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95-505: MV Royal Iris is a twin screw, diesel-electric, Mersey Ferry . The vessel was built by William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton (Yard No. 1448) and launched in December 1950, costing £256,000. The engines were produced by Ruston & Hornsby Metropolitan-Vickers . Propulsion: 4 oil 4SA, each six cylinders driving four generators , each 300 kW/300v DC-connected to two electric motors, each 730shp and 2 shafts. The maximum speed

190-413: A Liverpool-Birkehead-Seacombe-Liverpool circuit, but since then only runs every 20 minutes from Liverpool-Seacombe Ferry and back. The evening peak service runs Liverpool-Seacombe every 20 minutes. The Explorer cruises follow a Liverpool-Seacombe-Birkenhead-Liverpool pattern and sail slightly further upstream with a commentary of what can be seen. These operations run with a bias towards Seacombe Ferry as

285-431: A busy new town. The railway to Chester had opened, the town was growing quickly, and the docks were under construction. There were also competing ferry services and disputes over the rights granted to the monks, and there was a need to improve the facilities at Woodside. In the early 1840s, the old slipway was replaced with a new stone pier with a small lighthouse at the end. However, this soon became inadequate. In 1847,

380-451: A dome structure was built on the promenade deck of the vessel. During 1984 Royal Iris and the other three Mersey Ferries received the red, white and blue livery to mark the 1984 International Garden Festival at Otterspool. In April and May 1985 the vessel left Liverpool Bay for the first time since the delivery from Scotland. It was sent on a 1500-mile round trip to London on a publicity drive for Merseyside, sailing around Land's End , up

475-407: A facility for braking the engines for rapid reversal, the telegraphs were part of a brand known as "Synchrostep" and were all originally unpainted brushed aluminium with shiny brass rimming. Overchurch had the same telegraph 'heads' however they were fitted into the wings and main control position in specially built units which also had instruments fitted to them. They entered service in 1960 and were

570-707: A floating headquarters for the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe , Devon, not far from her original birthplace. In 2016, the vessel underwent extensive repairs to her hull in Sharpness , Gloucestershire, before being again laid up. As of April 2019, the vessel is no longer in use by the ICC and has been offered for sale. The current Mersey Ferries fleet comprises two vessels, based on a similar design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough of Liverpool. Until 2012

665-520: A funnel livery of white and black and Birkenhead red and black. Birkenhead changed to orange and black after the second world war. When the railway tunnels were constructed and opened, the ferry service did suffer somewhat but it always remained popular. It was really the advent of the road tunnels that caused trouble. When the Queensway road tunnel opened in 1934, the ferry service from Seacombe lost two million passengers because people started to use

760-442: A gradual reduction in patronage, Birkenhead Corporation gradually closed its southern terminals; New Ferry (officially) on 22 September 1927, Eastham in 1929 and Rock Ferry on 30 June 1939. The closure of Eastham marked the last use of ferry paddle steamers on the river. Wallasey were always trying to close Egremont, but faced stiff opposition from locals who got petitions to keep the ferry open. The chance came to close Egremont during

855-407: A green and cream livery , the ship was distinctive in having a forward dummy funnel near the bridge and two exhaust stacks amidships , on both sides. Onboard amenities included a dancefloor and stage, tea room, buffet, cocktail bar, even a fish and chip saloon. The latter likely affording Royal Iris the nickname "the fish and chip boat". On 7 September 1951 the battleship HMS  Duke of York

950-408: A hit with ferry passengers. They were light, modern and boasted the latest in marine navigation equipment. They were given an orange and black funnel livery, with a red band just above the rubbing strake. In their early years of service both the ferries carried rope fenders to protect the strakes. On the bridge was also a brass talk tube that linked down to the engine room. A prank amongst bridge crews

1045-457: A hole near her bow , she was beached near Seacombe. Repaired at Cammell Laird , she subsequently returned to service. During the 1970s the fleet was rationalised, with surplus vessels being put up for sale. Leasowe was sold into Greek ownership in 1974 and renamed Naias II . By 1980 she had been sold on and was renamed Cavo Doro . She remained in service until the early 2000s and is reported to have since been scrapped. Royal Daffodil II

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1140-435: A licence, from Bromborough and Eastham. In 1414, William de Stanley, the servant of John Talbot, later Earl of Shrewsbury , was on the ferry between Birkenhead and Liverpool when about 200 men assaulted him and stole his bay horse valued at £5 (current value - over £2,800), a bow and 14 arrows valued at 3s 4d (current value - over £95) and a barge valued at £10 (current value - over £5,700). The thieves were fined. A licence

