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Devon Railway Ferries & Tenders

 

This page is still under construction!

 

This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of Devon railway ferries & tenders. It also links to other Devon pages. 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.

 

The Great Western Railway ran a ferry service across the River Dart to Dartmouth from when the railway reached its terminus at Kingswear in 1901. The service passed to British Railways from 1948 until 1972, when the railway to Kingswear closed (since reopened as a preserved steam railway). The local council took over the operation until passing it to Dart Pleasure Craft from 1st January 1977.

 

 

Sections on This Page:-

Dartmouth-Kingswear Ferry

Plymouth Tenders

 

Ships on This Page:-

Adrian Gilbert (BR: 1957-1972, 1976-1978)

Humphrey Gilbert (BR: 1957-1972, 1976-1978)

The Mew (GWR: 1908-1947 - BR: 1948-1954)

 

Devon Pages:-

Devon Excursion Ships - Devon Header Page

Devon Princess Cruises

Devon Star Shipping

Devon Dock, Pier & SS Co

Exe to Sea Ferries J & M Rackley (operate Starcross ferry in 2007)

River Tamar - Millbrook SB Co

River Dart - Dart Pleasure Craft

River Dart - Riddalls

River Dart SB Co

Western Lady Ferry Service

 

Associated Pages:-

UK Excursion Ships and Ports

Ferry Postcards

Cruise Ship Postcards

Ocean Liner Postcards

Simplon Postcards Home Page

 

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Table of Ship Histories

Name	Other names	Built
to be added		19xx

 

 

 

 

 

Devon Railway Ferries & Tenders

 

Dartmouth-Kingswear Ferry

 

 

 

The Mew

(GWR: 1908-1947 - BR: 1948-1954)

 

Postcard of The Mew

After the First World War the stern saloon was removed to allow vehicles to be carried

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Postcard of The Mew

After the First World War the stern saloon was removed to allow vehicles to be carried

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Modern art postcard of The Mew

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Postcard of The Mew passing a troopship

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Postcard of The Mew with new funnel received in British Railways ownership

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Adrian Gilbert

(BR: 1957-1972, 1976-1978)

 

Adrian Gilbert and Humphrey Gilbert were built for British Railways (BR) in 1957 for the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry service. The service and the two sisters passed into local authority ownership in 1972, when BR closed the Kingswear branch beyond Goodrington. Both boats were sold in 1976 for use on the St Mawes ferry in Cornwall, but proved unsuitable and were bought back by BR for use on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry. They again proved unsuitable for this route, but were re-engined and offered for sale. Adrian Gilbert was sold to Dart Pleasure Craft, who had taken over the Dart ferry from the local authority on 1st January 1977. In 1985, she was re-joined by her sister Humphrey Gilbert, now the Edgcumbe Belle. Adrian Gilbert was sold in 1996, joining G.H. & W.G.Pill of Falmouth.

 

 

Photo of Adrian Gilbert in BR service

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Humphrey Gilbert

(BR: 1957-1972, 1976-1978)

 

Humphrey Gilbert and Adrian Gilbert were built for British Railways (BR) in 1957 for the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry service. The service and the two sisters passed into local authority ownership in 1972, when BR closed the Kingswear branch beyond Goodrington. Both boats were sold in 1976 for use on the St Mawes ferry in Cornwall, but proved unsuitable and were bought back by BR for use on the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry. They again proved unsuitable for this route, but were re-engined and offered for sale. Humphrey Gilbert was laid up at Newhaven, then bought by Meridian Line Cruises of Greenwich in 1978. She was not used by them, and was sold again to the Millbrook Company in 1979 for use on the Drake's Island ferry as the Edgcumbe Belle. The following year, the Millbrook Company was bought by Dart Free Houses, the owners of Dart Pleasure Craft. Edgcumbe Belle remained at Plymouth until 1985, when Dart Pleasure Craft withdrew from the area. She was moved to the Dart, officially joining the Dart Pleasure Craft fleet, and re-joining her sister Adrian Gilbert on the Dart ferry, and remained on the ferry service in 2004.

 

 

Postcard of the Humphrey Gilbert in British Railways service.

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Plymouth Tenders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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