Mersey Ferry is a ferry service operating on the Mersey River in northwest England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead/Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula. Ferries have been used on this route since at least the 12th century, and continue to be popular for local residents and visitors.
The fleet currently consists of two active vessels, with the third currently laid for cost savings reasons. They originally started operations in 1960 and were named Mountwood , Woodchurch and Overchurch . All three ferries have been widely renewed and named the Royal Iris of the Mersey, Snowdrop and Royal Daffodil respectively, the latter is not currently on service.
Ferries share the workload of ferries crossing the river, charter cruises and yacht cruises of Manchester ships. This service is operated by Merseytravel.
Video Mersey Ferry
History
Medieval ferries
Around 1150, the Benedictine Monastery in Birkenhead was founded. The monks usually charge a small fare to row passengers across the river. At this time, the Mersey is much larger with dunes and marshes to the north that lead to the Ainsdale beach and sandstone cliffs and coastline to the south near Otterspool. The only landing point suitable for the ferry is in Pool, near the location of the current Merseyside Police headquarters. The weather often stopped crossing and passengers were delayed for days, taking refuge in the monastery.
In 1317, a royal license was issued, granting permission to the Priory to build lodging houses for men crossing the river at Woodside. King Edward II visited Liverpool in 1323, and the royal account indicated that he used local miners to sail to the river to Ince. In 1330, his son Edward III granted the Priory and its successors permanent deeds: "the ferry right there... for men, horses and goods, on leave to impose a reasonable toll" . At that time, there was only a small hamlet in Birkenhead, and a slightly larger village in Liverpool.
The Chester Charges record criminal activity on the Mersey ferry in the 14th century and early 15th century. In 1355, Richard, son of Simon de Becheton, was killed on a ferry; the murderers flee and take shelter at Shotwick. In 1365, there were four ferries operating without a license, from Bromborough and Eastham. In 1414, William de Stanley, waiter John Talbot, then the Earl of Shrewsbury, was on a ferry between Birkenhead and Liverpool when about 200 people attacked him, and stole his baby horse worth Ã,  £ 5 (current value - over $ 10). 2,800), arcs and 14 arrows are worth 3s 4d (current value - over  £ 95) and barges worth Ã,  £ 10 (current value - over  £ 5,700). The thieves were fined.
The license was issued in 1357 to the Poole family by Edward, the Black Prince, for a ferry from Eastham. The license was then forwarded to Abbey of St Werburgh, in Chester, and became known as Job's Ferry. Initial ferries also exist in the Mersey further upstream, in Ince and at Runcorn.
From the 16th to the 18th century
The monks of the Birkenhead Monastery operated the ferry service until the Dissolution of the Monastery and the destruction of monks by Henry VIII's troops in 1536. Ownership was returned to the Crown, and in 1544 the ferries and Priory property were purchased by Ralph Worsley of Lancashire for Ã, Â £ 586. 11s. 6d (present value - almost Ã, Â £ 205,000). The rights were then passed on to the Molyneux family. By 1541 William Bromley had a license for a ferry at Seacombe, and in 1586, Queen Elizabeth awarded John Poole of Sutton a right at Tranmere.
During this period, private owners began to use fully rigged sailing vessels. The use of sailboats means larger ships can be used, but in reality these ships are even more on the weather offering. The Mersey is famous for its thick fog, and during times during the winter there is little wind and the ferries can not operate. Frequency depends on demand and weather.
In the 18th century, Liverpool's commercial expansion and increased trainer traffic from Chester spurred the growth of passenger and freight transport across the river. The ferry service from Rock House in Wirral - ie, Rock Ferry - was first recorded in 1709. In 1753, the Wirral side of Mersey had at least five ferry houses in Ince, Eastham, Rock, Woodside, and Seacombe. Service from New Ferry to Liverpool was first mentioned in 1774.
Steam ferry
The first steamers operating on the Mersey were Elizabethan, a wooden paddle steamer, introduced in 1815 to operate between Liverpool and Runcorn. There is a great debate about the best way to board a ferry. For the steam ferry Etna , which entered service at Tranmere on April 17, 1817, the idea of ​​the extension stage was debated. It is a long dock mounted on wheels and, using a steam engine, can be driven in and out depending on the tidal level.
At Woodside, a small boat was built on the beach to allow the ship to dock, and in 1822 the Royal Mail began operating between Liverpool and Woodside. The town of Birkenhead is just beginning to develop at this point. In 1820, Ferry Birkenhead began operating from a new site in the south; was closed in 1870. The Woodside, North Birkenhead and Liverpool Steam Ferry Company were formed in 1835, and the ship's launch site at Woodside was expanded and built as a stone dock. In 1838, the Monks Ferry Company began operating rival ferries from a new stone sheath and hotel about 400 meters south of Woodside, but the service was closed in 1878.
From around 1830, the steam ferry was also operated from a new resort developed by James Atherton in New Brighton, and from nearby Egremont. The steam ferry also started operating from Eastham.
In the 1840s, Birkenhead evolved into a busy new city. The train to Chester had been opened, the city grew rapidly, and the pier was under construction. There are also competing ferry services and disputes about the rights granted to the monks, and there is a need to improve facilities at Woodside. In the early 1840s, the old ship was replaced with a new stone dock with a small lighthouse at its end. However, this soon became inadequate.
In 1847, the first floating landing stage, which went up and down with the current so the ship could dock at any time, opened in Liverpool. The first part, known as the Georges landing stage, was designed by William Cubitt and has a length of 500 feet. It was rebuilt and extended in 1874.
Company Year
Until the formation of the Mersey Railway in 1886, the ferry was the only way to cross the river, and therefore all routes were widely used. All ferry routes are owned by private interests before coming under the ownership of the city in the mid-19th century. The Woodside ferry boat was taken over by Birkenhead Commissioner in 1858 and, in 1861, the Local Council of Wallasey took over the ferry services in Seacombe, Egremont and New Brighton. At Woodside, the land between Woodside Hotel and the end of the old pier was reclaimed, and in 1861 the floating landing stage was opened. The pontoons were pulled into position, moored by chains made for SS Great Eastern , and connected to the mainland by two double bridges.
The Cheshire , the first passenger ferry with a sedan, operated from Woodside in 1864. The iron dock at Eastham was built in 1874. On November 26, 1878, the ferries of Gems, oars operated from Seacombe by the Wallasey Local Council, collided with Bowfell, a wooden sailing ship at anchor on the Mersey River; five people died as a result.
In 1886, the Mersey Train Tunnel was opened, providing competition for ferry services. The Woodside ferry service began using a twin-screw passenger steamer in 1890, which replaced the paddle steamer. In 1894 the train carried 25,000 passengers per day and 44,000 ferries per day. The ferry service at Tranmere, which has operated since medieval times, was closed in 1897. The pier and landing stage at Rock Ferry was built in 1899, and Birkenhead Corporation also operates a ferry service on the New Ferry.
In 1914, King George V and Queen Mary traveled by ferry S.S. Daffodil from Wallasey to Liverpool. During the First World War, the Iris Iris and Daffodil were taken from the service of Wallasey to be used as a troop ship in naval raids in Zeebrugge in Belgium. The ferries have a shallow draft, allowing them to jump over a mine that floats below the surface, and strong enough to approach a highly defended trunk that bends into the North Sea. They both saw the action, described on 24 April 1918 by Vice Admiral Sir Roger Keyes of the Royal Navy in a message to the ferry manager:
"I'm sure it will interest you to know that your two fat boats carry the Bluejackets and Marines to Zeebrugge, and stay with Mole for an hour, contributing greatly to the success of the operation... The damage caused by enemy gunfire has been improved" >.
Because of their work, King George V allows the ship to use the word "Royal" in their name. They need major repairs before they can restart peaceful activities.
On the boat itself, there is rapid development. The earliest incarnations of modern vessels can now be seen on several ships driven by early propellers, especially in 1906, the Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil. Twin ships twin Wallasey all have flying bridges with ports and docking dock right. As it is built, the two ferries still have wheels at the level of the promenade deck, but these are then moved onto the bridge so that navigation is all on one level. They are all equipped with front engines and back and forth engines and most of the vessels can reach a speed of about 12 knots, which is almost the same as the current ferry trio. At the start of the rowers, the cabin and side cabins are open largely because of the transition from sailing to steam, and most of the vessels at that time had an open navigation bridge with no different ferries. Birkenhead does not use flying bridges; it has a central steering chamber and two outer navigation boxes raised higher above the deck level. The Wallasey ferry uses a funnel of white and black channels and red and black Birkenhead. Birkenhead turned orange and black after the second world war.
When a railroad tunnel is built and opened, the ferry service is a bit miserable but always remains popular. It was really the emergence of a road tunnel that caused the problem. When the Queensway road tunnel opened in 1934, the ferry service from Seacombe lost two million passengers because people started using tunnels rather than ferries. The opening of the road tunnel also had an effect on the luggage boat introduced in 1879. The two ferry companies acquired a large number of luggage boats, which transport vehicles and goods across the river. When the road tunnel is opened, traffic decreases by 80%. In the 1940s, the freighter service from Woodside and Seacombe to Liverpool had stopped.
Due to the financial losses resulting from gradual reduction of patronage, Birkenhead Corporation gradually shut down its southern terminals; New Ferry (official) on September 22, 1927, Eastham in 1929 and Rock Ferry on June 30, 1939. The closure of Eastham marked the last use of the ferry paddle steamer on the river. Wallasey always tried to shut down Egremont, but faced harsh opposition from locals who were petitioned to keep the ferry open. The opportunity came to close Egremont during the Second World War for economic reasons, after the dock was damaged in a collision. It's in a state similar to New Ferry's death twenty years earlier. As a result, Egremont's services never reopen.
In 1941, a mine that had drifted into the Mersey River stopped the ferry crossing. The vessels Oxton and Bebington were equipped with cranes to allow them to unload the United States plane from the middle of the river and take them to the Liverpool landing stage. The Upton ship was taken by the army and used as a ferry and supply for an anti-aircraft fortress in the Bay of Liverpool.
In 1950, the ferry brought nearly 30 million passengers per year, including 11 million on the Woodside ferry and 15 million on the Seacombe ferry, but by 1970 the total number dropped to 7 million. Night boats across the river were withdrawn and replaced by a bus through the tunnel in 1956.
MPTE takes over
As a result of the Transport Act of 1968, both Wallasey and Birkenhead Corporations merged under the sole control of the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (MPTE) on 1 December 1969. At this time, New Brighton has declined as a tourist destination and coupled with a siltation problem near the stage landing, ferry service was withdrawn in 1971, with the stage and dock then destroyed.
Regardless of the proximity of Wallasey and Birkenhead and the landing stages of each ferry, the two Corporations have used different gangway distances on their vessels. This means that the Wallasey ferry can not use both aisles at the Birkenhead terminal at Woodside, and that the Birkenhead boats will be equally harmed in Seacombe and New Brighton. The Pier Head in Liverpool must have a gang to meet both sets of ships. When the combined ferry fleets are rationalized, the landing stages at Seacombe Ferry require the construction of an additional aisle to serve the Birkenhead ships.
The 1970s economic situation in the UK saw increased costs, with funding limited by MPTE, which started costly operations to build the Merseyrail "Liverpool Loop" extension. Compiled with the opening of the Kingsway road tunnel on June 28, 1971 and a further decrease in the number of passengers (only 4,000-5,000 a day), the future of service is uncertain. It's sentimental, rather than the economic reason that resulted in ferry retention, after many public protests to keep them. However, the frequency of services is reduced, with ferry rates associated with bus and train fares. During this period, the maintenance on the ferry was very limited, with Woodchurch being placed as a rescue of parts for Mountwood and Overchurch. By this time, a large brass helmet from Overchurch was broken and replaced by it from Woodchurch . After the broken helmet is repaired, it is placed in Woodchurch . This remains a problem, even after the two vessels were rebuilt extensively.
1984 is an important year for ferries and can be seen as the beginning of the rising ferries of the 1970s slump. During the International Garden Festival, a special ferry service is provided to Otterspool Promenade. This service is usually operated by Overchurch . The ferries also began operating yachts on the summer cruises of Manchester, a service that has been popular for many years since the canal opened, but declined somewhat in the 1960s and 1970s. Sailing Boats from High Ship Races' visited the river in August 1984, which helped bring the patronage to 250,000 for four days, a level not seen for forty years.
Bus Deregulation and 1990 changes
The Mersey Ferries were under a new body named Merseytravel in 1986. On 26 October of that year, as a result of the Transportation Act of 1985, regulated bus services and restrictions that prevented regular bus services through the Mersey tunnel were abolished. As a result, many buses that had previously stopped at the Woodside Bus/Ferry Birkethead terminal were extended to Liverpool. This is another blow to Mersey Ferries and the ferry service should be re-focused away from the commuter traffic, which has declined, to the needs of travelers.
From 1990, a commuter freight has operated during the Monday-Friday peak period with Cruise River Explorer every hour. On weekends, River Explorer cruises run from 10:00 to 18:00. The morning peak service until 2010 ran every 30 minutes on the Liverpool-Birkehead-Seacombe-Liverpool circuit, but since then it only runs every 20 minutes from the Liverpool-Seacombe Ferry and back.
The evening peak service runs Liverpool-Seacombe every 20 minutes. Explorer Explorer follows the Liverpool-Seacombe-Birkenhead-Liverpool pattern and sails a little further upstream with comments on what can be seen.
This operation runs biased toward the Seacombe Ferry because around Seacombe does not have a train connection and a Birkenhead bus. In summer there is also a yacht on the Manchester Ship Canal.
Maps Mersey Ferry
Boats
There are hundreds of ferries used in Mersey. The Birkenhead Ship Claughton, Bidston, Thurstaston and Upton are seen as the fastest ferries in the river. The Wallasey ferry includes a number of three decks such as Marlowe , which are used for both ferry and sailing assignments. The first diesel ferry to enter service was Royal Iris in 1951. The current vessel of the Mersey Ferry service is MV Royal Daffodil .
Royal Family
The prefix "Kingdom" was given to ferries Iris and Daffodil for their service during the First World War where they played a role in Mole in Zeebrugge. Both ferries were badly damaged but returned home with a triumphant greeting. Since the withdrawal of the original duo, there are other Royals. The Royal Daffodil II is arguably the most luxurious ferry ever built. He was hit by a bomb and drowned in his place in the Second World War, but was later resurrected and returned to service, with some splendor before the war. Perhaps the most famous is Royal Iris Royal Iris 1951. He is the most beloved of all the Mersey ferries. He is the first diesel-powered vessel of the Wallasey fleet. He has four diesel generators connected to two Metrovick marine propulsion units. He is different from all other ferry boats because he has super fine lines and a stuffed funnel in place. He hosted hundreds of cruise ships and party bands like Gerry & amp; The Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Beatles and also Elvis Costello. He received a major reparation in the 1970s and his popular fish and chips cafe - which earned him the name "fish and chip boat" - was removed and replaced with a steak bar. The Royal Iris remained in operation for nearly 40 years before it was sold in 1993 - two years after withdrawal - for use as a floating nightclub. He is now anchored in Woolwich, London. Attempts to bring him back to Merseyside were useless as the costly cost made him fit for a 1,000 mile journey.
Lean, Egremont and Royal Daffodil II
The Leasowe and Egremont were built by Philip and Co in Dartmouth, Devon and entered service in late 1951 and early 1952 respectively. Named after the edge of Wallasey, the two ships were commissioned by Wallasey Corporation.
They are a traditional design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough, based in Liverpool, but boast of modern equipment including the multi-speed Crossley engine for versatile control. They only have one single boarding carriage and their front salon is extended to the entire width of the vessel. This proved somewhat problematic especially during busy times, so additional gangway space was added on the promenade deck for use with high-end terminal alleys. The front salon also has facilities for the bar area and the dance floor, which means the ship can be used for sailing. The two ships were mainly used in Seacombe - Liverpool's services, adding New Brighton over the summer.
Egremont is externally different with Leasowe because it has a canvas tent mounted around its funnel. Initial photos of Leasowe and Egremont show them carrying what looks like a binnacle sheath (the brass petals sitting on top of the binnacle) on the roof of the wheel house and their taxi wings. Not understood what this is. Some people say that they are actually ventilation devices. On the bridge there are many modern devices. Chadburn telegraph synchrostep and steering angle indicator, hydraulic steering telemotor and automatic whistle control can be found in the steering room and navigation box. There is also an internal communication system, a ship to the beach and a PA system and three binnacles on the bridge. Similar types of navigation equipment and deck equipment used on these vessels still exist in Edmund Gardner Pilot Boat at the Merseyside Maritime Museum. The Leasowe and Egremont are popular ferries with their crew because they have far better crew accommodations compared to previous steamers, where a lot of lower deck space is taken up with a boiler and machine. When the ferries enter service, they all have white and black Wallacey fairy creams. However, there are major design errors with Leasowe and Egremont . To reach the ship's bow when performing casting etc., the crew members are asked to push through the commuting horde and down the stairs from the promenade deck forward or walk along the sway and climb. In a flat calm condition this is not a problem, but in a power of 8 gale with a ship oscillating around wild, it can be very dangerous. The simple reason for the problem is because there is no door leading from the main saloon to the ship's bow area!