1235-464: A major survey. Over the passing years the boat had become noticeably slower and expensive to maintain. Royal Iris ran a farewell evening cruise on 12 January 1991, prior to being taken out of service and laid up awaiting confirmation of its fate. On 21 April 1991, the boat was granted a one-day licence from the Department of Transport to carry 600 people on a cruise to mark the 73rd Anniversary of

1330-426: A new landscape management contractor was found after the original contractor, Mayfield Construction, went into administration. The garden site was managed by The Land Trust until 2017 at which time it reverted back to the control of Liverpool City Council. The new restored site features: In 2022 work was completed on a smaller refurbished car park as part of a project to create a new southern grasslands extension to

1425-605: A new life on Merseyside and was subsequently painted Bright Blue with a red band around the top deck windows. On 7 August 1993, the Liverpool Echo carried front page news that Royal Iris had been sold to Hertfordshire-based Parkway Leisure who had the intention of turning it into a floating nightspot in Cardiff , spending £300,000 on refurbishments. On 10 August 1993, the Royal Iris was removed from Stanley Dock. In

1520-706: A paddle steamer operated from Seacombe by the Wallasey Local Board, collided with the Bowfell , a wooden sailing ship at anchor on the River Mersey; five people died as a result. In 1886 the Mersey Railway Tunnel was opened, providing competition for the ferry services. The Woodside ferry service began using twin-screw passenger steamers in 1890, which replaced paddle steamers . In 1894 trains were carrying 25,000 passengers per day and

1615-597: A single lifeboat slung from the stern. Whilst docked for the annual survey on 12 January 1975, a fire broke out in the engine room, causing extensive electrical damage. On 21 June 1977, Royal Iris carried Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on their Silver Jubilee Mersey Review. The ship was used by Granada Television during the summer of 1980 as the setting for the ITV Saturday morning children's television series The Mersey Pirate . For this purpose,

1710-459: A speed of around 12 knots , which is about the same as today's trio of ferries. On early paddlers, the wheelhouse and side cabs were open largely due to the transition from sail to steam, and most ships at the time had open navigation bridges with the ferries being no different. Birkenhead did not use flying bridges, instead having a central wheelhouse and two outer navigation boxes which were raised up higher above deck level. Wallasey ferries employed

1805-489: A stone pier. In 1838, the Monks Ferry Company began operating rival ferries from a new stone slip and hotel about 400 metres south of Woodside, but this service closed in 1878. From about 1830, steam ferries also operated from the new resort developed by James Atherton at New Brighton , and from nearby Egremont . Steam ferries also began operating from Eastham. By the 1840s, Birkenhead was developing into

1900-466: A third ferry, Royal Daffodil , was also in service. Originally named Mountwood , Woodchurch and Overchurch after overspill post-war housing developments of Birkenhead, they were commissioned into service by Birkenhead Corporation. Mountwood and Woodchurch were built at Dartmouth by Philip and Son. The Mountwood was launched on the 31 July 1959 and the Woodchurch on the 28 October of

1995-486: A traditional design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough, who are based in Liverpool, but boasted modern equipment including Crossley multi-speed engines for versatile control. They only had one single boarding gangway and their forward saloons extended to the whole width of the ship. This proved somewhat problematic especially at busy periods, so an additional gangway space was added on the promenade deck for use with

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2090-461: A two-hour operation it broke free from the tow line and smashed into the dock wall twice. Royal Iris finally left the River Mersey for the last time, under tow, on the morning of 12 August 1993, after being towed to the Pier Head for a final goodbye. On 10 August 1994, it was reported that Cardiff Council had rejected a planning proposal for the use of the vessel. No work had been carried out on

2185-620: A walk of fame, featuring numerous stars connected with Liverpool, and a light railway system (see below). Public artwork included the Yellow Submarine , a statue of John Lennon , a Blue Peter ship, the Wish You Were Here tourist sculpture, a red dragon slide, a large red bull sculpture and Kissing Gate (by Alain Ayers). A 15 in ( 381 mm ) gauge minimum gauge railway system provided transport around

2280-426: A wheelhouse and navigation boxes like Mountwood and Woodchurch . The addition of a totally enclosed bridge meant that there only needed to be one binnacle upon it, whereas on the two sisters there were three, one inside the main wheelhouse and two in the docking/navigation boxes. The Overchurch also had much of its instrumentation fitted into specially built units, meaning the ferry had a spacious bridge, rather than

