Home - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Simplon Postcards Home - Recent Updates - Search - Copyright Information - Contact Simplon

This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation

 

 

Townsend Brothers Ferries

 

 

This page is devoted to postcards of Townsend Brothers Ferries. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table are official postcards of the fleet in chronological order.

 

Townsend Brothers Ferries was formed after WW2 to carry cars from Dover to Calais. Their first purpose-built car ferry, the Free Enterprise, was built in 1962. In 1968 Townsend Brothers Ferries combined with Thoresen Car Ferries to form Townsend-Thoresen. Although delivered after the formation of Townsend Thoresen, Free Enterprise IV and Free Enterprise V originally sailed in standard Townsend colours, so are shown in this state on this page for completeness.

 

 

Ships on This Page:-

Autocarrier - Townsend: 1967-73

Forde - Townsend: 1930-49

Halladale - Townsend: 1949-62

Free Enterprise - Townsend: 1962-65

Free Enterprise I - Townsend: 1965-68

Free Enterprise II - Townsend: 1965-68

Free Enterprise III - Townsend: 1966-68

Free Enterprise IV - Townsend Thoresen: 1969-87

Free Enterprise V - Townsend Thoresen: 1970-87

 

Associated Pages:-

P&O Ferries

Thoresen Car Ferries

Townsend-Thoresen

Ferry Postcards

Cruise Ship Postcards

Ocean Liner Postcards

Simplon Postcards Home Page

 

References:-

   

 

Search This Webpage:-

powered by FreeFind  

 

 

 

Table of Ship Histories

Name	Other names	Built
Free Enterprise	Free Enterprise I, Kimolos, Ergina, Methodia II, Kallisti	1962
Free Enterprise I	Free Enterprise, Kimolos, Ergina, Methodia II, Kallisti	1962
Free Enterprise II	Moby Blu	1965
Free Enterprise III	Tamira, Mona's Isle, Al Fahad	1966

 

 

 

 

 

 

Townsend Fleet List

 

 

Forde

(Townsend: 1930-49)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halladale

(Townsend: 1949-62)

 

Skyfotos postcard 1991 of Halladale.

 

 

 

Skyfotos postcard 6511 of Halladale.

 

 

 

Valentine's postcard K9440 of Halladale.

 

 

 

Valentine's postcard K9440 of Halladale.

Variation on the card above.

 

 

 

Duncan postcard of Halladale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Enterprise (Townsend: 1962-65)

Free Enterprise I (Townsend: 1965-68)

 

Free Enterprise was built in 1962 by I.C.H. Holland, Werf Gusto Yard, Schiedam, Holland, for Townsend Brothers Ferries' Dover-Calais service. She was renamed Free Enterprise I on delivery of Free Enterprise II. In 1968, ownership passed to Townsend Thoresen. During 1975 and 1976 she spent time on the Cainryan-Larne route. In 1980 Free Enterprise I was sold to Ventouris as the Kimolos, subsequently receiving the names Ergina, Ventouris and Methodia II. In 1997 she was sold to Sinderella NE, Piraeus, and renamed Kallisti. She was used during the summer on cruises between Crete-Santorini, and in winter between Lavrio-Tinos-Mykonos.

 

A complete history of this ship is available on this link.

J.Arthur Dixon art postcard (no serial number) of Free Enterprise.

 

 

J.Arthur Dixon postcard (no serial number) of Free Enterprise.

 

 

Skyfotos postcard (no serial number) of Free Enterprise.

 

 

 

Duncan postcard of Free Enterprise.

 

 

 

Enlarged image from Monochrome postcard 106 of Free Enterprise at Calais.

 

 

 

Enlarged image from Monochrome postcard 108 of Free Enterprise at Calais.

 

 

 

Enlarged image from Yvon postcard EKB4554 of Free Enterprise at Calais.

 

 

 

Valentine postcard ET.2774 of Free Enterprise leaving Dover.

 

 

D.V.Bennett postcard (serial 2222) of Free Enterprise I.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Enterprise II

(Townsend: 1965-68)

 

Free Enterprise II was built in 1965 by I.C.H. Holland, Werf Gusto Yard, Schiedam, Holland, for Townsend Brothers Ferries' Dover-Calais service. From 1966 she also operated Dover-Zeebrugge. In 1968, ownership passed to Townsend Thoresen. Between 1970 and 1974 Free Enterprise II served on the Southampton-Cherbourg route during the summers. Final service at Dover was in the spring of 1980, after which she had a charter to Sealink. She spent the summer on Portsmouth-Cherbourg before being laid up in Southampton. She was sold in 1982 to become the first large ferry in the NAVARMA/Moby fleet as Moby Blu. Moby Blu introduced the distinctive livery and naming system to the Moby fleet. NAVARMA originally used her on routes to Corsica, but in recent years Moby Blu has served on the Piombino-Elba route. She was sold for breaking up in India in 2004.

 

A complete history of this ship is available on this link.

 

J.Arthur Dixon postcard (no serial number) of Free Enterprise II.

 

 

 

Duncan postcard of Free Enterprise II.

 

 

 

IRIS postcard of Free Enterprise II at Calais.

 

 

 

Estel postcard of Free Enterprise II at Calais.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Enterprise III

(Townsend: 1966-68)

 

Free Enterprise III was built in 1966 by I.C.H. Holland, Werf Gusto Yard, Schiedam, Holland, for Townsend Brothers Ferries' Dover-Calais service. From 1967 Free Enterprise III also operated Dover-Zeebrugge. In 1968, ownership passed to Townsend Thoresen. During summer 1974, she spent time on the Cainryan-Larne route. In summer 1981, Free Enterprise III operated between Portsmouth-Cherbourg. She was sold in 1984 to Maltese owners as the Tamira, but returned to UK waters later the same year as the Mona's Isle of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. After rebuilding with additional accommodation, she entered service between Heysham-Douglas in April 1985, but was not a success. Laid up in October 1985, she was sold to Egyptian owners in 1986 as the Al Fahad. She was wrecked in 2004, near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

 

A complete history of this ship is available on this link.

 

J.Arthur Dixon postcard (serial SP.1135) of Free Enterprise III as built.

 

 

 

Duncan postcard of Free Enterprise III (as built).

 

 

Photo Precision postcard (serial R1288) of Free Enterprise III, with additional lounge by the funnel.

 

 

D.V.Bennett postcard (serial 2223) of Free Enterprise III, with additional lounge by the funnel.

 

 

La Cigogne postcard (serial 82.193.264) of Free Enterprise III, at Calais.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autocarrier

(Townsend: 1967-73)

 

Autocarrier was built as the Royal Sovereign for the General Steam Navigation (GSN) in 1948, by Denny of Dumbarton. The GSN traded as Eagle Steamers, running excursions from London to South East English ports and the continent. They withdrew their three remaining vessels in 1966, and Royal Sovereign was bought by Townsends. She was converted to carry 24 trucks, but was also originally advertised to operate some excursions from Kent, Essex and Sussex ports with 300-400 passengers, marketed by P&A Campbell, a Townsend subsidiary. These excursions did not occur, as sufficient freight was available for permanent use on Dover-Zeebrugge serices. Autocarrier was sold to Naples operator Societa Patrenopea di Navigazione in 1973, and renamed Ischia for services to that island. In 1975 she passed to Navigazione Toscana, Livorno, for services to Portoferraio on Elba. In the 1980s she returned to Naples-Ischia servoce for Traghetti Pozzuoli S.r.l.

 

 

A.Duncan photographic postcard of Autocarrier

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

 

John G.Callis photographic postcard of Autocarrier on 27th April 1968

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

 

M.Togneli postcard of Ischia (ex-Autocarrier) at Portoferraio (Elba)

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

 

M.Togneli postcard of Ischia (ex-Autocarrier) at Portoferraio (Elba)

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Enterprise IV

(Townsend: 1969-1987)

 

Free Enterprise IV was built in 1969 by I.C.H. Holland, Werf Gusto Yard, Schiedam, Holland for the European Ferries Group. Although delivered after the formation of Townsend Thoresen, she originally operated in standard Townsend colours, and is shown here in this state for completeness.

 

Free Enterprise IV was used on Townsend Thoresen services out of Dover to Calais, Zeebrugge and Boulogne. Free Enterprise IV was the first of five sisterships, the others being Free Enterprise V-VIII. In 1976 Free Enterprise IV was transferred to the Cairnryan-Larne route, remaining there until 1986 when she reverted back to Dover. In 1987 Free Enterprise IV was laid up at Chatham until sale to Sea-Link Rederi Ab the following year. After rebuilding at Landskrona, she entered service for GT-Link between Gedser-Travemünde as the Falster Link. From 1990, the German port was changed to Rostock. In 1991, registered owners became Europa Linien A/S, Gedser. Falster Link was laid up in 1996, but served briefly for Scandlines between Gedser-Rostock in 1997. In 1998 Falster Link was sold to El Salam Shipping & Trading, Cairo, entering service as the Tag Al Salam.

 

A complete history of this ship is available on this link.

 

 

Bennett postcard 2221 of Free Enterprise IV in original pale green Townsend colours.

 

 

 

FotoFlite image of Free Enterprise IV in original Townsend colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Enterprise V (1970-1987)

 

Free Enterprise V was built in 1970 by I.C.H. Holland, Werf Gusto Yard, Schiedam, Holland for the European Ferries Group. Although delivered after the formation of Townsend Thoresen, she originally operated in standard Townsend colours, and is shown here in this state for completeness.

 

Free Enterprise V was used on Townsend Thoresen services out of Dover to Calais, Zeebrugge and Boulogne. Free Enterprise V was the second of five sisterships, named Free Enterprise IV-VIII. In 1982 Free Enterprise V was transferred to the Portsmouth-Cherbourg route route, remaining there until 1987 when she reverted back to Dover. In 1987, registered owners of Free Enterprise V became P&O European Ferries, and she was renamed Pride of Hythe the following year. She worked the Dover-Boulogne route until 1993, when she was sold to Trans Europe Ferries (TEF) as the Laburnum. Laburnum operated for TEF and various charterers on Mediterranean routes and TEF's Oostende-Ramsgate freight service until 2003, when she was chartered to Comanov, who renamed her Tadla.

 

A complete history of this ship is available on this link.

 

 

FotoFlite image of Free Enterprise V in original Townsend colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

P&O Ferries - Thoresen Car Ferries - Townsend-Thoresen

Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards

Top of Page - Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards - Home Page

 

 

 

         

 

 

©1999-2008 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site)
All Rights Reserved

 

Free Web Counter
Times viewed since 24/10/2008: