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Blue Funnel Cruises
Solent & Wight Line Cruises
Page 2: New Vessels 1974-2006
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of Blue Funnel Cruises and Solent & Wight Line Cruises.
Blue Funnel Cruises are based in Southampton, and in 2006 run public and charter cruises around the Solent area to Portsmouth, Rivers Hamble, Beaulieu, Itchen & Test, etc, plus shorter Southampton Docks cruises. Solent & Wight Line Cruises work out of Portsmouth and Isle of Wight ports running harbour trips and excursions, whilst the versatile fast "Jenny" boats can also be used on ferry trips and emergency ambulance work.
The first purpose-built vessel was the
Solent Scene
of 1974, followed by her sister the
Island Scene
in 1978. An even larger vessel, the
Leisure Scene
, was delivered in 1985, the last of the Gosport ferries,
Princessa
departing the fleet soon afterwards. Horace Barkham retired from the comapny in 1979, selling out to his partner William Hogg.
The "Jenny" boats began operating for M.J.Rayment of Cowes from about 1980. These are fast purpose-built launches with speeds of around 18 knots that can be used as excursion vessels, workers' trip boats and for emergency ambulance work. Rayment acquired a 50% interest in the
Solent Scene
and began operating her as Wight Line Cruises, later Solent and Wight Line Cruises, whilst retaining the same Blue Funnel fleet colours. When the two similar large vessels
Wight Scene
and
Ocean Scene
were delivered in 1992 and 1994, one was allocated to each company.
Wight Scene
arrived first in 1992, and Mark Rayment's son took
Solent Scene
to Poole, and later also ran
Poole Scene
(ex-
New Forrester
) there. Delivery of
Ocean Scene
to Blue Funnel was delayed, causing financial difficulties, and the Poole-based Rayment bought out Blue Funnel from William Hogg. Both Blue Funnel Cruises and Solent & Wight Line Cruises were then owned by the Rayment family, but the companies retain separate identities, and separate websites, but work together to cover the whole of the Solent area, with Blue Funnel still based in Southampton, and Solent & Wight Line Cruises working out of Portsmouth and Isle of Wight ports.
Solent Scene
passed to
Blue Line Cruises
in May 1998, and continues services from Poole in 2006.
Boats on this Page:-
Ashleigh-R
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 2004- )
Island Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1978-c.1994)
Jenny Lee
(Solent & Wight Line: 1985- )
Jenny M of Medina
(Solent & Wight Line: 1988- )
Jenny R
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1984- )
Leisure Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1985-2002)
Ocean Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1994- )
Solent Cat
(Solent & Wight Line: 2000- )
Solent Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1974-1998)
Wight Scene
(Solent & Wight Line: 1992- )
Boats on
Page 1
:-
Princessa
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1958-1986)
Solent Queen
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1962-1984)
Venus
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1966-1978)
Verda
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1958-1984)
Wight Queen
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1956-1986)
Blue Funnel Cruises Pages:-
Blue Funnel Cruises - Page 1
- Acquired Vessels 1952-1973
Blue Funnel Cruises - Page 2
- New Vessels 1974-2006
- this page!
Solent Area Pages:-
Blue Line Cruises
Hythe-Southampton Ferries
Hovertravel
Portsmouth Harbour Ferries
Portsmouth Harbour Tours
Solent Steam Packet Ltd
- SS Shieldhall
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards
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Recent Updates
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References:-
Trip Out Guides
- Written and published by G.P.Hamer
- various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted
Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
Leisure Scene
Golden Jubilee
1985
Solent Scene
1974
Fleet List
Page 2: New Vessels 1974-2006
Solent Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1974-1999)
131 gross tons - 90 ft long - 249 passengers - 10 knots
Solent Scene
was the first purpose-built excusion boat built for Blue Funnel, and was completed by Bideford Shipbuilders in 1974. She was followed by a sister from the same yard, the
Island Scene
of 1978. M.J.Rayment later acquired a 50% interest in the
Solent Scene
and began operating her as Wight Line Cruises, later Solent and Wight Line Cruises, whilst retaining the same Blue Funnel fleet colours.