2375-597: A £1-a-head public subscription fundraising campaign. This venture ultimately did not come to fruition. In 2002 the vessel was towed to a berth on the River Thames near Woolwich, awaiting a possible refit as a floating nightclub. On 6 February 2010, it was reported that Police and the RNLI had been called out to the berth on the River Thames, near Woolwich, after a passing vessel noticed it had taken on water up to

2470-519: Is 12 knots. The ship measured 1,234  GT . Length is 159 feet long and 48 feet wide, with a draught of 9 feet. At least during the first decade of its life, the ship's diesel-electric propulsion made it more economical to run than the other vessels in the fleet. Since 2002, the vessel has been laid up in a berth on the River Thames , close to the Thames Barrier in Woolwich . As of 2022,

2565-595: Is a ferry service operating on the River Mersey in northwest England , between Liverpool to the east and Birkenhead and Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula to the west. Ferries have been used on this route since at least the 12th century and continue to be popular for both local people and visitors. The current fleet consists of two vessels. A third ferry, Royal Daffodil was in service until 2012. The current ferries originally came into service in

2660-600: The Merseybeat scene performed on the ferry. Duke Duval played on the first Cavern Cruise, followed by The Beatles and Gerry & The Pacemakers . Paul McCartney referenced performing with the Beatles on the ferry in his song "That Was Me" Royal Iris transferred to the combined fleet of the newly formed Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive on 1 December 1969, which consisted of seven vessels. Despite an ongoing financial debt against Royal Iris from when she

2755-615: The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway . The cost of building and hiring passenger coaches was partly offset through sponsorship by the National Westminster Bank , whose name and logo was painted on the side of every coach. The visiting locomotives, leased coaches, and purpose-built passenger carriages provided the mainline service, whilst the branch line was operated on a shuttle basis by a 1970s-built diesel multiple unit railcar set (named Silver Jubilee ) on loan from

2850-419: The River Thames and under Tower Bridge , docking adjacent to HMS  Belfast . During the early 1990s, funding was found to allow Mountwood , Woodchurch and Overchurch an extensive refurbishment, which included provision for cruising duties. The ageing Royal Iris , the last ex-Wallasey vessel, was considered surplus to requirements because of the cost of bringing it up to modern standards after

2945-567: The Second World War for economic reasons, after the pier was damaged in a collision. This was in similar circumstances to the demise of New Ferry twenty years earlier. As a result, the Egremont service never reopened. In 1941, mines which had drifted into the River Mersey stopped ferry crossings. The Oxton and Bebington vessels were fitted with cranes to enable them to unload United States aircraft from mid-river and deliver them to

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3040-534: The Zeebrugge Raid of 1918. On 16 August 1991, it was placed in the hands of shipbrokers SC Chambers Limited of Liverpool for an asking price of £100,000. In November 1991, it was sold to a consortium for conversion into a floating nightclub, restaurant and conference centre, based in Liverpool under the name of 'Mr Smith's Nightclub'. It was delivered to the Stanley Dock complex in early 1992 to begin

3135-697: The naval raid on Zeebrugge in Belgium. The ferries had a shallow draft, allowing them to skim over the mines floating beneath the surface, and were robust enough to approach the heavily defended mole curling into the North Sea . They both saw action, which was described on 24 April 1918 by Vice–Admiral Sir Roger Keyes of the Royal Navy in a message to the ferries' manager: "I am sure it will interest you to know that your two stout vessels carried Bluejackets and Marines to Zeebrugge, and remained alongside

3230-407: The pilot boat Edmund Gardner at Merseyside Maritime Museum . The Leasowe and Egremont were popular ferries with their crews as they had much improved crew accommodation compared to the earlier steamers, where much of the lower deck space was taken up with boilers and machinery. When the ferries entered service they all had Wallasey white and black funnel liveries. A second Royal Daffodil II

3325-730: The 1920s or 1930s, remaining until the merger of the two fleets under the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive in 1969. When the ferries were taken over by the MPTE, the liveries of Birkenhead and Wallasey were replaced initially with a primrose yellow and powder blue colour scheme. This was followed by a black and green livery, then in 1984 by the colours of the Union Flag for the International Garden Festival celebrations. By

3420-662: The 1960s and 1970s. Sailing ships from the Tall Ships' Race visited the river in August 1984, which helped bring patronage to 250,000 over four days, a level unseen for forty years. On 26 October 1986 as a result of the Transport Act 1985 , bus services were deregulated and restrictions which prevented regular bus services through the Mersey Tunnels were abolished. As a result, many buses which formerly stopped at

