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This page shows images of the excursion ships on the River Tyne.
River Escapes run cruises from Newcastle Quays. For many years the various
Tyne ferry companies offered excursion sailings in addition to their
scheduled services. As the ferries were closed down the excursions
disappeared. Such trips are still available occasionally on the sole remaining
Tyne ferry route, the Shields Ferry
between South Shields (Market Place) and North Shields (North Quay). The
south terminal is situated just 5 minutes from South Shields Metro station.
The north terminal is a steep 10 minute walk up to North shields Metro station,
but ferries are met by bus number 333 which is free for ferry passengers. For
more details see:
www.nexus.org.uk/ferry. Mid-Tyne Ferries was the last ferry route
to close in 1986 and they had run some excursions. The vessels were all sold
to operators elsewhere. There is a brief history of the Tyne ferries at:-
Tyne Ferries
The first new company to run excursions on the Tyne appears to be River Tyne
Cruises which was using the 1947 Bridlington vessel
Bridlington Queen from the Newcastle Quayside in 1990. This
company later became River Escapes.
In 1991 the
Duchess M, originally
thePortsmouth-Gosport ferry Vesta, was on the River Tyne running
charter cruises for Rolls Royce Limousine Hire. She passed to Tyne River
Cruises in 1995 but was sold in 1997.
In 1989 the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry
Catherine was acquired by
River Tyne Cruises. In 2000 River Tyne Cruises became Tyne Leisure Line and
subsequently River Escapes in 2007.
The 'Quayside to Countryside' 2 hour cruise sails from Newcastle's Quayside
upriver as far as Ryton Willows Nature Reserve and Newburn Countryside Park.
The cruise take you under eleven of the Tyne's bridges, including the
Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Tyne Bridge, Swing Bridge and High Level Bridge
as well as passing places associated with the world famous Blaydon Races.
The 'Quay to Sea' 3 hour cruise is a fantastic way to see the changing face
of the River Tyne from the best vantage point in town. The cruise takes you
under the magical Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which opens especially for
the cruise to enjoy the panorama of the Tyne Gorge before returning
downriver as far as the river mouth. On your cruise you will see the
legendary shipyards of Tyneside, the International Ferry Terminals, the Port
of Tyne, the Fish Quay and the great views of the river mouth, including
Tynemouth Castle and Priory, the memorial to Admiral Lord Collingwood and
the beautiful sandy beaches of South Shields. The cruise turns at the piers,
where seals and dolphins are regularly seen and returns to Newcastle's
Quayside.
The sole remaining Tyne ferry route is the
Shields Ferry
between South Shields (Market Place) and North Shields (North Quay). The
south terminal is situated just 5 minutes from South Shields Metro station.
the north terminal is a steep 10 minute walk to North shields Metro station,
but ferries are me by bus number 333 which is free for ferry passengers. For
more details see:
www.nexus.org.uk/ferry
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River Tyne Cruises - River Escapes
Bridlington Queen
(Built 1947 - Tyne 1987- )
Bridlington Queen ran from Bridlington from
1947 until 1980. She was rebuilt from a wartime MFV (Motor Fishing Vessel)
by Watercraft Ltd, East Molesey, Surrey for R.Ingram who also owned the
Britannia. She
later ran at Dundee, Boscombe, Newcastle and Nottingham before being broken
up in 1995. I do not have any images from the River
Tyne.
Photograph of Bridlington Queen at
Bridlington
Coates postcard of Bridlington Queen at
Bridlington, posted
1965
Valentine's postcard of Bridlington Queen,
posted 1948, with Yorkshireman at Bridlington
Chadwick postcard of Bridlington Queen at
Bridlington,
posted 1959
Bamforth postcard of Bridlington Queen
at Bridlington
Tuck's postcard of Bridlington Queen
(left) with Boys' Own and Yorkshireman at Bridlington
Postcard of Bridlington Queen
(left) at Bridlington
Bamforth postcard of Bridlington Queen at
Bridlington
Bamforth postcard of Bridlington Queen at
Bridlington,
posted 1982
Photo Precision postcard of Bridlington Queen
at Bridlington,
posted 1968
Thornwick and Boys' Own in the
background
Bamforth postcard of Bridlington Queen
(right) with Boys' Own at Bridlington, posted 1971
Duchess M
(Built 1956 - Tyne 1991-1996)
Duchess M
was built as the Vesta in 1956, one of the last three 'traditional'
Portsmouth-Gosport ferries.
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. I do not have any images from the River Tyne.
Duchess M on the
Tilbury-Gravesend ferry on 11th January 2011
Photo: (c)2011Ian Boyle
Island Scene - River
Escapes Fortuna
(Built 1956 - Tyne 1995- )
Island Scene was the
second purpose-built
vessel for Blue Funnel Cruises of Southampton. She was delivered from Bideford
Shipbuilding in 1978. In 1980 her aft deck was enclosed, to make her more
suitable of all-weather charters. In 1994 she was replaced by the Ocean
Scene and was sold to River Tyne Cruises, where she still runs in 2016
for River Escapes as the River Escapes Fortuna (Fortuna being a
Roman goddess).
Duncan
photographic postcard of Island Scene
in Blue Funnel service.
River Escapes Fortuna at Newcastle Quay
Photo: ©Ian Boyle 7th September 2010
Catherine - River Escapes
Latis
(Built 1961 - Tyne 1995-2015?)
Three new diesel passenger ferries were built in 1961
for the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry. They were named Catherine (2),
Edith (2) and Rose (2). Three vessels proved to be excessive,
and the Rose (2) was sold to the Caledonian Steam Packet Co in
1967, becoming their Keppel. Catherine (2) had been laid
up as spare boat in 1981, and her passenger certificate expired in 1984. She
was sold in 1989 for further service on the Tyne with River Tyne Cruises. In
2007 she was renamed River Escapes Latis when the company became
River Escapes. She has since been withdrawn.
In ancient Celtic polytheism, Latis is the name of two Celtic
deities worshipped in Roman Britain. One is a goddess (Dea Latis), the other
a god (Deus Latis), and they are both known from a single inscription each.
Postcard of Catherine at Tilbury
River Escapes Latis at Newcastle Quay
Photo: ©Ian Boyle 7th September 2010
River Escapes Coventina
(Built 1961 - Tyne 2007?- )
River Escapes Coventina was a conversion of a small ship's
lifeboat. She is used on upriver cruises from Newcastle Quay.
Coventina was a Romano-British goddess of wells and springs. She is known
from multiple inscriptions at one site in Northumberland county of the
United Kingdom, an area surrounding a wellspring near Carrawburgh on
Hadrian's Wall.
River Escapes Latis at Newcastle Quay
Photo: ©Ian Boyle 7th September 2010
