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| Mv St David / Stena Caledonia | |||
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© Alan Geddes Steel twin screw motor vessel, built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast (Yard No. 1717), for Sealink U.K. in 1981 as a passenger and roll-on roll-off car and commercial vehicle ferry. Launched 25th September 1980. D i m e n s i o n s / T e c h n i c a l D a t a Registry - London (1981 - 1990), Stranraer (1991 - ) MMSI Number - 232000940IMO Number - 7910917 Length on deck - 129.65 m (overall) 120.70 m (between perpendiculars) Breadth of hull - 21.02 m (moulded) Depth to ‘B’ deck - 13.20 mDraught - 4.84 m (scanting) 4.65 m (service) Tonnage - 7,197 gross (1980), 12,619 3,386 net (1981) 1,829 deadweight Engines - Two Crossley-Pielstick medium speed 16PC2-5V diesels. Power - 15,300 kW Speed - 19.5 knots (service) Capacity - 1,154 passengers, 309 cars, 62 x 12 m freight vehicles. Call Sign - GBZY Sister-ships: ST CHRISTOPHER, ST ANSELM, GALLOWAY PRINCESS H i s t o r y / R e m a r k s September 25th 1980: Launched. July 24th 1981: Delivered to British Railways Board, London, England. Differed from her sisters in that she was fitted with a stern bridge for docking at Holyhead. August 5th 1981: Arrived at Holyhead. August 10th 1981: Commenced service between Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire. March 8th 1982: Upon arriving at Dun-Laoghaire found her way blocked by the B & I vessel MUNSTER, which had sailed light with a full crew from Dublin without management permission, The ST DAVID was forced to return to Holyhead and tried again the next morning, only to find the MUNSTER in position again. Finally the crew of the MUNSTER allowed her into the port as there was a sick passenger on board. Sealink then announced a suspension of the services pending further talks with B & I and also agreed to attempt no more Holyhead sailings until the matter was resolved. March 1982: During the suspension of services sent for refit and alterations to her passenger accommodation, to increase capacity. March 31st 1983 - June 1983: Operated between Dover - Calais, covering refits of ST ANSELM and ST CHRISTOPHER. 07/05/1983 Dover Ferry Photos Library December 1983: Operated between Stranraer - Larne to cover refits of the vessels at the port and also to cover for the fire damaged ANTRIM PRINCESS until December 28th. March 8th 1984: Operated for three weeks between Harwich - Hoek van Holland. Nicolas Lévy Collection July 18th 1984: Sale of Sealink U.K. to Sea Containers Ltd, Bermuda. Company changed name to Sealink British Ferries U.K. 1984: In readiness for privatisation, on their re-appearance from overhaul, units of the Sealink UK Ltd fleet all appeared without the B.R. double arrow logo on their funnels. The vessels gradually appeared with white hulls. From that time the company would trade as Sealink British Ferries and a subsidiary company British Ferries was set up for Channel Island operations. March 21st 1985: Commenced service between Dover - Ostend. © Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection September 28th 1985: Operated for the weekend between Dover - Boulogne. Roy Thornton Collection October 25th 1985: The Belgian Government announced that as from January 1st 1986, RMT would cease operational partnership with Sealink UK, and would in future deal with Townsend Thoresen. It was also made known that as from the end of 1985, the ST DAVID would no longer be welcome in Ostend.
© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection December 31st 1985: Final sailing between Dover - Ostend. January 1986: After overhaul at North Shields commenced service between Stranraer - Larne. April 14th 1986 - May 20th 1986: Operated between Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire as relief for the ST COLUMBA. May 1986: Commenced service between Stranraer - Larne. © Brian Fisher February - March 12th 1987: Again relieved the ST COLUMBA during her overhaul April 1988: Completed Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire. January 1990: Sold to Stena Line, Ab, Göteborg. (Registered to Stena Equipment Ltd. London) Commenced service for Sealink Stena Line.
© Aubrey Dale February 21st 1991: Renamed STENA CALEDONIA 1991: Stena full takeover of Sealink U.K. Ltd for a sum believed to be in the region of Ł259 million. The fleets livery was changed to reflect the fact. © Aubrey Dale 1993: The fleets livery was changed to reflect the fact, becoming Stena Sealink Line
© Andreas Wörteler November 12th 1995: Commenced service between Stranraer - Belfast. December 31st, 1995 (midnight):
Dover Ferry Photos Library July 13th 1998: Chartered for one trip between Cork - Roscoff for the Tour De France cycle race. © Aubrey Dale February 23rd 2000 - March 25th 2000: Rebuilt at Cammel Laird, Birkenhead with stern sponsons. April 19th 2005: Arrived in Birkenhead for dry docking and re-fit at A&P. May 16th 2005 - June 12th 2005: Operated Fishguard - Rosslare. June 13th 2005: Stranraer - Larne. June 2nd 2007 - June 4th 2007: Chartered to Isle Of Man Steam Packet. Operated Douglas - Heysham/ Douglas - Belfast as extra vessel for motorcycle TT passengers. © Trevor Kidd June 2007: Belfast - Stranraer. June 9th 2007 - June 11th 2007: Again chartered to Isle Of Man Steam Packet. Operated Douglas - Heysham/ Douglas - Belfast. © Trevor Kidd 2008: Still in service Belfast - Stranraer.
© Nigel Thornton
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| All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. | |||
| We would like to thank: Aubrey Dale, Alan Geddes, Trevor Kidd, Nicolas Lévy and Andreas Wörteler for there assistance in producing this feature. | |||
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