Solent Scene
passed to
Blue Line Cruises
in May 1998, and continues services from Poole in 2006.
Complete history of
Solent Scene
Solent Scene
at Southampton Royal Pier on 15th April 1976.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window
Solent Scene
with
Southampton Castle
leaving Southampton.
Southampton Castle
is on the last ever Union-Castle mailship departure to South Africa.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th September 1977
J.Arthur Dixon postcard of
Solent Scene
at Beaulieu.
Solent Scene
at Ryde Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window
Duncan photographic postcard of
Solent Scene
.
Wight Line Cruises postcard of
Solent Scene
.
Note additional upper deck aft.
Solent Scene
passed to
Blue Line Cruises
in May 1998, and continues services from Poole in 2006.
Photo: ©
Blue Line Cruises
, 12th March 2006.
Click to open larger image in new window
Island Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1977-c.1994)
131 gross tons (as built) - 90 ft long - 250 passengers - 10 knots
Island Scene
was a repeat of the successful
Solent Scene
, 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 she was sold to River Tyne operators, where she still runs in 2006 for River Escapes as the
River Escapes Fortuna
(Fortuna being a Roman goddess).
Duncan photographic postcard of
Island Scene
.
Tyne Leisure advert showing
Island Scene
and ex-
Tilbury-Gravesend
ferry
Catherine
.
Issued shortly before the company re-launched as River Escapes, with
Island Scene
renamed as
River Escapes Fortuna.
Skylark
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1981-1983)
Skylark
was working for R.G.N.Woodford of Newport by 1987.
Jenny R
(Solent & Wight Line: 1984-2005 )
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 2005- )
Blue Funnel
Jenny R
passes
QE2
at Southampton.
Jenny R
runs occasional ferry trips to Marchwood Military Port and also harbour trips.
Wight Scene, Ocean Scene
and
Ashleigh-R
ran harbour tours from the Naval Dockyard, adjacent to
HMS Warrior.
Note the miniature dummy "blue funnels".
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th July 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th July 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th July 2005.
Jenny Lee
(Solent & Wight Line: 1985- )
Jenny Lee
at Gunwharf Quays, for the Festival of the Sea.
Jenny Lee
ran harbour tours from Gunwharf Quays, along with
Solent Cat
and
Jenny M of Medina
.
Wight Scene
and
Ashleigh-R
ran harbour tours from the Naval Dockyard, adjacent to
HMS Warrior.
Note the miniature dummy "blue funnels".
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd July 2005.
Jenny Lee
in Portsmouth Harbour, for the Festival of the Sea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd July 2005.
Jenny Lee
in Portsmouth Harbour, for the Festival of the Sea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd July 2005.
Jenny Lee
in Portsmouth Harbour, for the Festival of the Sea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd July 2005.
Jenny Lee
at Gunwharf Quays, for the Festival of the Sea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd July 2005.
Leisure Scene
(Blue Funnel Cruises: 1985-2002)
300 gross tons - 100 ft long - 250 passengers
Leisure Scene
was built for Blue Funnel by Bolsons of Poole in 1985. She was their first cruiser designed to cater for the changing demands of the excursion market, and is more suitable for evening cruises and charters where eating and dancing are provided. She passed to
Capital Pleasure Boats
on the Thames in 2002 as the
Golden Jubilee
.
Blue Funnel Cruises postcard of
Leisure Scene
with the
QE2
.
Blue Funnel Cruises postcard of
Leisure Scene.
Leisure Scene
at Southampton Ocean Village.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
Leisure Scene
at Southampton Ocean Village.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
Leisure Scene
at Southampton Ocean Village.
Photo: © Ian Boyle
Leisure Scene
at Southampton Ocean Village.
Photo: © Ian Boyle