The Mersey Ferry is a ferry operating on the River Mersey in England

History

The first known ferry began in the 1150s when the monks of the priory at Birkenhead started a small ferry crossing. They used to charge a small fare and row passengers across the River Mersey. 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 HQ. Weather often stopped crossings and passengers were delayed for days during bad weather, taking shelter at the priory. The monks operated the service up until the priory's destruction by Henry VIII's troops. The ferry rights were then passed to private owners who resorted to the use of 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.

Development Of The Ferry

By the 1800s there were many ferry routes criss-crossing the Mersey, these included on the Wirral:

• Eastham
• New Ferry
• Rock Ferry
• Tranmere
• Birkenhead
• Woodside
• Seacombe
• Egremont
• New Brighton

Liverpool had terminals at:

• Pier Head
• Otterspool
• Garston

At this time, the ferries were the only means of crossing the river, and so all of the routes were heavily used. Up until the mid 1800s all of the ferry routes were owned by private interests. Then two companies were formed: Birkenhead Corporation and Wallasey Corporation. These two large companies bought out most of the terminals on the Mersey, with Birkenhead Corporation getting all those south of Woodside, and Wallasey north to New Brighton.

At this time there was still some considerable debate as to the best way of boarding a ferry vessel. The first steam ferry, Etna, was shortly to enter service, so they came up first with the idea of extension stages. 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. These proved to be unsuccessful and instead they were replaced with the current floating pontoons which were designed to rise and fall with the tide.

Due to financial losses incurred from a gradual reduction in patronage, Birkenhead Corporation gradually closed its southern terminals; New Ferry in 1927, Eastham in 1929 and Rock Ferry in 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 World War II for economical reasons after the pier was damaged in a collision. It never reopened.

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. 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 wheel house and two outer navigation boxes. Wallasey ferries employed a funnel livery of white and black and Birkenhead red and black. 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. Both ferry companies earned a substantial amount from luggage boats, which carried vehicles across the river. When the Queensway road tunnel opened between Birkenhead and Liverpool, the percentage of traffic dropped by 80%. By the 1940s, luggage boat services from both Woodside and Seacombe to Liverpool had ceased.

Both ferry companies operated until 1968, when the decision was taken to merge under the single control of the Passenger Transport Executive. 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.

 

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 Royal Daffodil.

 

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. Both ferries were badly damaged by 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, but tragedy struck. She was hit by a bomb and sunk at her berth in World War II, she was raised and then returned to service but 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. 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. 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 - 2 years after withdrawal - for use as a floating nightclub. She is now berthed at Woolwich, London and is currently being refitted.

 

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. They were of a traditional design but boasted ultra modern equipment including Crossley multi-speed engines for versatile control. 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. It is not understood what these where. 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 Royal Daffodil 2 was constructed by James Lamont and Co. at Greenock and entered service in 1959. 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 Mountwood, Woodchurch and Overchurch. This meant she was somewhat slower and extremely hard to handle in heavy seas.

With the merger of the Wallasey and Birkenhead fleets in the 1970s, these vessels were deemed surplus to requirements. Leasowe and Royal Daffodil 2 were sold to Greek owners and have been heavily modified since. Egremont is now used as a floating headquarters for the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe, Devon, not far from her original birthplace.

 

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.

Mountwood and Woodchurch were built at Dartmouth by Philip and Sons. The Mountwood was launched on the 31st July, 1959 and the Woodchurch on the 28th October of the same year. They were 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 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, apart from 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. 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. In their early years of service both the ferries carried rope fenders to protect their rubbing strakes.

The Mountwood was used in the film "Ferry Cross The Mersey" and also in the subsequent hit song by Gerry and the Pacemakers. 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. It is unclear what happened, but the known course of events is as follows. The new Mountwood had two options of engine control. The first was direct control, where the bridge telegraphs controlled the engines directly, without the assistance of an engineer at the control board. The second option was the traditional system of telegraph orders between the engineers and the engines. On this day, the Mountwood was operating in the traditional way. The captain gave an order for full astern on the starboard engine to pull the vessel's bow away from the landing stage in preparation for her departure for Liverpool. He then stopped the starboard engine, switching the telegraph to the " run " position (a position where the propeller turns at a very slow rate and most often used to keep the vessel against a landing stage during a strong swell). He then placed the port telegraph to half ahead to push the stern of the vessel clear from the landing stage. What actually happened is unclear, but it seems that the engineer carried out the reverse of the telegraph orders which sent the Mountwood's bow into the stern of the nearby steamer Bidston. Fortunately no further collision occurred.

They were joined in 1962 by Overchurch. Built at the Birkenhead shipyard of Cammell Laird and Co., Overchurch was of all welded construction and also had a bridge was completely enclosed rather than a wheel house 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. She was also very popular and was fitted with the same navigation equipment as her near sisters. The Overchurch differed slightly from her earlier sisters in that she was a few tonnes heavier and a few inches longer. The trio of ferries all remained in near constant operation up until the early 1980s 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 was offered for sale and one investor was 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 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.

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". 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. 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. Mountwood and Woodchurch were also refitted and renamed Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop, respectively.

All three boats now share the busy workload of cross-river ferrying, charter cruises and the ever-popular Manchester Ship Canal cruise, and will be doing so for many years to come.

 

Trivia

• Mountwood, Woodchurch and Overchurch were named after overspill housing developments of Birkenhead and were commissioned into service by Birkenhead Corporation.

• Leasowe and Egremont are suburbs of Wallasey and the ferries that bore these names were commissioned by Wallasey Corporation.

• Overchurch conveyed Princess Alexandra to open the new Cammell Laird dry dock in the 1960s.

• In spite of the close proximity of Wallasey and Birkenhead and their respective ferry landing stages, both Corporations used different gangway spacing on their vessels. This meant that a Wallasey ferry could not utilise both landing stages 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 boats.

• When all of the three current vessels were refitted, their original helm and binnacles with compasses were placed back on the refurbished bridges. The other equipment such as the telegraphs is currently in storage in Mersey Ferries' archives.

• Mountwood's nameplate now reads "Royal Iris of the Mersey". It cannot be shortened to "Royal Iris", as the previous vessel of that name is still listed on Lloyd's Register of Shipping in the same class.

• 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. 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 600ppsi compressed air Klaxons. The Royal Iris and the Snowdrop are each in the E major key and the Royal Daffodil's is in the F major key.

• The former ferry Egremont still has her bridge intact including all the telegraphs and navigation equipment from the period. It is now used as an observation area.

• On 29 October 2002, a tremendous storm hit the Mersey, with windspeeds measured at force 10 - 11. The round the world clipper race start was cancelled and tugs were called to ships in the Mersey to keep them at port, battling against the raging waves. The Royal Iris of the Mersey was in service that Sunday, and she was tied up at the Liverpool stage when her mast rigging was blown down and her mainmast had to be lowered for safety. Ferry services were cancelled and severe damage was caused to many properties along the waterfront. The Royal Iris could not berth at Seacombe during this time because the resulting swell of the storm was that strong. The last storm of such strength to hit the Mersey was the 1989 hurricane.

 

External links

• Mersey Ferries Website
• Photographs of Mersey Ferries
• Film of the Mersey Ferries
  
  From Wikipedia