Roy Thornton Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built and engined by Helsingor Skibsvaerft og Maskinbyggeri A/S Helsingor, Denmark, (Yard No 303), for the French National Railways in 1951. Launched April 5th, 1951.

Technical Data

Length on deck - 115.73m (379.7 ft) (overall)

Breadth of hull - 18.47m (60.6 ft) (extreme)

Depth - (20.3 ft)

Draught - 4.12m (13.5 ft)

Tonnage - 3,094 gross (1951), 3,492 (from 1976)

846 net (1951), 1,276 (from 1976)

1,299 deadweight (1951), 1,331 (from 1976)

Engines - Two 9-cylinder Helsingor Skibs. & Msk. Two-stroke single-acting diesels

Power - 4,490 kW

Speed - 16.5 knots (service), 18 knots (max)

Capacity - 850 passengers (1951), 1,000 (1976 - 1985)

36 sleeping cars and 2 luggage wagons

Or 36 goods wagons

Or 135 cars on train deck, 25 in garage

Call Sign - FNXF

History

April 5^th 1951: Launched

July 1951: Delivered to Societe National de Chemins de Fer (S.N.C.F.).

July 24th 1951: Arrived Dunkerque from Helsingör.

Roy Thornton Collection

July 26^th 1951: Maiden Voyage to Dover from Dunkerque.

July 28th 1951: Commenced service as a train-ferry between Dunkerque - Dover.

Arriving at Dunkerque from builders 24/07/1951

Stéphane Poulain Collection

December 11^th 1951: Damaged at the stern when she collided with the Prince of Wales Pier in dense fog and in consequence was unable to load her “Night Ferry” sleeping cars.

Roy Thornton Collection

May 30^th 1958 - July 8^th 1958: Operated between Calais - Dover

1959: Whilst operating between Dunkerque - Dover, also made the occasional trip ,as cover, between Dover (Eastern Docks) - Calais

Roy Thornton Collection

August 1962 - September 1962: Chartered to Townsend Car Ferries, Dover, England for service between Dover - Calais.

February 6^th 1967: Struck the lock gates at Dunkerkque, causing considerable amount of damage.

October 2^nd 1967 - October 31^st 1967: Operated between Dunkerque - Harwich.

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 painted in the new house colours. Her funnel was painted red and her hull blue.

Roy Thornton Collection (left) and © Ted Ingham (right)

1975 - 1976 (Winter): Overhauled , re-entering service at the end of January 1976. Her passenger accommodation was increased to 1,000 (achieved by the fitting of a new 150 seater lounge on top of her after garage) and she had the word “Sealink“ painted on her hull, something which the rest of the British and French boats had done two to three years before.

© Ted Ingham

July 5^th 1976: First vessel to depart from the new Dunkirk West ferry berth.

© Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection

February 21^st 1979: Involved in a fatal collision with the Liberian bulk carrier ARTARDI of Calais. Two people were killed, four injured and the Channel ferry extensively damaged.

Following her serious collision she returned to service though at a reduced speed to allow some machinery to “bed in”.

© Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (left) and © Brian Fisher (right)

March 10^th 1985: Lost part of a screw and went off service.

March 22^nd 1985: Returned to service after repairs.

February 20^th 1985: Continued in service as a freight only ferry.

© Ted Ingham

May 16^th 1988: Final day in service.

July 21^st 1988: Sold to Triton Ship Delivery, London. Renamed GERMAIN. Left Dover for Port Alang India.

August 11^th 1988: Arrived in India to be broken up by NCK Sun Exports, Port Alang.

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. All items included in this article are subject to ©. We would like to thank: Ted Ingham, Stéphane Poulain and Brian Fisher for their assistance in producing this feature.