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British Railways - Sealink
Page 1: Stranraer-Larne Services
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Stranraer-Larne Services of British Railways, which was formed in 1948 with the ships from former LMS, LNER, SR and GWR fleets. British Railways was rebranded British Rail in 1965, and new corporate colours and logo were introduced. In 1968, an Act of Parliament separated the shipping interests of British Rail into a new division, for which the marketing name Sealink was adopted in 1970. In 1979, the ownership of of vessels was transferred to Sealink UK Ltd, in preparation for the privatisation of the railway fleet. In 1984, Sealink was acquired by Sea Containers Ltd, becoming Sealink British Ferries. After a lengthy battle, Stena Line completed a hostile takeover of Sealink in 1990, the company then being known as Sealink Stena Line until later absorption into the Stena Fleet.
 
An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order.
This page is still under construction!
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Ailsa Princess - BR/Sealink: 1970-1990
Antrim Princess - CSP/BR/Sealink: 1967-1990
Caledonian Princess - CSP/Sealink: 1961-1982
Galloway Princess - CSP/Sealink: 1961-1982
St David - Sealink: 1980-1990
 
British Railways Pages:-
British Railway Steamers - BR/Sealink Header Page
British Railways/Sealink - Page 1 - Stranraer Services
British Railways/Sealink - Page 2 - Heysham Services
British Railways/Sealink - Page 3 - Holyhead Services
British Railways/Sealink - Page 4 - Fishguard Services
 
Associated Pages:-
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page
 
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
 Built
 Earl Granville  Viking 4, Express Olympia
 1973







British Railways - Sealink
 
Page 1: Stranraer-Larne Services


Caledonian Princess
(CSP/Sealink: 1961-1982)
 
Postcard of Caledonian Princess.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Click on image to open larger version in new window




Postcard of Caledonian Princess.
Detail from the card above.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon




Sealink postcard of Caledonian Princess.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Click on image to open larger version in new window







Antrim Princess
(CSP/BR/Sealink: 1967-1990)

Antrim Princess was built by Hawthorn, Leslie (Shipbuilders), Hebburn-on-Tyne, entering service in between Stranraer and Larne in December 1967. In 1985 she was chartered to the Isle of Man Steam packet Co for use between Heysham and Douglas as the Tynwald. In 1990 she was laid up in the River Fal until bought by Agostino Lauro for use on a Naples-Palau-Porto Vecchio service as the Lauro Express. Transferred in 2003 to Alilauro and renamed Giuseppe D'Abundo. In 2005 chartered to the Di Maio Group for a service between Bari-Durres. Sold for breaking up in December 2006 and renamed Stella for the final voyage to Alang, India where she arrived in January 2007.


Postcard of Antrim Princess.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Click on image to open larger version in new window




Postcard of Antrim Princess.
Detail from the card above.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon




Sealink postcard of Antrim Princess. Lines spoilt by extra superstructure aft.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Click on image to open larger version in new window







Ailsa Princess
(BR/Sealink: 1970-1990)

Ailsa Princess was built by Cant. Nav. Breda S.p.A. in Venice, entering service in between Stranraer and Larne in 1971. Following the delivery of Galloway Princess in 1980, Ailsa Princess spent periods on Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire, Weymouth-Cherbourg and Folkestone-Boulogne. In 1984 she passed into Sea Containers ownership. Ailsa Princess moved to Weymouth for Channel Islands services in 1985 and was renamed Earl Harold, also working on Fishguard-Rosslare and back on Stranraer-Larne. Summer 1989 was spent chartered to B&I for Pembroke Dock-Rosslare services after which she was sold Aktoploiki Maritime in Greece and renamed Dimitra. Later names were Naias Express (GA Ferries), Express Adonis (Hellas Ferries), New Caribbean Princess (Gautum Gupta). Broken up in 2010 and named New Cambay Prince for the delivery voyage to Alang, India.


Sealink postcard of Ailsa Princess.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Click on image to open larger version in new window




Sealink postcard of Ailsa Princess.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Click on image to open larger version in new window







St David
(Sealink: 1980-1990)
 
St David was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast, in 1981, entering service between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire. She backed up the St Columba in busy periods, and was available for relief work at other times. In 1983 she spent 3 months on Dover-Calais, and also visited Stranraer-Larne. In 1984 Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers, with St David running for Sealink British Ferries under the same name. In 1985, St David ran on Dover-Oostende services - Oostende services finished in December 1985. From 1986, she spent most of her time on Stranraer-Larne services, and passed to Sealink Stena Line in 1990. St David was renamed Stena Caledonia the following year. From 1995, the Irish terminal moved to Belfast, reverting to Larne in 2005.
 
 
Sealink postcard of St David.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon







Galloway Princess
(Sealink: 1980-1990)

Galloway Princess was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast, in 1980, entering service between Stranraer and Larne in May 1980.  In 1984 Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers, with Galloway Princess running for Sealink British Ferries under the same name. In 1990 she was sold with the rest of the fleet to Sealink Stena Line and in 1991 was renamed Stena Galloway. She covered briefly at Holyhead in 1992. Registered ownership passed to Stena Line, Stranraer. From 1995 services transferred to Belfast.

In 2002 Stena Galloway was sold to IMTC (International Maritime Transport Corporation) of Casablanca, Morocco, with a final sailed Stranraer-Belfast in February 2002. She was renamed Le Rif for services between Tangier and Algeciras.


Postcard of Galloway Princess at Larne in original livery
GALLOWAY PRINCESS - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Postcard of Galloway Princess at Stranraer in SBF colours
GALLOWAY PRINCESS - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Official Sealink postcard of Stena Galloway in SSL colours
STENA GALLOWAY - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Ramsey postcard of Stena Galloway in SSL colours
Photo: © Philip Cone
STENA GALLOWAY - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Chantry postcard of Stena Galloway in SSL colours at Dun Laoghaire
Photo: © Gordon Hislip
STENA GALLOWAY - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Postcard of Stena Galloway leaving Belfast in full Stena Line colours
Photo: © Gordon Hislip
STENA GALLOWAY - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Le Rif of IMTC - ex-Galloway Princess, between Algeciras and Tangier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th March 2008
LE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: ©2008 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: ©2008 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Le Rif of IMTC - ex-Galloway Princess, at Tangier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009
LE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukLE RIF (IMTC) - Photo: © Ian Boyle, 18th April 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.uk








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