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- Viking
II
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- Viking
II - Earl William - Pearl William - Mar-Julia - Cesme Stern -
Windward II
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- This page is devoted to
postcards and photographs of the Thoresen ferry Viking II.
Her sisterships were Viking
I and Viking III.
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- Viking II was built in 1964 by Kaldnes Mekaniske
Verksted A/S, Tönsberg, Norway, for Otto Thoresen for service between Southampton and Cherbourg.
During the winter of 1965, she was chartered to Atlantic Steam
Navigation for services from Tilbury to Rotterdam and Antwerp.
In 1968, Thoresen merged with Townsend to form Townsend-Thoresen Car Ferries. Viking II worked regular charters for other companies such
as Lion Ferry and Stena Line etc.
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- In 1976 Viking II was sold to Sealink British Rail and renamed Earl William for services from Portsmouth and Weymouth to the
Channel Islands and Cherbourg. In 1984, Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers, and in 1985
she moved to Weymouth-Channel islands routes. Competition from
Channel Island
Ferries (CIF) began
at this time, ending the Sealink monopoly. CIF
rapidly gained market share, and it was announced that a joint
service as British Channel Island Ferries would run in 1986.
This never occurred due to strike action by Sealink crews. Earl William initially blocked the linkspan
in St Peter Port (Guernsey), but she later moved to Weymouth.
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- In 1987 Earl William was laid up at Harwich, used as a detention centre for "illegal"
immigrants. On the night of October 16/17th Britain was hit by
a hurricane, and Earl
William broke
her 22 mooring ropes and ran ashore. The detainees were removed
and housed elsewhere, whilst Earl William was repaired for a return to service.
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- In 1988 Earl William opened a new, but short-lived,
service from Liverpool to Dun Laoghaire. She was laid up in 1990,
but reappeared for occasional use on Folkestone-Boulogne and
Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire. In 1992 she was sold to Neptunus Lines
and renamed Pearl
William. She
was subsequently named Mar-Julia, Cesme Stern and
Windward
II.
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- Ship Names on this Page:-
- Cesme
Stern
- Stern Lines 1997- 2000
- Earl
William
- Sealink: 1976-92
- Mar-Julia - P&L Ferries 1996-97
- Pearl
William
- Neptunus Lines: 1992-96
- Viking
II -
Thoresen Car Ferries: 1964-68
- Viking
II -
Townsend Thoresen: 1968-76
- Windward
II -
Windward Lines 2000-
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- Associated Pages:-
- British
Railway Steamers - BR/Sealink Header Page
- British
Railways/Sealink - Page 5 - Weymouth/Southampton/Portsmouth Services
- Thoresen
Car Ferries
Townsend
Brothers Ferries
- Townsend-Thoresen
- Ferry
Postcards
- Cruise
Ship Postcards
- Ocean
Liner Postcards
- Simplon Postcards
Home Page
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- Viking II
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- Viking
II
- (Thoresen:
1964-68)
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- Viking II was built in 1964 by Kaldnes Mekaniske
Verksted A/S, Tönsberg, Norway, for Otto Thoresen for service between Southampton and Cherbourg.
During the winter of 1965, she was chartered to Atlantic Steam
Navigation for services from Tilbury to Rotterdam and Antwerp.
In 1968, Thoresen merged with Townsend to form Townsend Thoresen Car Ferries. She worked
regular charters for other companies such as Lion Ferry and Stena
Line etc.
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- In 1976 Viking II
was sold to Sealink
British Rail and
renamed Earl
William for
services from Portsmouth and Weymouth to the Channel Islands
and Cherbourg.
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- Official
Thoresen postcard of Viking II.
- Published
by J.Arthur Dixon. Photo by © Beken of Cowes.
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- Coastal
Cards postcard of Viking II off the Isle of Wight.
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- Artaud
postcard HN32 of Viking II at Cherbourg.
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- IRIS
postcard 1915 of Viking II at Cherbourg.
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- EDICAP
postcard 1737 of Viking II at Le Havre.
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- La Cigogne
postcard 76.351.254 of Viking II at Le Havre.
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- Yvon
postcard 10/7650 of Viking II at Cherbourg.
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- Artaud
postcard XR151 of Viking II at Cherbourg.
- Also
issued as XR35.
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- Artaud
postcard XN150 of Viking II at Cherbourg.
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- La Cigogne
postcard 76.351.245 of Viking II at Le Havre.
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- Bellevues
postcard A69 of Viking II at Le Havre.
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- Viking II
- (Townsend-Thoresen:
1968-1976)
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- Viking II was built in 1964 by Kaldnes Mekaniske
Verksted A/S, Tönsberg, Norway, for Otto Thoresen for service between Southampton and Cherbourg.
During the winter of 1965, she was chartered to Atlantic Steam
Navigation for services from Tilbury to Rotterdam and Antwerp.
In 1968, Thoresen merged with Townsend to form Townsend Thoresen Car Ferries. She worked
regular charters for other companies such as Lion Ferry and Stena
Line etc. In 1976
Viking II was sold to Sealink
British Rail and
renamed Earl
William for
services from Portsmouth and Weymouth to the Channel Islands
and Cherbourg.
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- Official
Townsend Thoresen generic Viking card (actually Viking
II).
- Published
by Photo Precision, serial R3421.
