Part of the
Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
Last days
of HMS Duke of York
MV ROYAL IRIS
Diesel Electric
Built 1950 William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton
Yard Nr 1448
Launched : 8th December 1950
Registered : Liverpool
Engines : Ruston & Hornsby Metro Vickers Electric
Propulsion: 4 oil 4SA each 6cylinder driving 4 generators
each 300kw 300v DC; connected to 2 electric motors each 730 shp and 2shafts
12 knots
1234 grt
159ft x 48ft 1ins x 9ft
Royal Iris
Picture
Copyright
http://www.clydebuiltships.co.uk/
and http://www.clydesite.co.uk/
The
ROYAL IRIS also had the dual role of being principal summer cruise boat and for
this, she was designed with a Class III passenger certificate to enable her to
sail on short excursions to sea. Originally the ROYAL IRIS could carry 2,296
passengers on her Class V certificate, and 1,000 when running on her seasonal
Class III certificate.
April
/ May 1985 : She made a journey, around Land’s End, on a publicity drive for
Merseyside. She sailed to London and under Tower Bridge, and berthed next to
HMS Belfast. She completed the 1,500 mile trip without incident. Remarkable,
especially considering her earlier brush with HMS DUKE OF YORK, September 1951,
in her first year.
"GREENWICH INDUSTRIAL
HISTORY"
"Volume 8, Issue 3, June
2005"
"She was built in 1950 by the
famous William Denny Bros, Dumbarton as a twin screw, diesel electric ship for Wallasey
Corporation. She was the largest and most commodious vessel ever built for the
all year round service from Liverpool to Seacombe and the summer service to New
Brighton. Her gross tonnage was 1,234 tons and she was 160 ft overall in length
and 48 ft in breadth. Outwardly she differed from any other ship and carried
the Borough coat of arms proudly on the front of her streamlined, unusual and
futuristic looking superstructure. Her hull underwater was designed to
facilitate instant manoeuvring and control in the often-crowded shipping lanes
of the River Mersey. She was also capable of withstanding gales, which
regularly sweep the Mersey Estuary, especially during the winter months. She
had a large area for dining and drinking and a spacious dance floor. A fish and
chip cafe was an integral part of original design. Her passenger accommodation
had room for over 2000 under cover. The Royal Iris's most distant seaward
destination from Liverpool was to the Bar Lightship, 14 miles northwest and she
also traversed the Manchester Ship Canal, carrying cruise passengers. In
November 1991 she was sold for use as a floating nightclub in Liverpool, and
later to the Thames. Today she is laid up in a neglected and derelict
condition."
June 1957
"That month Sytner also
launched another happy Merseyside tradition that was to continue for more than
four decades—the Cavern’s legendary "riverboat shuffles," a series of
four-hour dance cruises up and down the River Mersey aboard the M.V. Royal
Iris, a beautiful, Art Deco-style ship that had been plying the river since
1951 and was popularly known as "the fish and chip boat" for the food
served onboard during the dance cruises. The 'riverboat shuffles' continued
until 1990, when the 40-year-old Royal Iris was retired from service, sold off
and relocated to its present berth on the Welsh coast, where it now serves as a
floating casino."
"According to Mark Lewisohn,
The Beatles played on the Royal Iris four times
and, on the first two dates,
shared the bill with Acker Bilk's Jazz Band. 25 August 1961; 6 July 1962;10
August 1962; 28 September 1962."
Thanks to
Chris Allman and “gerrysea” of
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/
for the above quotes
and for the picture below.
Visit the site for more
background.
She is
currently laid up on the River Thames
near the
Thames Barrier Gardens in Woolwich, London.
Pictures at
http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/royaliris/slides/iris1.html
For a full
history, visit
http://www.maritimebritain.fsnet.co.uk/M.V.%20ROYAL%20IRIS.htm
Raymond
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