Duke of Lancaster (ship)

The "Duke of Lancaster" is a railway steamer passenger ship in operation in Europe from 1956 to 1978, and currently beached in Mostyn docks, on the River Dee, north-east Wales.

In service

Along with her sister ships the "Duke of Rothesay" and the "Duke of Argyll", these vessels were amongst the last passenger-only steamers built for British Railways (at that time, also a ferry operator). citeweb|url=http://www.hhvferry.com/dukeoflanc.html|title=Duke of Lancaster|work=hhvferry.com|accessdate=12 December|accessyear=2007] Built at Harland & Wolff, Belfast and completed in 1956, she was designed to operate as both a passenger ferry (primarily on the Heysham-Belfast route) and as a cruise ship. In this capacity, the "Lancaster" travelled to the Scottish islands and further afield to Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Spain.citeweb|url=http://www.sealink-holyhead.com/ships/Dukes/lancaster.htm|title=Sealink Holyhead: The Duke of Lancaster|work=sealinkholyhead.com|accessdate=12 December|accessyear=2007]

From the mid-1960s, passenger ships such as the "Lancaster" were gradually being superseded by car ferries. Rather than undertaking the expensive option of renewing their entire fleet, British Railways instead commenced a part-program of conversion. In order to maintain ferry services whilst these modifications took place, the "Lancaster"'s duties as a cruise ship ceased.On 25 April 1970, the ship returned to service, having had her main deck rebuilt to accommodate vehicles via a door at her stern. The ship now provided space for 1,200 single-class passengers and 105 cars, with a total cabin accommodation for 400 passengers.

The three ships continued on the Heysham-Belfast route until the service was withdrawn on 5 April 1975.The "Duke of Lancaster" was then briefly employed on the Fishguard-Rosslare crossing, before becoming the regular relief vessel on the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire service until November 1978. The ship was then laid up at Barrow in Furness, Cumbria.

The Fun Ship

The "Lancaster" was sold to Liverpool based company Empirewise Ltd, who intended her to be used as a static leisure centre and market. She arrived at her new home at Llanerch-y-Mor, near Mostyn on 10 August 1979.The ship was beached and the hull was sealed in concrete. Known as "The Fun Ship", it was also possible to visit her bridge and engine room. Conversion for use as a 300-room hotel did not appear to go beyond the preliminary planning stage. Its use as "The Fun Ship" was relatively short-lived and was subsequently closed to the public. Over time, the vessel has become increasingly derelict.

The ship was later used as a warehouse by its owners Solitaire Liverpool Ltd, a clothing company registered to the same address as Empirewise Ltd. [citeweb|url=http://www.irishseashipping.com/heritage/wales/dukeoflancaster021206/dukeoflancaster021206.htm|title=A Visit to the Duke of Lancaster|work=Irish Sea Shipping|date=December 2006|accessdate=14 November|accessyear=2007] Despite rumours of the ship being scrapped, the company stated that they have no plans to sell it, or restore it [citeweb|url=http://www.irishseashipping.com/news/2007/09_2007/092007.htm|title=News Bulletin: September 2007|work=Irish Sea Shipping|date=2007-09-25|accessdate=14 November|accessyear=2007] and its current use is uncertain.

The vessel still contains much of its period furniture and marine navigation equipment, though the condition of this is unknown.

References

External links

* [http://www.sealink-holyhead.com/ships/Dukes/noble_dukes.htm Sealink Holyhead: Those Noble Dukes]
* [http://www.irishseashipping.com/heritage/wales/dukethefunshipyears/dukethefunshipyears.htm Irish Sea Shipping: Duke of Lancaster - The Fun Ship Years]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/sites/slideshows/pages/ship.shtml BBC Wales: Mostyn Fun Ship]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/welshdan/sets/1317192/ Flickr.com: The Duke of Lancaster (aka the Mostyn fun ship)]
* [http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=18739 28dayslater Exploration]