The Mersey Ferry is a ferry service operating on the River Mersey in north west England, between Liverpool and the Wirral. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and See also Mersey River (Tasmania and Mersey River (Nova Scotia. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Wirral or the Wirral (ˈwɪrəl is a Peninsula in the north west of England. 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 three vessels, which share the workload of cross-river ferrying, charter cruises and the Manchester Ship Canal cruise. The Manchester Ship Canal is a wide long river navigation in North West England, opened on 21 May 1894 The service is managed by Merseytravel. The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive ( MPTE, or Merseytravel, as it is branded is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination

Contents 1 History 1.1 Mediaeval ferries 1.2 From the 16th to the 18th century 1.3 Steam ferries 1.4 The Corporation Years 1.5 The MPTE takes over 2 The Boats 2.1 The Royal Family 2.2 Leasowe, Egremont and Royal Daffodil 2 2.3 Mountwood, Woodchurch and Overchurch 2.4 Refits and renamings 3 Cultural references 4 References 5 External links

History

Mediaeval ferries

A ferry across the Mersey from Seacombe, the narrowest crossing point of the river, is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Seacombe is a district of the town of Wallasey, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey In 1150, the Benedictine Priory at Birkenhead was established. Birkenhead Priory is in Priory Street Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. 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. Ainsdale-on-Sea is a Village in Sefton, Merseyside, England, situated three miles south of Southport, of which it is a suburb 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 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. Woodside is a small riverside locality in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, situated almost King Edward II visited Liverpool in 1323, and the royal accounts show that he used local ferrymen to sail up the river to Ince. For the play see Edward II (play. For the film see Edward II (film. For people named Ince see Ince (surname. Ince is a village and the only Civil parish in the Ellesmere Port and Neston In 1330, his son Edward III granted a charter to the Priory and its successors for ever: "the right of ferry there… for men, horses and goods, with leave to charge reasonable tolls". Edward III (13 November 1312 &ndash 21 June 1377 was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. At the time, there was only a small hamlet at Birkenhead, and a slightly larger village at Liverpool. ^[1]

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. Shotwick is a village and Civil parish on the Wirral Peninsula in Cheshire, England. In 1365, it was recorded that there were four ferryboats operating without a licence, from Bromborough and Eastham. Bromborough is a small town on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. 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 (over £2800), a bow and 14 arrows valued at 3s 4d (current value - over £95) and a barge valued at £10 (current value - over £5700). Earl of Shrewsbury (pronounced "shrows-bree" not "shrews-bree" is a title that has been created twice The thieves were fined. ^[2]

A licence was issued in 1357 to the Poole family by Edward, the Black Prince, for a ferry from Eastham. Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, KG (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376 popularly known as The Black Prince, was the eldest son of King Edward Eastham is a small town on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. The licence then passed to the Abbey of St Werburgh, in Chester, and became known as Job's Ferry. Werburgh (also known as Werburga) (d February 3 699 at Trentham) is an English Saint and the Patron saint of Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 Early ferries also existed across the Mersey further upstream, at Ince and at Runcorn. Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England

From the 16th to the 18th century

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. The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Ownership reverted to 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. The title Earl of Sefton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in1771 for the 8th Viscount Molyneux, and the once Aristocratic Molyneux 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. Great Sutton is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. Tranmere is a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. ^[2]

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 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. For other meanings see Stagecoach (disambiguation. A stagecoach (also called diligence) is a type of four-wheeled enclosed Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 ^[3] Ferry services from Rock House on the Wirral – that is, Rock Ferry – were first recorded in 1709. Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. By 1753 the Wirral 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. New Ferry is a small town located on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. ^[2]

Steam ferries

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. A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller ^[4] There 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. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common 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 the paddle steamer Royal Mail began commercial operation between Liverpool and Woodside. ^[4] 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 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. ^[2]

From about 1830, steam ferries also operated from the new resort developed by James Atherton at New Brighton, and from nearby Egremont. A seaside resort is a Resort located on the Coast. Where a Beach is the primary focus for Tourists it may be called a beach resort New Brighton is a Seaside resort located in the town of Wallasey, on the north east tip of the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside Egremont is an area of the town of Wallasey, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Steam ferries also began operating from Eastham.

