Have received the following enquiry, I have no knowledge of this but was away from Hull for much of 1976/1977.

"I am trying to discover if reports of any Tilbury/Gravesend ferries relieved Farringford at Hull. I have heard some were at Hull to cover the 1976/7 dry-dockings but there seems some doubt about this. I wondered if you knew if these reports were correct and had any details such as dates."

Anyone know of this?

George,

Not as far as I know, the only cover ships I saw were Freshwater which was the spare IOW ship and the Yorkshire Belle.

I think the book Tale of Three Castles which seems to be the most definitive confirms same.

Regards
Simon

Thanks Simon.
I see that FARRINGFORD was sold by Sealink to Western Ferries (Argyll) Ltd so intended for their Clyde service but am sure she never left Hull, when I was Commercial Manager two likely lads came to ask if there was anywhere to break her up and got a small fee for allowing them to use Silcock's Basin, Miramar records it as 5 March 1984 by J.T.Hewitt.

The poor old Farringford was unloved, but was quite significant as the last ship ordered by one of the old "Big Four" railway companies, though actually built under BR in 1948.

This plus her diesel electric chain drives were pretty unique.

Interestingly towards the end, Sealink did look at buying on of Red Funnels redundant ships until they realised just how deep drafted
they were.

Regards

Simon

The Clyde lads tell me there was a tussle over subsidies for the Dunoon route in 1982 so WF bought her but then did not need her as CalMac got a subsidy re-instated.
Anyway there is a great photo of her with Glasgow registry here, must be in Silcock's basin.

http://neilholmes.photoshelter.com/imag ... yc-&GI_ID=

FARRINGFORD laid up at Hull 06.09.81

I was based in Immingham 1976/79 and worked both sides of Humber...I don't remember any replacement vessels on that run...I do remember gaps in programme when vessel wasn't there.

Geoff

50 YEARS AGO

FARRINGFORD (5112731), British Railways Board, 489gt,
completed Wm Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1-1948
BU Hull 5.3.84 [J.T.Hewitt]

River Humber - 4 May 1975. I am not now certain of the chronology of these views as I took some both before and after our trip: Ron M