- Purchased
on Viking Victory, Portsmouth-Cherbourg, 15th August 1981.
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- Cromo
postcard 106/6 of Viking II leaving Zeebrugge for Felixstowe.
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- Earl William
- (Sealink:
1976-92)
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- In 1976 Viking II was sold to Sealink British Rail and renamed Earl William
for services from Portsmouth and Weymouth to the Channel Islands
and Cherbourg, initial route being Portsmouth-Jersey-Guernsey.
Earl William operated briefly from Weymouth in May 1981,
returning in summer 1982 for Weymouth-Cherbourg services.
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- In 1984, Sealink ownership passed to Sea Containers,
and in 1985 she moved to Weymouth-Channel islands routes. Competition
from Channel Island
Ferries (CIF) began
at this time, ending the Sealink monopoly. CIF
rapidly gained market share, and it was announced that a joint
service as British Channel Island Ferries would run in 1986.
This never occurred due to strike action by Sealink crews. Earl
William initially blocked the linkspan in St Peter Port (Guernsey),
but she later moved to Weymouth. In 1987 Earl William was
moved to Harwich for use as a detention centre
for "illegal" immigrants. On the night of October 16/17th
1987, Britain was hit by a hurricane, and Earl William
broke her 22 mooring ropes and ran ashore. The detainees were
removed and housed elsewhere, whilst Earl William was
repaired for a return to service.
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- In 1988 Earl William
opened a new, but short-lived, service from Liverpool to Dun
Laoghaire. She was laid up again in 1990, but reappeared for
occasional use on Folkestone-Boulogne and Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire.
In 1992 she was sold to Neptunus Lines and renamed Pearl William. She subsequently served as Mar-Julia,
Cesme Stern and Windward II.
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- Official
Sealink postcard of Earl William, in original Sealink
(British Rail) colours.
- Published
by J.Arthur Dixon, serial L6/SP.5322
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- Ile
de Jersey postcard of Earl William, no serial number.
- One
of a set of 14 Channel Islands passenger ships.
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- J.Perkins
postcard of Earl William, serial number WY4.
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- Official
Sealink postcard of Earl William, in later Sealink (British
Ferries) colours.
- Published
by J.Arthur Dixon, serial L6/SP10103
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- Bob
Morris postcard of Earl William, in later Sealink (British
Ferries) colours.
- Seen
arriving at Portsmouth.
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- Two photographs of Earl
William, plus Earl Harold and Earl Godwin,
strike-bound at Weymouth in 1986.
- Photos:
© Ian Boyle
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- In 1987 Earl
William was moved to Harwich for use as a detention centre for "illegal"
immigrants. On the night of October 16/17th 1987, Britain was
hit by a hurricane, and Earl William broke her 22 mooring
ropes and ran ashore. The detainees were removed and housed elsewhere,
whilst Earl William was repaired for a return to service.
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- Photograph of Earl
William, at Harwich, in use as a detention centre for "illegal"
immigrants.
- Photo:
© Ian Boyle, 1987.
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- Photograph
of Earl William, at Harwich, in use as a detention centre
for "illegal" immigrants.
- Photo:
© Ian Boyle, 1987.
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- Chantry
Classics postcard CC/S215 of Earl William, in later Sealink
(British Ferries) colours.
- Photographed
at Dun Laoghaire by © Terence Mitchell.
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- Ferry
Publications postcard of Earl William, in later Sealink
(British Ferries) colours.
- Seen
leaving Dun Laoghaire for Liverpool.
- Note
the Stena Sailor in the background (left).
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- John
Hinde postcard 2/81 of Earl William, at Dun Laoghaire
in later Sealink (British Ferries) colours.
- Photo:
© P.O'Toole
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- Simplon Postcards sp1073 (issued 11/1991) of Earl William,
on temporary Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire service for Sealink-Stena
Line.
- Photo:
© Gordon Hislip
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- Pearl William (Neptunus Lines: 1992-96)
- Mar-Julia
(P&L
Ferries: 1996-97)
- Cesme
Stern (Stern
Lines: 1997- 2000)
- Windward
II (Windward
Lines: 2000- )
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- In 1992 Earl William entered service for Neptunus Lines
between Bari-Igoumenitsa-Patras as the Pearl William.
In 1993 she was chartered to European Seaways for the route Brindisi-Igoumenitsa,
moving to Bari-Brindisi-Igoumenitsa-Pireus-Cesme in 1994.
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- In 1996 she was sold to
P&L Ferries Shipping Co, Valletta, Malta and renamed Mar-Julia
for the route Brindisi-Igoumenitsa, later swapping to Thessaloniki-Istanbul-Odessa.
Mar-Julia was sold again the following year to Lucky Shipping
S.A., Kingstown, St Vincent, adopting the name Cesme Stern.
She entered service for Stern Lines between Bari-Cesme, but was
arrested in July 1997. In 2000 she was sold to Windward Lines,
Kingstown, St Vincent under the name Windward II.
- Ramsey Postcards 78 of Pearl William.
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- Photograph
of Cesme Stern.
- Photo:
© Fleet File Rotterdam
- Scan
supplied by Fakta om Fartyg.
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- Photo:
© Martin Jensen of Cesme Stern.
- Scan
supplied by Fakta om Fartyg.
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- Photo:
© Frank Lose of Windward II.
- Scan
supplied by Fakta om Fartyg.
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