3515-601: The 1960s and were named Mountwood and Woodchurch . Both ferries have been extensively refurbished and renamed Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop . The ferries share the workload of cross-river ferrying, charter cruises and the Manchester Ship Canal cruise. The service is operated by Merseytravel , under the " Mersey Ferries " brand. In about 1150, the Benedictine Priory at Birkenhead

3610-637: The 1990s the vessels carried a red and black colour scheme, similar to that previously used by Birkenhead Corporation. International Garden Festival The International Garden Festival was a garden festival recognised by the International Association of Horticultural producers (AIPH) and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which was held in Liverpool , England from 2 May to 14 October 1984. It

3705-633: The 20-seat 'teak' saloon type) were borrowed from the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent . The prohibitive cost of purchasing locomotives was avoided through the use of engines which were deemed 'spare' on other existing 15 in ( 381 mm ) gauge minimum gauge railways, particularly the United Kingdom's two most extensive railways of this gauge, the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway , and

3800-594: The Birkenhead Woodside bus/ferry terminal were extended into Liverpool. This was another blow to the Mersey Ferries and the ferry service had to be re-focussed away from commuter traffic, which had declined, to tourist needs. From 1990 a commuter shuttle has operated Monday-Friday peak period with an hourly River Explorer Cruise. At weekends River Explorer cruises operate from 10:00 to 18:00. The morning peak service until 2010 ran every 30 minutes on

3895-733: The Crown, and in 1544 the ferry rights as well as the Priory properties were bought by Ralph Worsley of Lancashire for £586. 11s. 6d (current value - almost £205,000). The rights later passed to the Molyneux family. By 1541 William Bromley had the licence for ferries at Seacombe , and in 1586, Queen Elizabeth granted John Poole of Sutton the rights at Tranmere . During this period, the private owners began to use fully rigged sailing ships. The use of sailing ships meant that bigger vessels could be employed, but in reality, these boats were even more at

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3990-587: The Festival Gardens. The completed Southern Grasslands area was opened on 7th August 2023 by Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham and Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins. The new site provides extensive elevated views across the Mersey River. In March 2013, the developers Langtree began work on the 1300 planned homes on the site, despite the earlier collapse of partner David McLean Homes. In 2017 Liverpool City Council took back control of

4085-544: The Liverpool landing stage. The Upton vessel was taken by the army and used as a ferry and supply vessel for the anti-aircraft forts in Liverpool Bay . In 1950, the ferries carried almost 30 million passengers a year, including 11 million on the Woodside ferries and 15 million on Seacombe ferries, but by 1970 the total number fell to 7 million. Night boats across the river were withdrawn and replaced by buses through

4180-492: The Mole for an hour, greatly contributing to the success of the operation... The damage caused by enemy gun fire has been repaired" . Because of their work King George V allowed the vessels to use the word "Royal" in their name. They needed extensive refitting before they could resume peacetime activities. In the boats themselves, there was quick development. The early incarnations of today's modern vessels can be seen in some of

4275-625: The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. Since the festival closed, the site has passed through the hands of a series of developers. From the late 1980s until its closure in 1996, the Festival Hall was used as the Pleasure Island amusement park. Half of the site has since been turned into residential housing. The Festival Hall dome was demolished in late 2006. In November 2006 local companies Langtree and McLean announced plans for

4370-649: The Wirral – that is, Rock Ferry – were first recorded in 1709. By 1753 the Cheshire side of the Mersey had at least five ferry houses at Ince, Eastham, the Rock, Woodside and Seacombe. The service from New Ferry to Liverpool was first mentioned in 1774. The first steamship to operate on the Mersey was the Elizabeth , a wooden paddle steamer, which was introduced in 1815 to operate between Liverpool and Runcorn. There

4465-444: The bidding of the weather. The Mersey is famed for its thick fogs, and during these times during winter there was little wind and ferries could not operate. The frequency depended on demand and the weather. By the 18th century, the commercial expansion of Liverpool and the increase in stage coach traffic from Chester spurred the growth of the transportation of passengers and goods across the river. Ferry services from Rock House on

4560-673: The current owner of Royal Iris , spoke to BBC Radio Merseyside about his plans. In 2014, Royal Iris was still settled on the mudbank with a hole in her lower side. The cost of taking the vessel back to Merseyside was estimated to be a significant six figure sum, and, according to a local Member of Parliament, was unlikely to go ahead. In July 2020, the Royal Iris was seen in background of Tony Robinson's programme Britain's Greatest River during delivery of Selina tunnelling boring machine to Chambers Wharf. Mersey Ferry 53°24′58″N 3°01′30″W  /  53.416°N 3.025°W  / 53.416; -3.025 The Mersey Ferry

4655-446: The early propeller driven ships, mainly the 1906 pair, Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil . The Wallasey twin screw vessels all had flying bridges with port and starboard docking cabs. As built, the two ferries still had the wheel at promenade deck level, however this was subsequently moved up onto the bridge, so navigation was all on one level. They were all fitted with ahead and astern reciprocating engines and most vessels could achieve

4750-557: The ferries 44,000 per day. The ferry service at Tranmere, which had operated since mediaeval times, closed in 1897. The pier and landing stage at Rock Ferry was built in 1899, and Birkenhead Corporation also operated the ferry service at New Ferry. In 1914 King George V and Queen Mary travelled on the ferry Daffodil from Wallasey to Liverpool. During the First World War the steamers Iris and Daffodil were taken out of service from Wallasey to be used as troop ships in

4845-574: The ferries and can be seen as the beginning of their rise from the slump of the 1970s. For the duration of the International Garden Festival , a special ferry service was provided to Otterspool Promenade . This service was usually operated by the Overchurch . The ferries also began to operate summer Manchester Ship Canal cruises, a service which had been popular for many years since the canal opened but declined somewhat in

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4940-409: The ferries are noted to look in poor condition during this period. In 1989, Mountwood and Woodchurch were withdrawn and extensively refurbished internally which resulted in complete rewiring and main engine repairs. They were given new modern interiors and their separate bridge wings and wheel houses were plated over to form one large bridge, although none of the original equipment was removed from

5035-419: The ferries was limited considerably, with the Woodchurch being laid up as a salvage for parts for Mountwood and Overchurch . At this time, the large brass helm from Overchurch was damaged and was replaced by that from Woodchurch . After the damaged helm was repaired, it was placed on Woodchurch . This has remained the case, even after both vessels were extensively rebuilt. 1984 was a momentous year for

5130-526: The first floating landing stage, which rose and fell with the tide so that boats could dock at any time, was opened at Liverpool. The first portion, known as the Georges' landing stage, was designed by William Cubitt and was 500 feet long. It was rebuilt and extended in 1874. Until the establishment of the Mersey Railway in 1886, the ferries were the only means of crossing the river, and so all of

5225-597: The high level terminal gangways. The forward saloons also had facility for a bar area and dance floor, which meant the vessels could be used for cruising. The two vessels were primarily used on the Seacombe – Liverpool service, augmenting the New Brighton run during the summer seasons. Egremont differed externally to Leasowe in that she had a canvas awning fitted around her funnel. Early photographs of Leasowe and Egremont show them to have deckhead compasses above

5320-618: The lakes and associated watercourses and the woodland sculpture trails. Funding came from a range of sources, including the Northwest Regional Development Agency , who provided a £3.7million grant. Redevelopment work began in February 2010 In 2012, Liverpool Festival Gardens finally reopened. The restored garden site had been due to re-open in September 2011, however, this was delayed until 2012 whilst

5415-510: The more compact and cluttered bridges of the Mountwood and Woodchurch . Overchurch had a high funnel immediately behind the bridge and also a small bridge deck, giving the appearance of a somewhat forward top-heavy look, as a result. The Overchurch was fitted with the same navigation equipment as her near sisters. She differed slightly by being a few tonnes heavier and a few inches longer. The Overchurch also had only one access stairway to

5510-589: The new bridge. They entered service by July 1990 in time for the QE2's first visit to the Mersey and also operated the new "heritage cruises". They also were given a new black and red livery replacing the red white and blue given for the Garden Festival season of 1984. The Overchurch also underwent some refurbishments at Bootle . She was then moved to the ferries' regular berth on the East Float , where she

5605-490: The opening of the Kingsway road tunnel on 28 June 1971 and a further decline in passenger numbers (only 4,000-5,000 a day), the future of the service was uncertain. It was sentimental, rather than economical grounds which resulted in the retention of the ferries, after much public protest to keep them. However, service frequency was reduced, with ferry fares being linked to bus and rail fares. During this period, maintenance on

5700-684: The original duo's withdrawal, there have been other Royals. The Royal Daffodil II of 1934 was hit by a bomb during the May Blitz and sunk at her berth at Seacombe on 8 May 1941. She was later raised and returned to service by 1943, with little of her pre-war splendour. Perhaps the most famous Royal is the Royal Iris of 1951. She was the first diesel-powered vessel of the Wallasey fleet, with four diesel generators connected to two Metrovick marine propulsion units. The vessel differed to all

