FerriesPast and PresentSealink

TS Caesarea – Past and Present

IMO Number: 5057187

TS Aesarea

ex Caesarea (III)

Nigel Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

Steel twin screw turbine steamer, built and engined by J. Samuel White & Co. Ltd., Cowes (Yard No.2008) For the British Transport Commission’s Weymouth-Channel Islands passenger service in 1960. 

Technical Data

  • Length on Deck: 98.15m (321.75 ft) (overall), 92.05m (302 ft) (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth of Hull: 16.40m (53.8 ft) (extreme), 15.55m (51.0 ft) (moulded)
  • Depth: 8.2m (26.9 ft)
  • Draught: 4.2m (13.75 ft) (maximum)
  • Tonnage: 4,174 gross (1960), 3,992 (1969)/ 2,271 net (1960), 2,075 (1969)/ 580 deadweight (1960), 571 (1969), 580 (1984)
  • Engines: Two Samuel White double reduction gearing steam turbines
  • Power: 6,620 kW
  • Speed: 20 knots
  • Capacity: 1,400 passengers, 800 (after rebuild)
  • Call Sign: GHHT, H91T
  • IMO Number: 5057187
  • Official Number: 302183
  • Registry: Weymouth/UK  🇬🇧, Panama 🇵🇦
  • Sister Vessel: Sarnia (2009)

History

January 29th 1960: Launched

Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

November 5th 1960: Delivered to British Transport Commission Southern Region, London, England.

Nigel Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

November 12th 1960: Inaugural arrival in Weymouth.

November 18th – November 19th 1960: Made a VIP trip to the Channel Islands.

November 20th 1960: Displayed in Jersey


Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection  

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection  

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection  

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection  

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection  

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

November 21st 1960: Displayed in Guernsey.

November 22nd 1960: Guernsey to Southampton

December 2nd 1960: Commenced service between Weymouth – Jersey – Guernsey. During her first winter in service, the ship continued on to St Malo on a Saturday.

© Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood

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

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

July 29th 1964: Hit a rock while leaving Guernsey, sustained little damage and was able to continue service.

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

© Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

  

© David Ingham (all)

December 14th 1966: Arrived at Dover to relieve on the “Golden Arrow” service to Calais, remaining until January 1967. Then returned to Weymouth.

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

August 22nd 1968: Holed while entering Weymouth and had to go to dry-dock at Falmouth for repairs.

© Ron Baker

© Ron Baker

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 to be painted in the new house colours.

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

1971(early): Internal alterations were carried out to provide better facilities. The cafeteria on ‘D‘ deck was converted into a lounge and a new lounge area was created for on ‘A’ deck, giving a total of 870 seats, numbered to allow the introduction of the new reservation system on May 1st 1971.

July 19th 1972: In thick fog collided with the quayside in St Peter Port. Repaired in Falmouth.

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton collection (August 1972)

July 7th 1973: Ran aground near Jersey, minor damage which was repaired.

1973: Sealink trading name painted on hulls

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

October 6th 1975: Final day in commercial traffic between Weymouth – Jersey – Guernsey.

February 3rd 1976: Left Weymouth for Dover.

February 1976: Commenced service between Dover – Calais.

April 11th 1978 – May 6th 1978: Required at Weymouth as cover.

© Ted Ingham

© Ted Ingham

1977: Operated between Dover – Boulogne.

© Ken Larwood  © Ken Larwood  

© Ken Larwood (both)

April 1978: Operated for a short time between Weymouth – Jersey – Guernsey.

    

 © Ken Larwood (both)

© Trevor Jones

© Trevor Jones (Courtesy of Chris Howell)

January 1st 1979: Registered to Sealink U.K. Ltd.

© A G Jones  © A G Jones  

© A G Jones

September 29th 1979: Completed her scheduled summer season. A hastily-arranged excursion to Boulogne on the following day carried 1,128 passengers at just £4 a head and October 1st, saw her last trip of the season with an agents’ special. Then to Calais for lay-up.

May 16th 1980: Left Wellington Dock (Dover)Commenced service between Folkestone – Calais/ Boulogne.

© John Hendy

🆕 © John Hendy (Folkestone, 1980’s)

July 1st 1980 – September 27th 1980: Operated between Dover / Folkestone – Calais/ Boulogne.

Courtesy of Sybille Weber

Courtesy of Sybille Weber

September 27th 1980: Operated a series of daily Dover-Boulogne day excursions.

October 4th 1980: Made her final crossing Folkestone – Boulogne, on public charter in aid of RNLI. Later that evening sailed to Dover to de-store.

© John Hendy © John Hendy  

© John Hendy 

October 7th 1980: Sailed to Newhaven to lay-up.

© Andy Gilbert

© Andy Gilbert

December 20th 1980: Sailed for Hong Kong, having been sold to Superluck Enterprises Inc, of Panama.

Nigel Thornton collection

Nigel Thornton collection  (March 1981)

October 10th 1981: Arrived in Hong Kong. Renamed AESAREA. Laid up.

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection (October 1981)

Nigel Thornton collection

Nigel Thornton collection (November 1981)

September 9th 1983: In hurricane “Ellen” she was beached , but re-floated the following day.

1984: Sold to unknown Philippine buyer.

Roy Thornton Collection Courtesy of Ken Larwood Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection (As indicated) Courtesy of Ken Larwood (As indicated)

April 2nd 1986: Left Kure, Japan for planned be-build to floating hotel, however no work took place.

June 25th 1986: Left Kure for South Korean breakers.

 


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. We would like to thank: Ron Baker, Andy Gilbert, John Hendy, Chris Howell, Ted Ingham, A G Jones, Trevor Jones, Ken Larwood and Sybille Weber for their assistance in producing this feature. 

Special thanks go to Terry Conybeare

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

2 Comments

  1. I worked on her during July and August 1977 when she was based in Folkestone although overnighted in France.

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