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Stena Lineup
All Photographs in this section where kindly provided by Justin Merrigan
© 2003
These images are part of the Justin Merrigan Collection and subject to
Copyright.
| 1 |  |
The heyday of British Railways at
the Carlisle Pier as the Cambria gets ready to sail for Holyhead on
a summer daylight sailing in 1962. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 2 |  |
The Kish Lightship seen from the
bridge of the Cambria on her inward early morning sailing to Dún
Laoghaire. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 3 |  |
A regular to Dún Laoghaire
when relieving the mailboats for overhaul, the Heysham - Belfast steamer
Duke of Rothesay. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 4 |  |
A significant view showing the very
first visit of a car ferry to Dún Laoghaire in July 1965. The
ship is the Normannia and she is moving astern onto the temporary
East Pier terminal. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 5 |  |
An historic moment as Normannia
arrives alongside. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 6 |  |
July 1965 and the Holyhead Ferry
1 lines up with the linkspan on the temporary East Pier terminal during
her first week in service. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 7 |  |
The Holyhead Ferry 1 steams out
of Dún Laoghaire on a summers day in June 1969 (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 8 |  |
Seen from the West Pier, Holyhead
Ferry 1, June 1969. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 9 |  |
The classic Cambria of 1949, seen
here on the Carlisle Pier's departure berth in 1969. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 10 |  |
Holyhead Ferry 1 is seen loading
for Holyhead at the newly opened St Michael's Pier Car Ferry Terminal
in 1969. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 11 |  |
Caledonian Princess rests on the
west side of St Michael's Pier while the Holyhead Ferry 1 gets ready
to sail from the east side. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 12 |  |
Holyhead Ferry 1 sails for Holyhead
while Caledonian Princess awaits her sailing later in the day. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 13 |  |
18 years later and St Columba sails
for Holyhead as the freight ship Stena Sailer gets ready to follow
her out. (Photo © Justin Merrigan) |
| 14 |  |
Looking astern from the aft deck of the Dover as she clears St Michael's Pier in 1975. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 15 |  |
Causeway 1975 - The new linkspan
on the Carlisle Pier has been installed. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 16 |  |
Causeway 1998 - seen from the same spot 23 years later as the causeway is removed (Photo © Justin Merrigan) |
| 17 |  |
Causeway construction 1975 - linking
the Car Ferry Terminal to the Carlisle Pier. In the background the
car ferry Dover can be seen on St Michael's Pier west. (Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 18 |  |
Causeway demolition 1998 - what
a difference 23 years has made - the HSS looks far removed from the
steam turbine ferry Dover. (Photo © Justin Merrigan) |
| 19 |  |
Seen alongside the Carlisle Pier's
"Departure Berth" during her final month on the Irish Sea,
October 1976, after 27 years loyal service, is the Hibernia. The "Blue
Peter" flying from her foremast signals an imminent departure.
(Photo: Justin Merrigan Collection). |
| 20 |  |
St Columba seen in her first guise
wearing British Rail's livery. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 21 |  |
St Columba's bridge in British Rail
days. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 22 |  |
Taken from my favourite vantage
point, the end of the Carlisle Pier. I was 10 yrs old and the steam
turbine Avalon sails on her last crossing under the Sealink flag,
September 1980. (Photo © Justin Merrigan) |
| 23 |  |
Once a regular at Dún Laoghaire
when she sailed as the Dover, the Earl Siward became Holyhead - Dún
Laoghaire's last steam turbine powered ferry. Seen here getting ready
for her last sailing in June 1981 the ship is now a floating nightclub
in the North East of England. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 24 |  |
The late delivery of the new St
David from her builders saw Sealink fill the gap with first, the Earl
Siward and then the chartered Swedish ferry Prinsessan Desiree. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 25 |  |
Villandry - One of the more unusual
ferries to serve Dún Laoghaire was the Dieppe vessel Villandry
of Sealink's French partner SNCF. The ship served on the run for a
few days in August 1983 after an engine failure in the St Columba.
(Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 26 |  |
Sealink UK St Columba alongside
- 1984. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 27 |  |
Minus her British Rail logo in preparation
for privatisation the St Columba leaves for Holyhead in June 1984.
(Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 28 |  |
St Columba's bow thrust is hard
at work as the ship swings for the harbour mouth. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 29 |  |
St Columba & the Isle of Man
Steam Packet's Mona's Isle - 1985 (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 30 |  |
St David: For almost 20 years I
have photographed every ferry to serve the Holyhead run from the end
of berth 3, enjoying the privilege of viewing the artfrom that is
ship handling at close quarters. Even in the most challenging of conditions
there was always time for a friendly wave from the bridge wing of
the manoeuvring ship as I stood and watched, firstly as a child, and
then in later years with my own young children. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 31 |  |
On her first sailing from Dún Laoghaire after her 1986 multi-million pounds refit, St Columba swings off the Carlisle Pier (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 32 |  |
An unusual view of St Columba alongside
St Michael's Pier in 1987 (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 33 |  |
Stena Sailer 1988. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 34 |  |
The relief ship Vortigern, built
as a train ferry for Sealink's Dover services, made her last sailing
under the Sealink flag with a freight departure from Dún
Laoghaire in March 1988. Here she is seen on her penultimate day
while, in the background, another stalwart nears the end of her
career. The Irish Lights Tender Atlanta destores pending disposal. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 35 |  |
The Vortigern saw service on the
link in lieu of the freight ferry Stena Sailer. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 36 |  |
Moving astern, the St Columba glides away
from the berth on her 2045 sailing. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 37 |  |
"Steering Out", St Columba
passes through the harbour mouth. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 38 |  |
Between April 1988 and January 1990
Sealink British Ferries operated a service from Dún Laoghaire
to Liverpool using the former Channel Islands ferry Earl William.
The ship is seen here arriving at berth four for the very first time
with a freight sailing from Holyhead following a fire in the relief
ship St David. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 39 |  |
Dense fog at Dún Laoghaire
and the Earl William is seen shortly after her first commercial sailing
from Liverpool, April 26 1988. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 40 |  |
An unusual angle for this view of the Earl William. Seen from the bridge of the Seafreight Highway in June 1988, the Earl William gets ready for her 1030hrs sailing to Liverpool. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 41 |  |
Earl Granville. The Channel Islands
ferry Earl Granville swings off number 4 berth in the teeth of a north
east gale. Plenty of smoke as her engines work hard to complete the
swing before heading for Liverpool in lieu of the Earl William in
winter 1988. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 42 |  |
The Earl William arrives off berth
4 in June 1989. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 43 |  |
Seen from the Liverpool ferry Earl
William, the St Columba at rest. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 44 |  |
Sealink British Ferries Seafreight
Highway became the largest ferry to serve Dún Laoghaire when
she replaced the Stena Sailer on the freight service in 1988. Under
the command of Capt Tudor Jones the ship is seen moving astern onto
berth 5 having spent 20 mins head to wind in the harbour while a heavy
squall passed through. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 45 |  |
Early freight days at Dún
Laoghaire with the Lagan Bridge at berth 5 in 1980. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 46 |  |
St Cybi 1989. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 47 |  |
The French-flag Saint Eloi appeared
on the route in 1989 while St Columba was overhauled at Birkenhead.
The late Capt John Sinnott swings the stern loading ferry off the
Carlisle Pier before moving astern onto the berth. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 48 |  |
A fire in St Columba"s engine
room in January 1990 saw the Stranraer-based Darnia sail south to
keep the link open pending the charter of replacement tonnage. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 49 |  |
The Darnia is seen at the Carlisle
Pier berth on her first morning on the run. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 50 |  |
Horsa. The summer of 1990 saw the
return of the second summer ship on the Holyhead service. With the
St David in permanent service at Stranraer Sealink sent the Horsa
from the English Channel. A very popular ship on the French routes,
the Horsa was well received on the Irish Sea. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 51 |  |
The acquisition of Sealink British
Ferries by Stena Line saw the new owners rename St Columba as Stena
Hibernia. Here the ship is seen from the Royal St George Yacht Club.
(Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 52 |  |
Stena Cambria 1993. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 53 |  |
Seen from the bridge of Stena Cambria,
the Stena Hibernia clears the mouth of Dún Laoghaire harbour
on a heading of 100 deg which will bring her to the South Burford
Buoy. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 54 |  |
A rare view of three ferries
in Dún Laoghaire together. Stena Hibernia on berth 2 has
made way for the incoming Stena Cambria on berth 3. Across on berth
4 is the Stena Sea Lynx II while berth 5 is prepared for the launch
of the HSS service. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 55 |  |
A most unusual view of the Stena
Hibernia on Number 2 berth, seen from the bridge of Stena Cambria
on No 3 berth. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 56 |  |
A familiar scene, the Stena Hibernia at her
berth in Dún Laoghaire. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 57 |  |
Stena Hibernia leaves for Holyhead
while Stena Sea Lynx II gets ready for a 99 minute dash of the Irish
Sea. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 58 |  |
Stena Antrim relieved on the route
in 1994 while the Stena Hibernia and then Stena Cambria stood down
for annual overhaul. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 59 |  |
Marine Evangeline was a stranger
in the camp in 1996. The late arrival into service of the HSS Stena
Explorer coupled with the departure of Stena Cambria for Dover prompted
the introduction of the chartered ship pending the opening of the
new Dublin - Holyhead freight service. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 60 |  |
Stena Adventurer leaves for Holyhead
while Stena Lynx gets ready for a 99 minute dash of the Irish Sea.
(Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |
| 61 |  |
Stena Adventurer and Stena Explorer
seen together on the occasion of the first visit to Dún Laoghaire
of the High Speed Sea-service craft. (Photo: © Justin Merrigan) |