5795-434: The other ferries as she had super smooth lines and a dummy funnel in place. She was the best loved of all the Mersey ferries and played host to hundreds of party cruises, with bands such as Gerry & The Pacemakers , The Searchers , The Beatles and Elvis Costello performing on her. The Royal Iris received a major refit in the 1970s and her popular fish and chip cafe - which earned her the name "the fish and chip boat" -

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5890-471: The paddle steamer Royal Mail began commercial operation between Liverpool and Woodside. The town of Birkenhead was just starting to develop at this point. In 1820, the Birkenhead Ferry began operating from a new site just to the south; this closed in 1870. The Woodside, North Birkenhead and Liverpool Steam Ferry Company was formed in 1835, and the slipway at Woodside was widened and constructed as

5985-556: The passenger deck. It was unclear how long it had been in this state. There was evidence found to suggest that squatters had been living on board. Also found on board were various items of drug paraphernalia. On 20 February 2010, the Liverpool Echo carried an article about an unnamed Wirral businessman who wished to purchase her. On 4 March 2010, the Liverpool Echo carried an article about an online petition to have her returned to Merseyside , and on 9 March 2010, James Jegede,

6080-471: The priory. In 1317, a royal licence 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 accounts show that he used local ferrymen to sail up the river to Ince . In 1330, his son Edward III granted a charter to the Priory and its successors forever: "the right of ferry there… for men, horses and goods, with leave to charge reasonable tolls" . At

6175-515: The promenade deck unlike the Dartmouth twins which had two. In her first year of service, the Overchurch conveyed Princess Alexandra to open the new Cammell Laird dry dock . The trio of ferries all remained in near constant operation up until 1981, when cost-cutting measures saw Woodchurch withdrawn for almost three years. It was rumoured that she was cannibalised to help keep her sisters running. Whilst in lay up at Clarence dry docks , she

6270-473: The river and had to anchor. Her passengers were rescued by Woodchurch . She also collided with Bidston whilst berthing, due to an error in engine movements. In 1962, Mountwood and Woodchurch were joined by a new ferry, the Overchurch . Built at the Birkenhead shipyard of Cammell Laird and Co., Overchurch was of all welded construction and also had a bridge that was completely enclosed rather than

6365-548: The routes were heavily used. All of the ferry routes were owned by private interests before coming under municipal ownership in the mid 19th century. The Woodside ferry was taken over by the Birkenhead Commissioners in 1858 and, in 1861, the Wallasey Local Board took over the ferry services at Seacombe, Egremont and New Brighton. At Woodside, land between the Woodside Hotel and the end of the old pier

6460-464: The same year. They were loosely based on designs of the Leasowe and Egremont of the Wallasey fleet, although they both weighed considerably more at 464 tonnes, compared with 311 tonnes for the earlier vessels. They are also larger than the older Wallasey pair, being approximately 19 feet (5.8 m) longer, 6 ft (1.8 m) broader and over 1 ft (0.30 m) taller. Both vessels were externally identical in almost every way up until 1991 when

6555-495: The ship continues to sit derelict and half submerged at its moorings. Royal Iris ran the trials on the Skelmorlie Mile on the River Clyde on 24 April 1951. Arriving in the River Mersey on 28 April 1951, it was initially owned and operated by Wallasey Corporation and carried the borough coat of arms on the front of the superstructure. Upon entering service on 5 May 1951, it was licensed to carry 2,296 passengers on normal ferry duties, or 1,000 for cruising. Originally painted in

6650-468: The shroud protecting the aft funnel vent on the Mountwood was changed from square to rounded. Compared to the earlier Wallasey twins, the Mountwood and Woodchurch were highly advanced. They benefited from an injection of cash from both Birkenhead Corporation and the Joint Tunnel Committee. They were given special Crossley eight-cylinder engines which were fitted with gears and automatic air brakes. New style telegraphs by Chadburns were designed which had

6745-426: The site that will see more than 1,000 new homes built around the cleared dome area, as well as the restoration of the original gardens created for the festival in 1984. In September 2009 it was announced that work would begin on redeveloping the site in November 2009, after the city council gave permission for work to begin. The redevelopment would see the Chinese and Japanese gardens being restored, as well as

