Passenger Ship Website - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Simplon Postcards Home - Recent Updates - Search - Copyright Information - Contact Simplon - Contact Brightlingsea
This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
 
 
Brightlingsea
Page 2:- History as a Ferry 1925-1996
 
 
Brightlingsea returned to service from Harwich in 2007 - for details of cruises and charters see - www.msbrightlingsea.com
 
 
This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the Harwich-Felixstowe/Shotley ferry Brightlingsea. This page gives her history in railway and private ownership up to her withdrawal in the 1990s. Brightlingsea - Page 1 contains a brief overview and details of her Harwich excursions from 2007. Brightlingsea - Page 3 shows additional images from her restoration on services from Harwich.
 
Brightlingsea was built for the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1925, by the Rowhedge Ironworks near Colchester (although her hull was wooden). She was the first new vessel delivered to the LNER, which had been formed in 1923 by the amalgamation of the Great Eastern (GER), Great Central (GCR), Great Northern (GNR), North Eastern (NER) and other railways. Brightlingsea was 51 gross tons, and had saloons for 152 passengers.
 
The Harwich-Felixstowe ferry had been inaugurated in 1912 by the GER, using the smaller launch Pin Mill. Later GER additions were the Hainault and Epping. Brightlingsea passed to British Railways in 1948. From May 1964, the service was assigned to George Goodhew's Orwell & Harwich Navigation Co, for which Brightlingsea operated during the summer. The smaller launch Orwell Haven was used in winter. In 1967, Brightlingsea was joined by the Torbay Prince of 91 gross tons, which was generally used on excursions. When I first visited Harwich in June 1976, Torbay Prince had moved on.
 
In 1979, the Goodhew concern was taken over by the Felixstowe Dock & Railway Co, which was owned by European Ferries (who also owned Townsend-Thoresen). In 1983/84, Brightlingsea was re-engined. In 1984, the Orwell Bridge was opened, providing faster road links to Felixstowe, and passenger numbers declined significantly. In 1985, Brightlingsea was sold to Harry Rodger, former superintendent of the Orwell & Harwich Nav.Co. She was withdrawn on August 15th of the same year due to engines problems, but reappeared the following year.
 
Brightlingsea continued to maintain the route until the mid-1990s when she was denied access to her protected berth in Felixstowe Dock, due to port re-development. Eventually, the service re-opened with the landing-craft style ferry Explorer 12, which could run up on the beach at Felixstowe. However this location is very exposed, and the Harwich, Felixstowe & Shotley Foot Ferry Society continue to campaign for a protected jetty at Felixstowe, and a return to full year operations. Subsequently, Brightlingsea has been undergoing restoration in Woodbridge, with plans to run from Harwich again from 2007. She appeared at the Woodbridge Maritime Festival on 9th/10th September 2006, where she was used as a floating bar and cafe. The owners are keen to gain their passenger certificate very soon, to run some short cruises from Woodbridge before the end of the year. Bookings are being invited for lunch cruises later in 2006.
 
 
Contact:- www.msbrightlingsea.com
 
Sections on this Page:-
Brightlingsea - Postcards
Brightlingsea - Photographs
Brightlingsea - Timetables
 
Brightlingsea Pages:-
Brightlingsea - Page 1 - Harwich Services 2007
Brightlingsea - Page 2 - History as ferry 1925-1993 - this page
Brightlingsea - Page 3 - Restoration and Service 2002-
 
Brochure Archive:-
2008 Brochure - 1mb PDF file - requires Adobe Reader - new!
2007 Brochure - 1mb PDF file - requires Adobe Reader
 
Associated Simplon Pages:-
Great Eastern Railway - Continental Ferry Services from Harwich
Great Eastern Railway - Local Ferry & Excursion Services
Harwich - Piers, Lifeboats, Lighthouses etc
London & North Eastern Railway - Continental Ferry Services from Harwich
Trinity House
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
Associated Pages On Other Web Sites:-
www.msbrightlingsea.com - Official Brightlingsea website
Harwich, Felixstowe & Shotley Foot Ferry Society
 
Search This Website:-

powered by FreeFind  
 
 
 
 
Brightlingsea
 
 
Postcards
 
 
A.Duncan photographic postcard of Brightlingsea arriving at Harwich.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Brightlingsea in Orwell & Harwich Navigation Company colours.
Photo: © Philip Cone
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea at her berth in Felixstowe Dock, with River Lady II.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea at her berth in Felixstowe Dock.
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea inside Felixstowe Dock.
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea alongside the Halfpenny Pier at Harwich.
There is a Trinity House tender and a Sealink train ferry in the background.
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea alongside the Halfpenny Pier at Harwich.
A Sealink dredger is also at the pier, and the funnel of Prins Oberon is visible on the right.
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea at Harwich.
 
 
Postcard of Brightlingsea arriving at Harwich.
The Sealink ferry St Nicholas passing on her way to the Hook of Holland.
 
 
Simplon Postcards release sp1183 of Brightlingsea arriving at Felixstowe Dock.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
 
 
 
 
 
Photographs of Brightlingsea
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea at Harwich pier.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, June 1976.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea at Felixstowe.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, June 1976.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea at Harwich pier.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1987.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea at Harwich pier, with the DFDS ferry Hamburg passing behind.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1987.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen, 1994.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1994.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1994.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1994.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1994.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea and the Hamburg of DFDS.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea and the Hamburg of DFDS.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea and the Hamburg of DFDS.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1995.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1996
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Brightlingsea.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1996
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
 
 
 
Timetables
 
 
Summer 1992 Orwell & Harwich Navigation Co timetable for Brightlingsea.
Click on image for a larger version in a new window.
 
 
 
 
 
www.msbrightlingsea.com - Harwich
Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards
Top of Page - Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards - Home Page
 
 
 
           
 
 
©1999-2007 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site)
All Rights Reserved
 
Free Web Counter
Times viewed since 27/08/2007: