TS Aesarea
ex Caesarea (III)
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 (1960 – 1980), H91T (Aesarea)
- IMO Number: 5057187 Official Number: 302183
- Registry: Weymouth (1960 – 1980), Panama
- Sister Vessel: Sarnia
History
January 29th 1960: Launched
Nigel Thornton Collection (all)
November 5th 1960: Delivered to British Transport Commission Southern Region, London, England.
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 (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
January 1st 1963: British Railways Board succeeded British Transport Commission.
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
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
August 22nd 1968: Holed while entering Weymouth and had to go to dry-dock at Falmouth for repairs.
© 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
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 (August 1972)
July 7th 1973: Ran aground near Jersey, minor damage which was repaired.
1973: Sealink trading name painted on hulls
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
1977: Operated between Dover – Boulogne.
© Ken Larwood (both)
April 1978: Operated for a short time between Weymouth – Jersey – Guernsey.
© Ken Larwood (both)
© Trevor Jones (Courtesy of Chris Howell)
January 1st 1979: Registered to Sealink U.K. Ltd.
© 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.
July 1st 1980 – September 27th 1980: Operated between Dover / Folkestone – Calais/ Boulogne.
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
October 7th 1980: Sailed to Newhaven to lay-up.
© Andy Gilbert
December 20th 1980: Sailed for Hong Kong, having been sold to Superluck Enterprises Inc, of Panama.
Nigel Thornton collection (March 1981)
October 10th 1981: Arrived in Hong Kong. Renamed AESAREA. Laid up.
Roy Thornton Collection (October 1981)
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
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.
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. All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions.
Special thanks go to Terry Conybeare
I worked on her during July and August 1977 when she was based in Folkestone although overnighted in France.