6840-419: The site. The light railway system consisted of a mainline providing transport links between a series of stations at key locations around the festival site, and a junction linking to a branch line. There were also extensive shed and workshop facilities. A considerable investment was made in the purchase of passenger coaches, and in the purchase and installation of permanent way . Additional passenger coaches (of

6935-437: The stage and pier subsequently demolished. In spite of the close proximity of Wallasey and Birkenhead and their respective ferry landing stages, each corporation had used different gangway spacing on their vessels. This meant that a Wallasey ferry could not utilise both gangways at Birkenhead's terminal at Woodside, and that a Birkenhead boat would be similarly disadvantaged at Seacombe and New Brighton. The Pier Head at Liverpool

7030-409: The time, there was only a small hamlet at Birkenhead, and a slightly larger village at Liverpool. The Chester Indictments record criminal activities on the Mersey ferries in the 14th and early 15th centuries. In 1355, Richard, son of Simon de Becheton, was murdered on the ferry; the murderers escaped and took refuge at Shotwick . In 1365, it was recorded that there were four ferryboats operating without

7125-500: The tunnel in 1956. As a result of the Transport Act 1968 , the transport functions of both Wallasey and Birkenhead Corporations came under the control of the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (MPTE) on 1 December 1969. By this time, New Brighton had declined as a tourist destination and coupled with silting problems near the landing stage, the ferry service was withdrawn in 1971, with

7220-488: The tunnel rather than the ferry. The opening of the road tunnel also had an effect on the luggage boats which were introduced in 1879. Both ferry companies earned a substantial amount from luggage boats, which carried vehicles and goods across the river. When the road tunnel opened, traffic dropped by 80%. By the 1940s, luggage boat services from both Woodside and Seacombe to Liverpool had ceased. From Woodside in 1941 and from Seacombe 1947. Due to financial losses incurred from

7315-412: The vessel in the preceding 12 months and berthing charges had not been paid. A spokesman for the new owners, Parkway Leisure, reported that they were 'open to offers'. In January 1996, it was reported that a business consortium from Liverpool was in talks to bring Royal Iris back to the Mersey and make her seaworthy again. The consortium was considering applying for National Lottery funding and launching

7410-530: The vicinity of Seacombe lacks the rail and bus connections of Birkenhead. In the summer there are also cruises up the Manchester Ship Canal. The "Royal" prefix was granted to the ferries Iris and Daffodil for their service during the First World War where they were instrumental at the Mole in Zeebrugge . Both ferries were badly damaged but returned home to a triumphant greeting. Since

7505-500: The wheelhouse and side boxes, which appear to have been removed in the late 1950s. Upon the bridge there were numerous modern devices. Chadburn synchrostep telegraphs and rudder angle indicators, hydraulic steering telemotor and an automatic whistle control could be found in both the wheelhouse and the navigation boxes. There was also an internal communication system and a ship to shore radio system. Similar types of navigation equipment and deck fittings used on these vessels are extant on

7600-491: Was 609. A gross error was the size of her engines, developing 1,360 bhp (1,010 kW) a piece she was underpowered and often struggled in strong tides. Aside from the engine order telegraphs, she also had helms in the side boxes meaning that the ship could be steered from them if required. The vessel ran aground on a sandbank in thick fog in September 1967 and was involved in a collision in January 1968. Taking on water from

7695-465: Was also sold to Greek owners in 1977 and renamed several times. She sank in heavy seas on 7 November 2007, whilst carrying the name Dolphin I , with the loss of her captain and mate. The Egremont was laid up in Morpeth Dock whilst on sale offer in 1975 and sprang a leak. Her engine room was flooded, ruining her engines and rendering her inoperable. She was stripped of her machinery and used as

7790-528: Was built, capital was made available to refit at the Harland and Wolff in Bootle in 1971-72. Sporting a new blue and white livery, it was subsequently used, almost exclusively, as a cruise vessel. A sum of £68,000 was also provided for a new steak bar and dining area, replacing the original fish and chip saloon. Up until this refit, it had carried two side slung lifeboats on davits which were removed leaving just

7885-430: Was considerable debate as to the best way of boarding a ferry vessel. For the steam ferry Etna , which entered service at Tranmere on 17 April 1817, the idea of extension stages was mooted. These were long piers that were mounted on wheels and, by using a steam engine, could be wheeled in and out depending on the level of the tide. At Woodside, a small slipway was built on the beach to allow the boats to berth, and in 1822

7980-404: Was constructed by James Lamont & Co at Greenock and entered service in 1958. She was larger than the Dartmouth pair as she had three decks and was designed for the dual role of ferry and cruise service. The Roman 'II' was added to her name because of a Thames estuary cruise ship also called Royal Daffodil which existed from 1939 until 1967. The gross register tonnage of Royal Daffodil II