The Royal Daffodil II was built by James Lamont and Co. in Greenock and started operations in 1957. He is larger than the Dartmouth pair as he has three decks and is designed for the dual roles of ferry and cruise services. Gross tonnage Royal Daffodil II is 609. The big mistake is the size of the engine, developing 1,360 bhp less-controlled parts and often struggling in strong currents. Apart from telegraph telegraph machines, he also has a telegraph docking on the wing, the only Mersey ferry ever to have. The second deck of the vessel is intended to be used as a bar and function area, but this does not happen because of limited cost. Instead, it's just an empty space with seating and a semi-enclosed base sedan. The Roman II was added to its name because the Thames estuary cruiser was also called the existing Royal Daffodil from 1939 to 1967 (see MV Royal Daffodil (1939)).
With the joining of the Wallasey and Birkenhead fleets in 1969, the ferries lost their Wallasey colors to be replaced by the yellow primrose and MPTE blue powder, and lastly green and black emeralds. In the mid-1970s, Leasowe and Royal Daffodil II were sold to Greek owners and have been heavily modified ever since. The Leasowe is still roaming around the Greek Islands. Former Royal Daffodil II is converted into a container vessel, but still retains the front part mostly in its original condition. He made headlines when he sank in November 2007, 20 miles off the coast of Cape Andreas, in the heavy seas. The cause of the sinking of the main engine and the failure of the steering wheel, and he took the lives of both captain and soul mate. The Egremont was laid in Morpeth Dock while the sales offer and the facts emitted a leak that flooded the engine room and damaged the engine making it inoperable. He was stripped of his machine tools and bridges and dragged to Salcombe, where he is now used as a floating headquarters for the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe, Devon, not far from his original birthplace.
Mountwood, Woodchurch, and Overchurch
The Mersey Ferries fleet currently consists of three ships, all based on the same design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough of Liverpool. Originally named Mountwood , Woodchurch and Overchurch after the post-war post-war housing development of Birkenhead. They are assigned to service by Birkenhead Corporation.
Mountwood and Woodchurch was built in Dartmouth by Philip and Son. The Mountwood was launched on July 31, 1959 and Woodchurch on October 28 of the same year. They are loosely based on Leasowe and Egremont designs from the Wallasey fleet, although both are much heavier at 464 tonnes, compared to 311 tonnes for previous vessels. They are also larger than older Wallasey couples, being about 19 feet longer, 6 feet wider and more than one foot taller. The two boats were identical externally on almost every street until 1991 when the shroud that protected the rear puncture vents in Mountwood was changed from square to rounded.
Compared to the previous Wallasey twins, Mountwood and Woodchurch are very advanced. They benefit from cash injection from Birkenhead Corporation and the Joint Tunnel Committee. They were given a special eight-cylinder Crossley engine equipped with automatic gears and air brakes. The new telegraph style by Chadburns is designed which has the facility to brake the machine for quick reversal, the telegraph is part of a brand known as "Synchrostep" and all of them originally used brushed aluminum with shiny brass rims. Woodchurch had his telegraph painted blue, but Mountwood became green and Overchurch had the same 'head' telegraph but they were fitted to the wing and main control position at specially built units that also have instruments suitable for them. They entered service in 1960 and became an instant hit with ferry passengers. They are light, modern and boast the latest marine navigation equipment. They were given an orange and black funnel, with red tape just above the scrubbing piece. In the early years of their ministry, the two ferries carried a rope fender to protect the stake.
On the bridge there is also a brass talk tube connected to the engine room. A popular joke amongst the bridge crew is calling an engineer on a talking tube then pouring water into it, so the submersion engineer is on the other end.
The Mountwood is used in the movie " Ferry Cross The Mersey" , music and Gerry & amp; Pacemakers song, with a video that was filmed on two separate trips crossing to Liverpool from Birkenhead. In his early years he was an unreliable ship. He broke down three times while crossing the river and had to dock. The passengers were rescued by Woodchurch . He also collided with Bidston during anchored, due to a communication error.
The last of the old Birkenhead steamers has passed when the Overchurch arrives, built on the shipyard of Birkenhead Cammell Laird and Co., Overchurch is all welded construction and also has a true bridge closed from the steering wheel and navigation boxes such as Mountwood and Woodchurch . The addition of a completely closed bridge means that there is only one binnacle on it, whereas in the two sisters there are three, one in the main steering room and two in the docking/navigation box. The Overchurch also has a lot of instrumentation fitted to a specially built unit, which means the ferry has a large bridge, rather than a denser and cluttered bridge from Mountwood and Woodchurch . Overchurch has a high funnel just behind the bridge and also a small bridge deck, giving it a rather heavy look ahead, as a result. The Overchurch is equipped with the same navigation equipment as its close relative. He's a little different to being a few tons heavier and a few inches longer. The Overchurch also has only one access ladder to the promenade deck unlike the twin Dartmouth that has two.
In 1962, Overchurch took Princess Alexandra to open the new dry dock of Cammell Laird.
The ferry triads all remained near constant operation until 1981, when cost cutting saw Woodchurch dragged for nearly three years. There was a rumor that he was a cannibal to help keep his sister walking. While lying on Clarence's dry pier, he is offered for sale, with one potential buyer hoping to use it to operate a yacht around the Isle of Man. He was not sold and after major machine repairs and full painting Woodchurch re-operated in 1983, freeing Overchurch to work on the new Otterspool service, prepared for the 1984 International Park Festival. All ferries operate on a normal 20-minute route so far.
When ferries are taken over by PTE, they lose their original liveries and these are quickly replaced by sky blue and yellow primrose. It's replaced with black and green, and then Union Jack colors for the Garden Festival. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw very limited budgets for maintenance and the ferries were recorded to look in adverse conditions during this period.
In 1989, Mountwood and Woodchurch were pulled and extensively updated internally which resulted in major machine repairs and complete rewiring. They were given new modern interiors and wing bridges and separate split houses to form a large bridge, although no original equipment was removed from the new bridge. They entered service in July 1990 on time for the first visit QE2 to Mersey and also operated a new "heritage voyage". They were also given new black and red livery replacing the white and blue reds given for the Garden Festival of the 1984 season. The Overchurch was withdrawn and retired from regular service and then moved to Bootle, where it was internally renewed and replaced. He was then transferred to the regular pier of the ferry at East Float, where he saw very little use for nearly a decade. The reason for this is somewhat unknown as Overchurch is more than suitable for ferry services. In 1996, Overchurch was given a small reparation involving the laying of the promenade deck shelter.
Liveries
The ferry companies can be identified by the various colors displayed in each ship's funnel. The Wallasey ferry carries a black and white color scheme. The early Birkenhead steam carries red and black, but this turned into a bright orange in 1920 and this remained until the merger of two fleets under the MPTE in 1969.
From January 2015, MV Snowdrop has a custom livery applied, based on World War I fascinating camouflage and designed by Peter Blake.
Replace and rename
The Overchurch was given a major reparation in 1998 at Longline Ship Repairers in Manchester, which resulted in a major redevelopment of all decks and installation of new machinery and navigation equipment. He changed his name to Royal Daffodil and returned to work in 1999. Mountwood and Woodchurch also installed and renamed Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop , respectively in 2002 and 2004. The ferries were redesigned by their original architects - Graham and Woolnough. When the three vessels are reinstalled, the helmets and binnacles used previously with the compass are placed back on the updated bridge. Other equipment, such as telegraphs, are stored in the Mersey Ferries archives. The three fleets have been serving the river for nearly five decades and 2009 saw the 50th anniversary of the Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop. This is remarkable for ships that will operate for almost 50 years and show the dedication and attention taken by ferry staff over the years to keep the boat in their condition can be found today. Refitting of ferries has extended their working life by about thirty years, and this continues to increase with additional improvements being made on the boat on a regular basis.
The new WÃÆ'¤rtsilÃÆ'¤ engine mounted on the ferry is much more economical than the previous machine by Crossley Bros of Manchester. They are also much more 'green' and produce far less emissions than the original propulsion unit.
The ferry posts now carry four red lights, one white and one green at various points. Before refit, they only have white light forwards. This is because all ferries have been upgraded to grade 3 certificates, enabling them to sail further and to other locations such as Llandudno and Barrow-in-Furness. Additional lights are only used in this situation. In a nutshell, Royal Daffodil carries a white half-mast light suspended in the ropes. This is because the electrical failure in the headlight and the additional lights should be used.
