City Cruises Page 1: Millennium Riverliners



This Simplon Postcards page is one of a series devoted to River Thames excursion boats - it is not connected with the boat operator. This page shows photographs of the Millennium Riverliners in the City Cruises fleet of Thames excursion vessels, plus the Hydrospace boats bought from Catamaran Cruisers in 2007. There is a list of individual boat pages. Other vessels are shown on City Cruises Page 2. For details of cruises or charters contact: www.citycruises.com

City Cruises plc is the leading operator of passenger services on the River Thames between Greenwich, the Tower of London and Westminster, carrying some 750,000 people annually on its extensive sightseeing, ferry, entertainment and charter services. The company was formed in the early 1990s when it acquired the interests of most of the operators between Westminster and the Tower, which were then brought together under the City Cruises umbrella. Until this time, every boat was owned independently. The amalgamation into a single large concern has allowed for the generation of investment funds for the development and building of the new Riverliners of the Millennium Class. The first of these, Millennium of London, was the first purpose-built sightseeing vessel on the River Thames for 25 years, and to mark the occasion she was named by The Queen at Tower Pier in 1996. She was followed by four further vessels of the slightly modified M2 design, which form the backbone of the primary services between Westminster, The Tower of London and Greenwich. however, an interesting fleet of 10 smaller vessels is available to provide additional services between the Tower of London and Westminster. The company also markets the moored restaurant ship Hispaniola, originally the Caledonian Steam Packet Company's Maid of Ashton.


Contact:- www.citycruises.com

Ships on This Page:-
Hydrospace Alpha - (2007- ) ex-Catamaran Cruisers
Hydrospace Delta - (2007- ) ex-Catamaran Cruisers
Hydrospace Gamma - (2007- ) ex-Catamaran Cruisers
Millennium City - (1999- ) Millennium Class M2 Riverliner
Millennium Dawn - (1999- ) Millennium Class M2 Riverliner
Millennium Diamond - 2012 New Ship - M3 Riverliner
Millennium of London - (1996- ) Millennium Class M1 Riverliner
Millennium of Peace - (1999- ) Millennium Class M2 Riverliner
Millennium Time - (1999- ) Millennium Class M2 Riverliner

Boats on Page 2:-
Bertram Rose - built 1966 - sold 2005
Delta Rose - built 1964 - sold 2005
Eleanor Rose - built 1971
Eltham - built 1978
Ferry Queen - built 1959 - withdrawn and for sale 2006
Hispaniola - moored restaurant ship
Mayflower Garden - built 1978
Princess Rose - built 1978
Vita - built 1959
Westminster - built 1971
Witheycombe - built 1970

City Cruises Pages:-
City Cruises Page 1 - Millennium Riverliners - this page!
City Cruises Page 2 - Other vessels
City Cruises Page 3 - Greenwich-Tower Pier Cruise
City Cruises Page 4 - Tower Pier-Westminster Cruise
www.citycruises.com - City Cruises official website

Other Thames Passenger Boat Pages:-
Thames Boats - Header Page
Catamaran Cruisers
Crown River Cruises
Thames Clippers

Thames Passenger Boat Cruise Pages:-
River Thames - Harwich-Southend-Tilbury-Tower Pier - on Waverley
River Thames - Gravesend-Chelsea - on Princess Pocahontas
River Thames - Greenwich-Tower Pier - with Catamaran Cruisers
River Thames - Greenwich-Tower Pier - with City Cruises
River Thames - Tower Pier-Westminster - with City Cruises

Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page

References:-
Royal River Highway: Written by Frank L. Dix - published David & Charles 1984
Trip Out Guides - Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted
Trip Out Guides are available from Geoffrey Hamer, PO Box 485, Southall, UB1 9BH

Search Simplon Postcards
powered by FreeFind

Table of Boat Histories

Name Other names Built

City Alpha Regine, Hydrospace Alpha 1982

City Delta Hydrospace Delta 2002

City Gamma Charles Tenet, Hydrospace Gamma 1982

Eleanor Rose 1971

Eltham 1978

Ferry Queen 1959

Hydrospace Alpha Regine, City Alpha 1982

Hydrospace Delta City Delta 2002

Hydrospace Gamma Charles Tenet, City Gamma 1982

Mayflower Garden 1978

Millennium City 1999

Millennium Dawn 1999

Millennium of London 1996

Millennium of Peace 1999

Millennium Time 1999

Princess Rose 1978

Vita 1959

Westminster 1971

Witheycombe 1970

Millennium Class Riverliners

The Riverliners were designed by Eddie Woods of Anglia Design and built by Vosper Thornycroft UK at Woolston, Southampton. The initial vessel Millennium of London is a trimaran, and entered service in 1996. Its design, specification and fit-out were the result of more than five years of technical studies, market research and development undertaken by City Cruises. Millennium of London was the first purpose-built sightseeing vessel on the River Thames for 25 years and to mark the occasion she was named by The Queen at Tower Pier. The design was further refined in the light of operational experience and strategic decisions on the future of passenger services on the tidal Thames, resulting in a new M2 series with twin hulls designed to offer low drag, a stable ride and low wash. Windows in the new boats are larger, contributing to a greater sense of light and space. The open top decks allow unrivalled views.

The M2 class Riverliners are named Millennium City, Millennium Dawn, Millennium of Peace and Millennium Time, and all were delivered in 1999. These vessels, built at a total cost of £6m, provide the backbone of the City Cruises sightseeing service. Millennium of London is now used for "London Showboat" dinner and cabaret cruises.


Technical Details of M2 Class
Open top deck, enclosed lower salon with panoramic windows Wheelchair accessible toilets Two bars 500 seats (up to 240 around tables) Twin hulls of welded steel construction Length 29.2m Depth 2.85m Beam l O.9m Tonnage 270grt Twin Cummins 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines (350hp) with advanced design of injectors, piston and cylinder head to optimise fuel burn and offer greater fuel efficiency Fuel capacity 14,000 litres Water capacity 8,000 litres Fuel Consumption 100 litres/hr approx. Electric power 50kVA diesel generators Postcard of a Millennium Class Riverliner catamaran. Enlarged image from the postcard above of a Millennium Class Riverliner. Millennium of London M1 Riverliner - Built: 1996 Photograph of Millennium of London supplied by City Cruises. Millennium of London approaching Gravesend.Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Millennium of London approaching Gravesend. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Millennium of London passing Tilbury container cranes. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Millennium of London passing Tilbury Cruise Terminal. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Millennium of London passing Tilbury Cruise Terminal. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Millennium of London moored against Lighter No.3 at Gravesend. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Millennium of London moored against Lighter No.3 at Gravesend. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 Millennium City M2 Riverliner - Built: 1999 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Millennium City and Millennium of Peace. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th October 2004. Millennium City aground after an incident with Westminster Bridge Photo: © Ben Mann, 26th January 2008 Millennium Dawn M2 Riverliner - Built: 1999 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th October 2004. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006. Millennium of Peace M2 Riverliner - Built: 1999 Photograph of Millennium of Peace supplied by City Cruises, in original colour scheme. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th October 2004. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th October 2004. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th October 2004. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006 Millennium Time M2 Riverliner - Built: 1999 Photographs: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th October 2004. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006. Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006. Millennium Time seen from the upper deck on Millennium City Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 20th January 2007 ex-Catamaran Cruisers Hydrospace Boats Hydrospace Alpha (City Cruises: 2007-2008) City Alpha (City Cruises: 2008- )
Hydrospace Alpha was built for service in Paris in 1982 as the Regine. She was transferred to Catamaran Cruisers in 1994. She remained in the fleet until the termination of services on 30th September 2007. She was bought by City Cruises, along with Hydrospace Delta and Hydrospace Gamma. Hydrospace Alpha entered service with City Cruises in early 2008, still in blue livery. She was later renamed City Alpha after receiving her new red livery More images of Hydrospace Alpha/City Alpha Hydrospace Alpha in service with City Cruises still in blue livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Alpha in service with City Cruises still in blue livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Alpha in service with City Cruises still in blue livery Note the City Cruises board in the window Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Alpha in service with City Cruises still in blue livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Alpha in service with City Cruises still in blue livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Gamma (City Cruises: 2007-2008) City Gamma (City Cruises: 2008- ) More images of Hydrospace Gamma Hydrospace Gamma in City Cruises red livery prior to re-entering service Note lack of life-rafts etc Photo: © Ben Mann, 6th February 2008 Hydrospace Gamma at Gravesend awaiting annual survey Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd February 2008 Hydrospace Delta (City Cruises: 2007-2008) City Delta (City Cruises: 2008- )
Hydrospace Delta was built for Catamaran Cruisers in 2002, a trimaran developed from the earlier Hydrospace designs. She remained in the fleet until the termination of services on 30th September 2007. She was bought by City Cruises, along with Hydrospace Alpha and Hydrospace Gamma. Hydrospace Delta entered service with City Cruises on 9th February 2008, and was later renamed City Delta More images of Hydrospace Delta/City Delta Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises in new red livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises in new red livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises in new red livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises, with six Thames bridges visible Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises in new red livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises in new red livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Hydrospace Delta in service with City Cruises in new red livery Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th February 2008 Millennium M3 Class Riverliners Millennium Diamond (City Cruises: 2012- ) Millennium Diamond at Tower Bridge Photo: � Ian Boyle, 16th October 2012 Millennium Diamond at Tower Pier Photo: � Ian Boyle, 16th October 2012 Millennium Diamond passing London Bridge Pier Photo: � Ian Boyle, 16th October 2012 River Thames Header Page City Cruises Page 1 - City Cruises Page 2 - City Cruises Page 3 - City Cruises Page 4 UK Excursion Ships - Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards Top of Page - Simplon Postcards-Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards-Home Page ©1999-2012 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved Free Web Counter Times viewed since 15/05/2007:

Name	Other names	Built
City Alpha	Regine, Hydrospace Alpha	1982
City Delta	Hydrospace Delta	2002
City Gamma	Charles Tenet, Hydrospace Gamma	1982
Eleanor Rose		1971
Eltham		1978
Ferry Queen		1959
Hydrospace Alpha	Regine, City Alpha	1982
Hydrospace Delta	City Delta	2002
Hydrospace Gamma	Charles Tenet, City Gamma	1982
Mayflower Garden		1978
Millennium City		1999
Millennium Dawn		1999
Millennium of London		1996
Millennium of Peace		1999
Millennium Time		1999
Princess Rose		1978
Vita		1959
Westminster		1971
Witheycombe		1970