8075-540: Was established. The monks used to charge a small fare to row passengers across the river. At this time, the Mersey was considerably wider with sand dunes and marshes to the north leading up to Ainsdale beach and sandstone cliffs and shorelines to the south near Otterspool. The only suitable landing point for the ferry was in the Pool, near the site of the present Merseyside Police headquarters. Weather often stopped crossings and passengers were delayed for days, taking shelter at

8170-464: Was held on a 950,000-square-metre (10,200,000 sq ft) derelict industrial site south of Herculaneum Dock , near the Dingle and overlooking the River Mersey . On this site were built sixty individual gardens, including a Japanese garden and pagodas . A large exhibition space, the Festival Hall, formed the centrepiece of the site and housed numerous indoor exhibits. Other attractions included

8265-811: Was issued in 1357 to the Poole family by Edward, the Black Prince , for a ferry from Eastham . The licence then passed to the Abbey of St Werburgh , in Chester , and became known as Job's Ferry. Early ferries also existed across the Mersey further upstream, at Ince and at Runcorn . The monks of Birkenhead Priory operated a ferry service until the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the priory's destruction by Henry VIII's troops in 1536. Ownership reverted to

8360-552: Was obliged to have gangways to suit both sets of ships. When the combined ferry fleet was rationalised, Seacombe Ferry landing stage required the construction of an additional gangway to cater for the Birkenhead vessels. The 1970s economic situation in Britain saw costs escalating, with funding limited by the MPTE, which was embarking on an expensive operation to construct the Merseyrail "Liverpool Loop" extension. Compounded with

8455-560: Was offered for sale, with one prospective buyer hoping to use her to operate cruises around the Isle of Man . She was not sold and after main engine repairs and a full repaint Woodchurch returned to service in 1983, freeing up Overchurch to become the primary ferry to be used on a new Otterspool service, set up for the 1984 International Garden Festival. The ferries all operated on a normal 20 minute route throughout this. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw very limited budgets for maintenance and

8550-468: Was reclaimed, and in 1861 the floating landing stage was opened. The pontoons were towed into position, moored by chains originally made for the SS Great Eastern , and linked to the mainland by two double bridges. The Cheshire , the first passenger ferry steamer to have a saloon, operated from Woodside in 1864. The iron pier at Eastham was built in 1874. On 26 November 1878, the ferry Gem ,

8645-716: Was removed and replaced with a steak bar. The Royal Iris remained in service for nearly 40 years before being sold in 1993 - two years after withdrawal - for use as a floating nightclub. She was then berthed in a deteriorating condition at Woolwich , London. Attempts to bring her back to Merseyside have come to nothing due to the prohibitive cost of making her fit for a 1,000 mile journey coastwise. The Leasowe and Egremont were built by Philip and Son in Dartmouth, Devon and entered service in late 1951 and early 1952 respectively. Named after suburbs of Wallasey, both vessels were commissioned by Wallasey Corporation. They were of

8740-400: Was the first such event held in Britain, and became the model for several others held during the 1980s and early 1990s. The aim was to revitalise tourism and the city of Liverpool which had suffered cutbacks, and the idea came from Conservative Environment Minister Michael Heseltine . The festival was hugely popular, attracting 3,380,000 visitors. The international horticultural exposition

8835-447: Was to call an engineer on the talk tube then pour water down it, thus soaking the engineer at the other end. The Mountwood was used in the film " Ferry Cross The Mersey " , a musical and subsequent Gerry & The Pacemakers song, crossing to Liverpool from Birkenhead. Her near sister Overchurch also appeared in the background of several shots. In her early years Mountwood was an unreliable ship. She had broken down whilst crossing

8930-492: Was under tow on way to being broken up at Gareloch when she collided with Royal Iris off Gladstone Dock . Royal Iris was temporarily out of control and the floodtide carried it against the warship. The ferry was approaching the end of a cruise organised by the Amalgamated Engineering Union . Some people were hospitalised as a result of the accident. During the 1960s numerous acts associated with

9025-440: Was used as a stand by vessel and during the busy summer season. In 1996 the Overchurch was given a small refit which involved the enclosing of the promenade deck shelter. The ferry companies were identifiable by their different colour liveries displayed on each vessel's funnel. Wallasey ferries carried a black and white colour scheme. Early Birkenhead steamers carried red and black, however this appears to have changed to orange in

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