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Red Funnel Ferries
 
Raptor Class Ferries
 
 
This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of Red Funnel. An alphabetical list of ships covered on this page is shown below. Below this are postcards and photos of the fleet in chronological order.
 
The Raptor Class were all built in Port Glasgow for the Southampton-East Cowes (Isle of Wight) car ferry service. Red Osprey and Red Falcon were both delivered in 1994 and were 2881 grt. Red Eagle was delivered in 1996 and is 3028 grt, due to extended main lounges, and an additional "executive" lounge on the upper deck. They were all 83.6m long, and carried 895 passengers and 140 cars/16 trucks. In October 2003, Red Osprey was sent to Poland for lengthening and the addition of an extra car upper car deck. She returned to service in early 2004, at which point Red Falcon was sent for similar treatment. Red Eagle was due to follow in late 2004. The Norwegian-built ferry Bergen Castle (ex-Nordhordland) was acquired to maintain services whilst the first two Raptors were away, but it was not planned to use her whilst Red Eagle was rebuilt, since the two other ferries had sufficient capacity once rebuilt.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Red Falcon
Red Osprey
Red Eagle
 
Red Funnel Pages:-
Red Funnel - Header Page
Red Funnel - Paddle Steamers
Red Funnel - Screw Steamers
Red Funnel - Motor Vessels
Red Funnel - Tugs & Tenders
Red Funnel - Castle Car Ferries
Red Funnel - Raptor Class Ferries - this page!
Red Funnel - Red Jet Fast Ferries
Cosens & Co - Paddle steamers
 
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page
 
References:-
Red Funnel & Before - by R.B.Adams - Kingfisher Railway Publications (1986)
 
 
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
 Built
 Red Eagle  
 1996
 Red Falcon  
 1994
 Red Osprey  
 1994







Raptor Class Ferries
 
 
Red Funnel postcard of the three raptor Class ferries Red Falcon, Red Osprey and Red Eagle.
Red Eagle is in the centre.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Red Falcon
(Red Funnel: 1994- )
 
Complete history of Red Falcon
 
In January 2004, Red Falcon was sent to Gdansk, Poland, for lengthening. She was replaced temporarily by chartered Bergen Castle.
 
 
Red Funnel postcard of Red Falcon.
 
 
Red Funnel postcard of Red Falcon (front) and Red Osprey.
 
 
Nigh postcard WJN1755 of Red Falcon.
 
 
Dixon postcard PIW29825 of Red Falcon.
 
 
Simplon Postcards release sp1190 of Red Falcon.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Red Falcon being passed by Red Jet 2 on 16th August 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Rebuilt Red Falcon arriving at Southampton, passing Queen Mary 2, on 11th September 2004.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Rebuilt Red Falcon arriving at Southampton on 11th September 2004.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Falcon passing Calshot Castle on 14th April 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Falcon on 30th April 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Falcon on 30th April 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Red Osprey
(Red Funnel: 1994- )
 
Complete history of Red Osprey
 
In October 2003, Red Osprey was sent to Gdansk, Poland, for lengthening. She was replaced temporarily by chartered Bergen Castle.
 
 
Nigh postcard WJN1795 of Red Osprey.
 
 
Hinde postcard of Red Osprey.
 
 
Simplon Postcards release sp1240 of Red Osprey.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Rebuilt Red Osprey arriving at Southampton on 11th September 2004.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Rebuilt Red Osprey leaving Southampton on 11th September 2004.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Osprey passing Calshot Castle on 14th April 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Osprey on 30th April 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Osprey received advertising livery for a new IKEA store in Southampton in January 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st February 2009
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st February 2009
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st February 2009
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st February 2009
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Red Eagle
(Red Funnel: 1996- )
 
Complete history of Red Eagle
 
W.J.Nigh postcard release WJN1795 of Red Eagle.
 
 
Simplon Postcards release sp1239 of Red Eagle.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle 2003.
 
 
Red Eagle leaving Southampton on 11th September 2004, shortly before being rebuilt in Poland.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Eagle leaving Southampton on 9th April 2005, after being rebuilt as a double deck ferry in Poland.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
Red Eagle passing Calshot on 14th April 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
 
 
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2005.
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2005.







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