By the 1840s, Birkenhead was developing into a busy new town. The railway to Chester had opened, the town was growing quickly, and the docks were under construction. The Chester and Birkenhead Railway ran from Birkenhead to Chester. 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. ^[1]

In 1847, 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. } Sir William Cubitt (1785-1861 was an eminent English Civil engineer and Millwright. It was rebuilt and extended in 1874. ^[5]

The Corporation Years

Until the establishment of the Mersey Railway in 1886, the ferries were the only means of crossing the river, and so all of the routes were heavily used. The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. All of the ferry routes were owned by private interests before coming under municipal ownership in the mid 19th century. A township (or Municipality) is a settlement which has the status and powers of a unit of local government 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 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. History Concept After the Great Exhibition of 1851 which had publicized Australia's wealth and natural resources waves of people were eager to emigrate from ^[2]

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, 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. Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

In 1886 the Mersey Railway Tunnel was opened, providing competition for the ferry services. The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. The Woodside ferry service began using twin-screw passenger steamers in 1890, which replaced paddle steamers. A paddle steamer is a ship or boat driven by a Steam engine that uses one or more Paddle wheels to develop thrust for propulsion. In 1894 trains were carrying 25,000 passengers per day and the ferries 44,000 per day. ^[4] 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. ^[2]

In 1914 King George V and Queen Mary travelled on the ferry S. Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953 was the queen-empress consort of George V of the United Kingdom S. 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 the naval raid on Zeebrugge in Belgium. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ||-||} The Zeebrugge Raid, which took place on April 23[[ 918]] was an attempt by the British Royal Navy to neutralize the key Belgian 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. A naval mine is a self-contained Explosive device placed in water to destroy Ships or Submarines Unlike Depth charges mines are deposited A mole is a massive structure usually of stone, used as a Pier, breakwater, or junction between places separated by water The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf. ^[6] 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 the Mole for an hour, greatly contributing to the success of the operation. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Admiral of the Fleet Roger John Brownlow Keyes 1st Baron Keyes, Bt GCB KCVO CMG DSO RN ( 4 October The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) . . 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. ^[2]

In the boats themselves, there was quick development. The early incarnations of today's modern vessels can be seen in some of the early propeller driven ships, mainly the 1906 pair, Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil. The Wallasey twin screw vessels all had flying bridges with an enclosed wheel house and open navigation boxes. A twin screw steamer ( TSS) is a steam-powered vessel propelled by two screws one on either side of the plane of the Keel. A flying bridge is a (usually open area on top or at the side of a Ship 's Pilothouse that serves as an operating station for the officers in good They were all fitted with ahead and astern reciprocating engines and most vessels could achieve a speed of around 12 knots. Birkenhead did not use flying bridges, instead having a central wheelhouse and two outer navigation boxes. Wallasey ferries employed a funnel livery of white and black and Birkenhead red and black. A livery is a Uniform or other sign worn in a non-military context on a person or object (such as an airplane or Vehicle) to denote a relationship After World War II, this was changed to an orange red and in 1960 to full orange when Mountwood and Woodchurch were introduced.

When the railway tunnels were introduced, 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 the tunnel rather than the ferry. The Queensway Tunnel is a Road Tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead 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.

Due to financial losses incurred from 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. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The closure of Eastham marked the last use of ferry paddle steamers on the river. A paddle steamer is a ship or boat driven by a Steam engine that uses one or more Paddle wheels to develop thrust for propulsion. ^[7] 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 World War II for economical reasons, after the pier was damaged in a collision. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including 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 in 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 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 the tunnel in 1956.

The MPTE takes over

As a result of the Transport Act 1968, both Wallasey and Birkenhead Corporations merged under the single control of the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (MPTE) on 1 December 1969. The Transport Act 1968 (1968 c73 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive ( MPTE, or Merseytravel, as it is branded is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[7] 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 the stage and pier subsequently demolished.

In spite of the close proximity of Wallasey and Birkenhead and their respective ferry landing stages, both Corporations 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 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. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter Train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside Compounded with 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. The Kingsway Tunnel is a road Tunnel under the River Mersey in Merseyside, northwest England, between Liverpool and Wallasey Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. It was sentimental, rather than economical grounds which resulted in the retention of the ferries, after much public protest. However, service frequency was reduced, with ferry fares being linked to bus and rail fares. ^[7]

