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This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation. There are no postcards for sale on this website
British Railways - Sealink
Page 7: Dover & Folkestone Services
This page is still under construction!
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Dover & Folkestone 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.
Ships on This Page:-
Dover
- Sealink: 1978-1978 - later
Earl Siward
Earl Leofric
- Sealink: 1965-1981 - Dover from 1976
Earl Siward
- BR/Sealink: 1965-1981 - ex-
Dover
Hengist
- Sealink: 1972-1990
Horsa
- Sealink: 1972-1990
Invicta
- BR/Sealink: 1948-1972 - built by SR in 1939
Lord Warden
- BR/Sealink: 1952-1980
Maid Of Kent
- BR/Sealink: 1959-1975
Maid of Orleans
- BR/Sealink: 1959-1982
Normannia
- BR/Sealink: 1952-1978 - Dover from 1964-1978
St David
- Sealink: 1980-1984 - Dover from 1983
Vortigern
- Sealink: 1969-1988
British Railways Pages:-
British Railway Steamers
- BR/Sealink Header Page
British Railways/Sealink - Page 5
- Weymouth/Southampton/Portsmouth Services
British Railways/Sealink - Page 6
- Newhaven Services
British Railways/Sealink - Page 7
- Dover/Folkestone Services - this page!
South Eastern & Chatham Railway
- SECR Dover/Folkestone Services
Southern Railway - Page 1
- Dover/Folkestone Services
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
Hengist
Stena Hengist, Romilda, Panagia Ekatondapiliani, Express Artemis
1972
Horsa
Stena Horsa, Penelope A, Express Penelope
1972
Vortigern
Vortigern, Milos Express, Express Milos, Lisos Lemnos, Lemon
1969
British Railways - Sealink
Page 7: Dover & Folkestone Services
Invicta
Invicta
was built for the Southern Railway in 1939 and immediately joined the Admiralty for service until 1945. Ownership passed to British Railways in 1948, with whom she spent the majority of her career, so has been included on the BR page. She served on the Dover-Calais route until 1972, when she was scrapped.
Invicta
was 4,178 gross tons.
British Railways photographic postcard of
Invicta
.
Photographic postcard of
Invicta
.
Photographic postcard of
Invicta
.
British Rail postcard of
Invicta
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photographic postcard of
Invicta
in final colours.
Photographic postcard of
Invicta
in final colours.
Maid of Orleans
(BR/Sealink: 1949-1975)
Photographic postcard of
Maid of Orleans
at builders.
Postcard of
Maid of Orleans
.
Postcard of
Maid of Orleans
at Boulogne.
Estel postcard of
Maid of Orleans
at Boulogne.
Sealink postcard of
Maid of Orleans
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photo: Beken & Son, Cowes
Postcard of
Maid of Orleans
at Folkestone.
Postcard of
Maid of Orleans
at Newhaven.
BR/Sealink used Newhaven as a lay-up berth.
Lord Warden
(BR/Sealink: 1952-1980)
British Railways/Skyfotos postcard of
Lord Warden
.
Photographic postcard of
Lord Warden
.
Postcard of car ferry berths at Dover with
Lord Warden
.
Sealink postcard of
Lord Warden
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photo: Beken & Son, Cowes
Sealink postcard of
Lord Warden
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photo: Beken & Son, Cowes
Photographic postcard of
Lord Warden
in Sealink colours.
Maid Of Kent
(BR/Sealink: 1959-1982)
British Railways/Skyfotos postcard of
Maid of Kent
.
British Railways postcard of
Maid of Kent
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photo: Beken & Son, Cowes
Photographic postcard of
Maid of Kent
.
Sealink postcard of
Maid of Kent
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photo: Beken & Son, Cowes
Postcard of
Maid of Kent
.
Sealink postcard of
Maid of Kent
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Normannia
(BR/Sealink: 1952-1978 - Dover from 1964-1978)
3543 gross tons - 309.2 feet long - 1410 passengers (later 500)
Normannia
was built in 1952 for services from Southampton to Le Havre, replacing the
Hantonia
. She achieved 20.62 knots on trials. In 1953
Normannia
spent two months at
Harwich
replacing the damaged
Duke of York (2)
. In October 1962 she was replaced by the
St Patrick (3)
and was taken to the Tyne to be rebuilt as a stern-loading car ferry, along with the
Falaise
. She could carry 111 cars and a reduced capacity of 500 passengers.
Normannia
did not re-enter service until April 1964, now based at
Dover/Folkestone
. In 1965
Normannia
inaugurated car ferry services at Holyhead when
Holyhead Ferry I
was delivered late. In 1968 she was registered to SNCF for the summer Dover-Calais services. She returned to BR in October 1968. In June 1972 she had a brief charter to Townsend for Dover-Zeebrugge service. The following summer
Normannia
again transferred to French registry for SNCF services, before returning to BR and running services from Weymouth to the Channel Islands and Cherbourg. She was again based in Weymouth for the 1975 season, followed by a season at Dover in 1977, leaving in January 1978. Following some relief work at Weymouth,
Normannia
was withdrawn in May 1978. She was sold to Red Sea Ferries of Dubai, but was broken up at Gijon without entering service.
Official BR postcard of
Normannia
, as delivered as a passenger ship on Southampton services.
Photographic postcard of
Normannia
, as delivered as a passenger ship on Southampton services.
British Railways postcard of
Normannia
as a car ferry at Dover after 1964.
Card posted in 1965.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photographic postcard of
Normannia
, as converted to a car ferry.
In British Railways colours.
Sealink postcard of
Normannia
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photographic postcard of
Normannia
, as converted to a car ferry.
In Sealink colours.
Dover - Earl Siward
(Sealink: 1965-1981)
Dover
was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle, entering service between Dover and Calais in September 1965. She also served between Newhaven-Dieppe and Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire. In 1978
Dover
was renamed
Earl Siward
, returning to service on the Irish Sea, and later on Dover-Calais, Folkestone-Boulogne and to the Channel Islands from Weymouth. In 1981 she was withdrawn and laid up in Newhaven. In November 1981
Earl Siward
was sold to Sol Ferries of Cyprus as the
Sol Express
on a service linking Brindisi, Igoumenitsa and Patras. In 1983 she was laid up in Limassol with turbine problems. In 1986 she returned to the UK for stationery use as a club in Newcastle, named
Tuxedo Express
.
British Rail postcard of
Dover
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Sealink postcard of
Dover
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Sealink postcard of
Earl Siward
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Vortigern
(BR/Sealink: 1972-1984)
(Sealink British Ferries: 1984-1988)
Vortigern
was built as a dual car and train ferry in 1969 by Swan Hunter Shipbuilding, Wallsend (on the River Tyne). She worked as a car ferry in summer between Dover and Boulogne, and as a freight ferry in winter carrying freight wagons from Dover to Dunkerque.
Vortigern
ran aground off Oostende in 1982. In 1984 Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers, with
Vortigern
running for Sealink British Ferries on the same routes. In 1987 and 1988 she covered on Fishguard-Rosslare, Newhaven-Dieppe, Folkestone-Boulogne and Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire, and also had a brief charter to
Townsend Thoresen
between Dover-Calais.
Vortigern
was sold to Lindos Line of Piraeus in 1988 and was renamed
Milos Express
. In 1999
Milos Express
passed to Minoan Flying Dolphins, as the
Express Milos
with
Hellas Ferries
. In 2003
Express Milos
was sold to the Saos Shipping Company as
Nisos Lemnos
, but went to Indian breakers in the following year, under the temporary name
Lemon
.
Complete history of Vortigern
British Rail postcard of
Vortigern
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Photographic postcard of
Vortigern
.
Sealink postcard of
Vortigern
at Folkestone.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Sealink postcard of
Vortigern
at Folkestone.
Later back design than the card above.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Evening photograph of
Vortigern
at sea in 1986.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
Evening photograph of
Vortigern
at sea in 1986.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
Hengist
(BR/Sealink: 1972-1984)
(Sealink British Ferries: 1984-1990)
(Sealink Stena Line : 1990-1992)
Hengist
was built in 1972 by the Arsenal de la Marine National Francaise, Brest, for services from Dover/Folkestone to Calais/Boulogne, primarily running Folkestone-Calais/Boulogne. Her sisters were
Horsa
and
Senlac
.
Hengist
also ran overnight trips from Folkestone to Oostende, mainly for freight. In 1984 Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers, with
Hengist
running for Sealink British Ferries on the same routes, mainly Folkestone-Boulogne. Her Oostende sailings ended in March 1985. In 1984 and 1985 she did some work at Fishguard. In 1990
Hengist
passed to Sealink Stena Line as
Stena
Hengist
. Her last period at Folkestone ended in December 1991, and she worked between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire in 1992 and also on Stranraer-Larne.
In 1992
Stena
Hengist
was sold to
GA Ferries
as
Romilda
, passing to Ventouris Sea Lines the following year as
Apollo Express 2
. In 1996 she moved again to Agapitos Lines as the
Panagia Ekatondapiliani
, serving Piraeus to Paros, Naxos, Ios and Santorini. She was sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins in 1999 for their
Hellas Ferries
fleet, and was renamed
Express Artemis
, reverting to
Panagia Ekatondapiliani
two years later. She was sold by Hellas Ferries to Vaggelis Ventouris in 2004, being renamed
Agios Georgios
. She has served Paros, Naxos and Santorini from both Rafina and Piraeus.
Complete history of Hengist
Sealink postcard of
Hengist
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Sealink postcard of
Hengist
- bought on board Boulogne-Dover 26/10/1984
Later back design than the card above.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Postcard of
Hengist
in Sealink colours.
Photographic postcard of
Hengist
in Sealink colours.
Sealink British Ferries postcard of
Hengist
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Horsa
(BR/Sealink: 1972-1984)
(Sealink British Ferries: 1984-1990)
(Sealink Stena Line : 1990-1992)
Horsa
was built in 1972 by the Arsenal de la Marine National Francaise, Brest, for services from Dover/Folkestone to Calais/Boulogne, primarily running Folkestone-Boulogne. Her sisters were
Hengist
and
Senlac
.
Horsa
also ran overnight trips from Folkestone to Oostende, mainly for freight. In 1984 Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers, with
Horsa
running for Sealink British Ferries on the same routes. Her Oostende sailings ended in March 1985. In 1990
Horsa
passed to Sealink Stena Line as
Stena
Horsa
, and worked between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire for that summer, and briefly in 1991, otherwise remaining on Folkestone-Boulogne.
In 1992,
Stena
Horsa
was sold to Agoudimos Lines for a service linking Rafina, Andros, Tinos and Mykonos as the
Penelope A
. In 1999, her owners sold out to Minoan Flying Dolphins, and she was renamed
Express Penelope
in the
Hellas Ferries
fleet. In January 2004 ownership reverted to Agoudimos Lines and she was renamed back to
Penelope A
, again serving Rafina, Andros, Tinos and Mykonos. In 2004 she was damaged in a collision with the
Evia Star
.
Complete history of Horsa
Sealink postcard of
Horsa
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Sealink postcard of
Hengist
- bought on board Dover-Boulogne-Dover 26/10/1984
Later back design than the card above.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Postcard of
Horsa
at Folkestone in Sealink colours.
Sealink British Ferries postcard of
Horsa
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
Holyhead Ferry 1 - Earl Leofric
(BR/Sealink: 1965-1981 - Dover from 1976)
Holyhead Ferry 1
was built by Hawthorn Leslie Shipbuilders Ltd, Newcastle, entering service between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire in July 1965. She remained on this route until 1973, with winter relief work between Stranraer-Larne. She acted as relief on the Weymouth-Channel Islands routes. In 1976,
Holyhead Ferry 1
was rebuilt at Swan Hunter Shiprepairers Tyne Ltd, and renamed
Earl Leofric
, returning to service between Dover and Boulogne. After being laid up in Newhaven from December 1980, she was sold for scrap in May 1981.
Sealink postcard of
Earl Leofric
.
Publisher: J.Arthur Dixon
St David
(Sealink: 1980-1984 - Dover from 1983)
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
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