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Duchess M
Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the
Duchess M
of the
Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co
, who also operate the
Princess Pocahontas
on excursions and charters.
Duchess M
is used on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry.
Duchess M
was built as the
Vesta
in 1956, one of the last three "traditional" Portsmouth-Gosport ferries (the others were the
Ferry Queen
(1959) and
Vita
(1960)). They were all diesel-powered, but otherwise the design had changed little in 80 years. All three remain in service on the Thames,
Vesta
as the
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry, and
Vita
&
Ferry Queen
with
City Cruises
. Their lives on the Portsmouth-Gosport ferry were fairly short, being replaced by the
Gosport Queen
and
Portsmouth Queen
in 1966. The three vessels were retained until the mid-1970s as reserve vessels and for use on seasonal harbour tours.
Vesta
was sold to Thames Pleasure Craft in 1974, but was running for
Thames Launches
by 1977. She passed to Arthur Green as the
Duchess M
in 1978, and then to D.C & W.Tours in 1981. By 1983
Duchess M
was under under the Capital Cruises banner. In 1991 she was on the River Tyne running charter cruises for Rolls Royce Limousine Hire, passing to River Tyne Cruises by 1995, when her fleet mates were the
Catherine
(ex-
Tilbury-Gravesend
) and
Island Scene
(ex-
Blue Funnel
). In 1997
Duchess M
was back on the Thames at Southend, running services to Queenborough and Strood, plus local sea cruises. Her running mate was the
Maid of the Forth
. By 1999,
Duchess M
was the sole fleet member, and she was sold in 2002 to the
Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co
for use on the
Tilbury-Gravesend
ferry, where she remains in 2016.
For details of sailings phone: 01732 353448 (office hours only)
Email contact:
enquiry@princess-pocahontas.com
Website:
www.princess-pocahontas.com
Sections on this Page:-
Duchess M
2004 Images
2005 images
2006 images
2007 images
2008 images
2011 images
Other Kent & Essex Pages:-
Lower Thames & Medway - Page 1
- Header Page
Lower Thames & Medway - Page 2
- Gravesend-Greenwich-Chelsea cruise 2006.
Lower Thames & Medway - Page 3
- Gravesend-Greenwich-London cruise 2007
Kent Excursion Vessels
Southend Excursion Vessels
General Steam Navigation
Invicta Line Cruises
Tilbury-Gravesend Ferry
Associated Pages:-
www.princess-pocahontas.com
- official home page
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards
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Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards
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Home Page
References:-
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
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Duchess M
(Lower Thames & Medway: 2002- )
Duchess M
was built as the
Vesta
in 1956, one of the last three "traditional" Portsmouth-Gosport ferries (the others were the
Ferry Queen
(1959) and
Vita
(1960)). They were all diesel-powered, but otherwise the design had changed little in 80 years. All three remain in service on the Thames,
Vesta
as the
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry, and
Vita
&
Ferry Queen
with
City Cruises
. Their lives on the Portsmouth-Gosport ferry were fairly short, being replaced by the
Gosport Queen
and
Portsmouth Queen
in 1966. The three vessels were retained until the mid-1970s as reserve vessels and for use on seasonal harbour tours.
Vesta
was sold to Thames Pleasure Craft in 1974, but was running for
Thames Launches
by 1977. She passed to Arthur Green as the
Duchess M
in 1978, and then to D.C & W.Tours in 1981. By 1983
Duchess M
was under under the Capital Cruises banner. In 1991 she was on the River Tyne running charter cruises for Rolls Royce Limousine Hire, passing to River Tyne Cruises by 1995, when her fleet mates were the
Catherine
(ex-
Tilbury-Gravesend
) and
Island Scene
(ex-
Blue Funnel
). In 1997
Duchess M
was back on the Thames at Southend, running services to Queenborough and Strood, plus local sea cruises. Her running mate was the
Maid of the Forth
. By 1999,
Duchess M
was the sole fleet member, and she was sold in 2002 to the Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co for use on the
Tilbury-Gravesend
ferry.
2004 Images
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury from Gravesend, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th September 2004.
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury from Gravesend, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th September 2004.
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury from Gravesend, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th September 2004.
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
2005 Images
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
Duchess M
at Tilbury, photographed from the
Waverley
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th October 2005.
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at the West Street Pier, Gravesend.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th November 2005.
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at the West Street Pier, Gravesend.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th November 2005.
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at the West Street Pier, Gravesend.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th November 2005.
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at the West Street Pier, Gravesend.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th November 2005.
Duchess M
at the West Street Pier, Gravesend.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th November 2005.
2006 Images
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury from Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury from Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Foredeck of
Duchess M
at Tilbury, with cruise ship
Calypso
, which caught fire 12 hours later off the South Coast.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
and
Princess Pocahontas
at Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
leaving Gravesend West Street Pier for Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
leaving Gravesend West Street Pier for Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
leaving Gravesend West Street Pier for Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
at Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
approaching Gravesend West Street Pier from Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
approaching Gravesend West Street Pier from Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
approaching Gravesend West Street Pier from Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
approaching Gravesend West Street Pier from Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
On board
Duchess M
, with cruise ship
Calypso
, which caught fire 12 hours later off the South Coast
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Bow of
Duchess M
, looking towards Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
leaving Tilbury for Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
Duchess M
leaving Tilbury for Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
2007 Images
Duchess M
leaving Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 4th January 2007
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 4th January 2007
Duchess M
arriving at Tilbury
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 4th January 2007
Oluf Maersk
arriving at Tilbury Docks, plus Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Duchess M
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st January 2007
Oluf Maersk
arriving at Tilbury Docks, plus Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Duchess M
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st January 2007
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
She has received a new 'pyramid' supporting her radar for 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th July 2007
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th July 2007
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th July 2007
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th July 2007
Duchess M
on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th July 2007
2008 Images
Duchess M
at Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd January 2008
Princess Pocahontas
and
Duchess M
at Gravesend
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd January 2008