1984 was a momentous year for the ferries. For the duration of the International Garden Festival, a special ferry service was provided to Otterspool Promenade. The International Garden Festival was a garden festival held in Liverpool, England from 2 May 1984 to 14 October Otterspool Promenade is a riverside walk and accompanying area of parkland in the Aigburth and Grassendale districts of Liverpool, Merseyside Sailing ships from the Tall Ships' Race visited the river in August, which helped bring patronage to 250,000 over four days, a level unseen for forty years. The Tall Ships' Races are races for Sail training "Tall Ships" ( Sailing ships. ^[7]

The Boats

There have been hundreds of ferry boats used on the Mersey. The Birkenhead boats Claughton, Bidston, Thurstaston and Upton were viewed as the fastest ferries on the river. The Wallasey ferries included a number of three deckers such as the Marlowe, which were used for both ferry duties and cruising. The first diesel ferry to enter service was the Royal Iris in 1951. The current flagship of the Mersey Ferry service is the MV Royal Daffodil. flagship is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels a designation given on account of being either the largest fastest newest most heavily armed or for publicity purposes the most well The MV Royal Daffodil is a Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England and is currently the Flagship vessel of

The Royal Family

The "Royal" prefix was granted to the ferries Iris and Daffodil for their service during World War I where they were instrumental at the Mole in Zeebrugge. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Zeebrugge ( Dutch: Zeebrugge, French: Zeebruges, "Seabruges" in literal translation is a village on the coast of Belgium Both ferries were badly damaged but returned home to a triumphant greeting. Since the original duo's withdrawal, there have been other Royals. The Royal Daffodil 2 was arguably the most luxurious ferry ever built. She was hit by a bomb and sunk at her berth in World War II, but later raised and returned to service, with little of her pre-war splendour. Perhaps the most famous Royal is the Royal Iris of 1951. She was the best loved of all the Mersey ferries. She was the first diesel powered vessel of the Wallasey fleet. She had four diesel generators connected to two Metrovick marine propulsion units. Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as She differed to all the other ferries as she had super smooth lines and a dummy funnel in place. She played host to hundreds of party cruises and bands such as Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Beatles and also Elvis Costello. Gerry and The Pacemakers were a British Rock and roll group during the 1960s The Searchers are a British rock band who emerged as part of the 1960s Merseybeat scene along with The Beatles, The Swinging The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus 25 August 1954 is an English Musician and Singer-songwriter, with Irish ancestry She received a major refit in the 1970s and her popular fish and chip cafe - which earned her the name "the fish and chip boat" - 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 is now berthed at Woolwich, London and is currently being refitted. Woolwich (ˈwʊlɪtʃ or /ˈwʊlɪdʒ/ is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

Leasowe, Egremont and Royal Daffodil 2

The Leasowe and Egremont were built by Philip and Co. in Dartmouth, Devon and entered service in 1951 and 1952 respectively. Dartmouth is a town in Devon in the south-west of England. It is a Tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart Named after suburbs of Wallasey, both vessels were commissioned by Wallasey Corporation.

They were of a traditional design but boasted ultra modern equipment including Crossley multi-speed engines for versatile control. Crossley, based in Manchester, United Kingdom, was a pioneering company in the production of Internal combustion engines Since 1988 it has been part of The only had one single boarding gangway and their forward saloons extended to the whole width of the ship. The forward saloons also had a bar area and dance floor, which meant the vessels could be used for cruising. Unfortunately, the lack of a forward gangway made these vessels less suitable in their primary roles as ferries, as it was necessary to embark and disembark passengers in two stages.

Egremont differed externally to Leasowe in that she had a canvas awning fitted around her funnel. Early photographs of Leasowe and Egremont show them carrying what look like binnacle shrouds (the brass lids that sit atop of a binnacle) on the roof of their wheelhouses and wing cabs. A binnacle is a case or box on the deck of a Ship, generally mounted in front of the Helmsman,in which navigational instruments are placed for easy and It is not understood what these were. Some people have said that they were in fact ventilation devices. Upon the bridge there were numerous modern devices. Chadburn synchrostep telegraphs and rudder angle indicatiors, 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, a ship to shore radio and PA system and three binnacles on the bridge. Similar types of navigation equipment and deck fittings used on these vessels are extant on the Edmund Gardner Pilot Boat at Merseyside Maritime Museum. The Merseyside Maritime Museum is a Museum based in the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. 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.

The Royal Daffodil 2 was constructed by James Lamont and Co. at Greenock and entered service in 1957. Greenock ( Gaelic Grianaig g̊ɾʲiənɛg̊ʲ is a large town and former Burgh of barony in the Inverclyde Council area of western She was a large and bulky ship compared with the other vessels of the Wallasey fleet, as she had three decks and was designed for the dual role of ferry and cruise service. The gross tonnage of Royal Daffodil 2 was 609, but despite her size she only had the same engines as the smaller Leasowe and Egremont. This meant that the ship was underpowered and somewhat hard to handle in heavy seas. The ship's second deck was intended for use as a bar and function area, however this did not happen due to cost limitations. Instead the it was simply a draughty space with seating and a semi - closed basic saloon.

With the merger of the Wallasey and Birkenhead fleets in 1969, the ferries lost their Wallasey colours to be replaced with the primrose yellow and powder blue of the MPTE, and latterly emerald green and black. In the mid 1970s, Leasowe and Royal Daffodil 2 were sold to Greek owners and have been heavily modified since. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Egremont is now used as a floating headquarters for the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe, Devon, not far from her original birthplace. There is another town named Salcombe also known as Salcombe Regis, near Sidmouth in east Devon Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name

Mountwood, Woodchurch and Overchurch

The current Mersey Ferries fleet comprises three vessels, all based on a similar design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough of Liverpool. Originally named Mountwood, Woodchurch and Overchurch after overspill post-war housing developments of Birkenhead. The MV Royal Iris of the Mersey is a Mersey Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England. The MV Snowdrop is a Mersey Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England. The MV Royal Daffodil is a Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England and is currently the Flagship vessel of They were commissioned into service by Birkenhead Corporation.

Mountwood and Woodchurch were built at Dartmouth by Philip and Sons. The Mountwood was launched on the 31 July 1959 and the Woodchurch on the 28 October of the same year. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine They were loosely based on designs of the Leasowe and Egremont of the Wallasey fleet, although they both weighed considerably less at 464 tonnes, compared with 511 tonnes for the earlier vessels. Interestingly, the new sisters were substantially larger than the older Wallasey pair, however, the earlier twins used much bulkier machinery and steel which added significantly to the gross tonnage. Interestingly they are also larger, being approximately 19 feet longer, 6 feet broader and over a foot taller. Both vessels were externally identical in almost every way up until the late 1970s when they were fitted with shrouds protecting their funnel aft vent. Mountwood had a round shroud whilst Woodchurch was fitted with a square one.

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 a facility for braking the engines for rapid reversal, the telegraphs were part of a brand known as "Synchrostep" and were all originally painted blue with shiny brass rimming. Woodchurch retained this telegraph colour, but Mountwood's became green and Overchurch had her telegraphs painted green and red, for port and starboard engines. They entered service in 1960 and were an instant 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 popular prank amongst bridge crews 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 and the Pacemakers song, with the video being filmed on two separate journeys across to Liverpool from Birkenhead. Ferry Cross the Mersey is a film musical featuring Gerry and the Pacemakers. Gerry and The Pacemakers were a British Rock and roll group during the 1960s In her early years Mountwood was an unreliable ship. She broke down three times whilst crossing the river and had to anchor. Her passengers were rescued by Woodchurch. She also collided with Bidston whilst berthing, due to a communications error.

The last of the old Birkenhead steamers had gone by the time the Overchurch arrived, built at the Birkenhead shipyard of Cammell Laird and Co. Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British Shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries came about following the merger of Laird , Overchurch was of all welded construction and also had a bridge was completely enclosed rather than a wheelhouse and navigation boxes like Mountwood and Woodchurch. Overchurch had a high funnel immediately behind the bridge and also a small bridge deck, giving the appearance of a somewhat top-heavy look, as a result. The Overchurch was actually said to be faster than her near sisters. She was also very popular and was fitted with the same navigation equipment as her near sisters. The Overchurch differed slightly in that she was a few tonnes heavier and a few inches longer. In 1962, she conveyed Princess Alexandra to open the new Cammell Laird dry dock. ^[8]

The trio of ferries all remained in near constant operation up until 1981, when cost cutting measures saw Woodchurch withdrawn for almost three years. ^[7] It was rumoured that she was cannibalised to help keep her sisters running. Whilst in lay up at Clarence dry docks, she was offered for sale, with one prospective buyer hoping to use her to operate cruises around the Isle of Man. A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical She was not sold and after main engine repairs and a full repaint Woodchurch returned to service in 1983, freeing up Overchurch to work the new Otterspool service, set up for the 1984 International Garden Festival. The ferries all operated on a normal 20 minute route throughout this.