The Snowdrop and Royal Iris each carry two types of Kockum Super Tyfon TA 100/165 type horn horn. Royal Daffodil carries two Kockums Super Tyfon horns TA 100/185. This is the original horn fitted when the ferry was first built. Both the Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop have an E-flat tone, and Royal Daffodil's is in Sharp F.
The front-leaning bridge windows in the Royal Iris and Snowdrop have been heavily criticized, as they contradict the classic ferry designs, especially those in Snowdrop >, which is very square and box like. Although Royal Iris also has a large front wheel house, it is very much in line with the contours of the vessel as well as many steel replacements by Cammell Laird. Generally, the Snowdrop's repit has been well received, but the criticism lies in the sharp contrast between the original Dartmouth builder lines and the rather rough welding of the Mersey Heritage Ship Repair contractor; this is coupled with an extension to the front promenade deck, which seems a bit 'stuck'. Snowdrop's results in stark contrast to the extraordinary work done at Royal Daffodil .
Ferries are known for their ability to operate in very heavy seas. The reason service is usually suspended is not because the ferry can not cope with the high winds and Mersey waves, it's because a hollow ship can be very dangerous. When the ship docked, the captain used a combination of steering position and engine movement. All ferries have a Fletner steering system that makes them much more maneuverable. By using the twin screw of the ship, the captain can move the ship away by using one machine to push the ship off the stage and steering and other machines to steer it in the right direction.
The Mersey Ferries are used to operate in fog, but in recent years even a little fog has resulted in service suspension.
Liverpool 08
The ferry played a major role in the celebration of the Capital of European Culture Liverpool 2008. The ferries carry a record number of passengers, and on July 18-21, the High Ships return to Mersey. The combination of Big Boats and Open Golf at nearby Royal Birkdale ensured more than 1 million visitors to the city over the weekend, with many of them traveling on the famous ferry. Sunday July 20 sees the unusual sights of the three ferries on the river at night, with Snowdrop being docked at Woodside and Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil in Seacombe. All three ferries are packed for capacity over the weekend, with Royal Daffodil operating a special voyage to watch the sailing and sailing voyages on Monday 21 July.
Parting to Queen Elizabeth 2
Queen Elizabeth 2 , the famous Cunard ship paid her last visit to Mersey on October 3, 2008. All three ferries were busy throughout the day with shuttle service and special cruises near the ship anchored at Pier Head Liverpool. At 22:00 the fleet sailed by boat for the last time, each ferry sounded their horn to salute, with Queen Elizabeth 2 responding. This is an emotional night for all passengers aboard, as they bid farewell to the ship that launched the ferry as a brand new over 18 years ago.
Future
In August 2012, it was announced that Merseytravel initiated a review of the cost savings on Mersey Ferries operations after the service was running at an annual loss of $ 1 million. As a result of this review, the ferry Royal Daffodil was withdrawn from service in January 2013. Another threat to the future of ferries is the current, oldest ferry replacement cost, when necessary.
In December 2015 Merseytravel announced a 20-year plan for a ferry that included the possibility of closing one of Wirral's two landing stages (possibly Woodside), which then started a commuter service that only operated from Seacombe to Liverpool, and one or two new vessels with more capabilities either for social functions or musical events, facilities not available from the 1951 Royal Iris .
Long Term Strategy Mersey Ferries, while currently subject to approval, anticipates that naval architects will be appointed with the intention of having a new ship ready for service by 2020-21. The vessel will be used as the main day for the day ship with the Snowdrop used as the secondary vessel.
In January 2018, City Municipal City Mayor Steve Rotheram announced that plans had been made for the new ship. The announcement states that naval architects have decided the initial design and there will be a period of public consultation on design. The tender process is expected to begin within a few months.
Cultural reference
"Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a 1964 song, movie, and soundtrack album. The song was written by Gerry Marsden, recorded by Gerry & amp; The Pacemakers and became a hit in the UK and USA. In 1989, the charity version of the song was recorded by Liverpool's The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman, and released to help those affected by the Hillsborough disaster. It holds the # 1 spot on the UK chart for three weeks.
The ferry was also featured in the credit sequence opening of the popular BBC TV comedy series, The Liver Birds , written by Carla Lane, which ran from 1969 to 1979. The ferry depicted is Royal Daffodil. II
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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