Delivered to SNCF, Dieppe, France. Originally appeared with black hull.

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

May 16th 1965: Inaugural sailing between Dieppe – Newhaven.

May 30th 1965: Commenced commercial sailings.

© Fotoflite Ref: 242628  © Fotoflite © Fotoflite

© Fotoflite

October 6th 1966 – October 10th 1966: Publicity visit to Pool of London.

Roy Thornton Collection Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

© A G Jones © A G Jones © A G Jones

© A G Jones (14/10/1966 @ Newhaven)

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

© Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood

Courtesy of Jean-guy Hagelstein

Courtesy of Jean-Guy Hagelstein

1967: During refit joint service flag added to her funnel

© Brian Fisher

© Brian Fisher

May 1st 1970 – May 2nd 1970: Second publicity visit to London.

May 9th 1970 – May 11th 1970: Publicity voyage between Le Havre – Jersey – Cherbourg – Jersey – Le Havre.

©  Derek Longly ©  Derek Longly

© Derek Longly

May 1973: Operated 4 Rouen cruises.

June 1974: Three day cruise to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Normandy Landings.

June 1975: Retired from service with engine problems.

July 1st 1975: Returned to service.

© Peter Longhurst © Peter Longhurst

© Peter Longhurst

December 1975: Announcement made that both VILLANDRY and VALENCAY were to be “stretched” at Ateliers et Chantiers, Le Havre to cater for the increase of freight lorry traffic. Approximately three quarters of the after end of the ship’s accommodation was cut and raised by 56 cm in order to give greater headroom for freight on the main vehicle deck below. Also at this time they were to be converted to bow loaders and have their funnel tops extended. Thus modified they would be able to carry 20 rather than 10 lorries. The VILLANDRY was earmarked to go for her conversion during autumn of 1976 followed a year later by her sister-ship. Other alterations included the removal of the vessel’s stern bridges and the extension of their after observation lounges.

Roy Thornton Collection (Sealink News)

Roy Thornton Collection (Sealink News)

March 1977: Returned from stretching.

© Bob Scott  Roy Thornton Collection 

© Bob Scott (Left) and Roy Thornton Collection (Right)

April 9th 1982: Final day in operation between Dieppe – Newhaven.

© Aubrey Dale  © Aubrey Dale 

© Aubrey Dale

June 7th 1982: Chartered to Sealink and operated Stranraer – Larne

August 1982: Service between Calais – Dover. Also sailed Folkestone – Boulogne to cover HORSA which was transferred to Dover to cover ST CHRISTOPHER which had suffered mechanical problems and COTE D’AZUR which had collided with CHANTILLY.

Courtesy of Jim Ashby Courtesy of Jim Ashby 

Courtesy of Jim Ashby (Dover 14/08/1982)

© A G Jones © A G Jones 

© A G Jones

© A G Jones

Courtesy of the family of Gerry Stevens, Sealink Manager, Boulogne, 1974-89

Courtesy of the family of Gerry Stevens, Sealink Manager, Boulogne, 1974-89

October 1982: Laid up in Calais.

June 24th 1983 – July 8th 1983: Service between Heysham – Belfast.

© Ian Collard

🆕© Ian Collard (Heysham)

1983: Received red S.N.C.F. colours

© Fotoflite Ref: 242629

© Fotoflite

August 7th 1983: Arrived at Holyhead.

Justin Merrigan Collection

Justin Merrigan Collection

July 1983: Laid up in Calais.

© Ken Larwood  © Nigel Scutt

© Ken Larwood (Left)  © Nigel Scutt (Dover Strait Shipping)(Right)

August 12th 1983 – August 13th 1983: Chartered to Sealink U.K. Ltd. For use between Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire.

1984: Withdrawn at the end of the season. Reserve vessel. Then laid up in Calais. Projected sale to Liberian ship owners (Sea Lady Maritime) did not materialise. Projected name was to be YASMINE

August 1984: Sold to Agapitos Bros., Piraeus, Greece. Renamed OLYMPIA.

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

1986: Sold to Ionian Lines Shipping, Piraeus, Greece and renamed DELOS then operating under Strintzis Lines between Killini – Poros.

© Ken Larwood  © Jürgen Stein 

© Ken Larwood (Syros 1988) (Left) and © Jürgen Stein (Right)

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Killini, 14/07/1990)

1997: Sold to Equester Shipping Co. N.V., Kingstown, St Vincent

November 1998: Sold to Infiniti Indosakti, Indonesia. Renamed ADINA LESTARI 102

1998: Broken up.


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: Ian Collard, Aubrey Dale, Brian Fisher, Fotoflite, Jean-Guy Hagelstein, Frank Heine, A G Jones, Ken Larwood, Peter Longhurst, Derek Longly, Justin Merrigan,  Matt Murtland, Bob Scott, Nigel Scutt (Dover Strait Shipping), Jürgen Stein, Andy Stevens and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Special thanks go to Jim Ashby and Terry Conybeare.

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

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