When the ferries were taken over by the PTE, they lost their original liveries and these were swiftly replaced with sky blue and primrose yellow. This was in turn replaced with black and green and then colours of the Union Jack for the garden festival.

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 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". Characteristics The ship has a and is 963 ft (294 m long She had a top speed of using her original steam turbine powerplant which was increased to when she was re-engined 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 was withdrawn from regular service and subsequently moved to Bootle, were she was internally refurbished and rewired. Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. She was then moved to the ferries regular berth on the East Float, where she saw little use for nearly a decade. The reason for this was somewhat unknown as Overchurch was more than suitable for ferry service.

Refits and renamings

The Overchurch was given her major refit in 1998 at Lengthline Ship Repairers in Manchester, which resulted in a major rebuilding of all decks and fitting of new engines and navigation equipment. She was renamed Royal Daffodil and returned to service in 1999. The MV Royal Daffodil is a Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England and is currently the Flagship vessel of Mountwood and Woodchurch were also refitted and renamed Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop, respectively in 2002 and 2004. The MV Royal Iris of the Mersey is a Mersey Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England. The MV Snowdrop is a Mersey Ferry in operation on the River Mersey, England. The ferries were re-designed by their original architects - Graham and Woolnough. When all three vessels were refitted, their original helms and binnacles with compasses were placed back on the refurbished bridges. Other equipment, such as the telegraphs, were put in storage in the Mersey Ferries' archives.

The ferries' masts now carry four red, one white and one green light at various points. Prior to refit, they had only a forward facing white light. This is because all the ferries have been upgraded to a class 3 certificate, enabling them to sail much further and to various other locations such as Llandudno and Barrow-in-Furness. Llandudno (pronounced /ɬan'dɪdnɔ/ is a Seaside resort and Town in Conwy, Wales. Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and Seaport in Cumbria, England. The extra lights are only used in this situation. Briefly, the Royal Daffodil carried a white half mast light which was suspended within the rigging. This was due to an electric failure in her main mast head lamp and an auxiliary light had to be used.

Each ferry carries two 600 ppsi compressed air Klaxons. The pound per square inch or more accurately pound-force per square inch (symbol psi or lbf/in² or lbf/in²) is a unit of Klaxon is a trademark for an electromechanical horn or alerting device The Royal Iris of the Mersey and the Snowdrop are each in the E major key and the Royal Daffodil's is in the F major key. Also see E minor, or E-flat major. E major is a Major scale based on E with the pitches E, F major (or the key of F) is a Musical Major scale based on F consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B{{music|flat}}

The front angled bridge windows on the Royal Iris and the Snowdrop have been subject to much criticism, as they are contradictory to the classic ferry design.

Cultural references

"Ferry Cross the Mersey" was a 1964 song, film, and soundtrack album. For the film see Ferry Cross the Mersey (film, for the soundtrack album Ferry 'Cross the Mersey (album Ferry Cross the Mersey Ferry Cross the Mersey is a film musical featuring Gerry and the Pacemakers. Ferry Cross the Mersey is the title of the film soundtrack of the same title The song was written by Gerry Marsden, recorded by Gerry & the Pacemakers and was a hit in both the UK and US. Gerry Marsden (born Gerard Marsden on September 24, 1942 in Toxteth, Liverpool England) is an English Musician Gerry and The Pacemakers were a British Rock and roll group during the 1960s In 1989, a charity version of the song was recorded by Liverpool artists The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden, and Stock Aitken Waterman, and was released in aid of those affected by the Hillsborough disaster. The Christians are a soul -influenced Sophisti-pop band from Liverpool, England, who scored several UK and international Holly Johnson (born William Johnson; February 9, 1960; name on passport William Holly Johnson) is an English Artist, Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942 is an English rock Singer, Bass guitarist songwriter Composer, Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio who had great success during the mid-late 1980s It held the #1 spot in the UK chart for three weeks.

The ferries also featured in the opening credit sequences of the popular BBC TV comedy series, "The Liver Birds", written by Carla Lane, which ran from 1969 to 1979. Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and The Liver Birds is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1969 to 1979 and in 1996 Carla Lane, OBE (born Romana Barrack, August 5 1937 in Liverpool) is an English television Writer, writing

References

External links

• Official Mersey Ferries website
• Photographs of Mersey Ferries
• Film of the Mersey Ferries
• Getting Places: Commuter Ferries

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