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LMS
 
London Midland & Scottish Railway
Page 1: Heysham & Fleetwood Services
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of steamers of the Heysham and Fleetwood services of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). 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. Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order, showing only ships built by the LMS. There are also links to ships which passed to the LMS from the Midland Railway and LYR/LNWR.
 
 
LMS Services from Heysham:-
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) was formed in 1923, and acquired two competing services to Belfast, the Midland Railway route from Heysham and the LYR/LNWR route from Fleetwood. To rationalise this duplication of routes, the LMS ordered three large ferries of 3600 grt, with sufficient capacity to carry traffic from both Heysham and Fleetwood. These ferries were delivered in 1928, at which time the Fleetwood-Belfast route closed. The new ships received the traditional Fleetwood "Duke" names of Duke of Argyll (2), Duke of Lancaster (2) and Duke of Rothesay.
 
A further route rationalization in 1928 was the passing of the Heysham-Douglas route to the Isle of Man SP Co, along with the Duke of Cornwall and the Antrim. The third ship used on the Heysham-Douglas route, Duchess of Devonshire, was sold foreign. Also disposed of was the freight-only Liverpool-Drogheda route, which passed to the British & Irish SP Co (part of Coast Lines). The ships used on this service, Colleen Bawn and Mellifont, were retained for a few years further on freight services from Holyhead.
 
Traffic for the three LMS Dukes was sufficient for a fourth ship to be delivered in 1935, the Duke of York (2). All three Dukes survives WW2, and were passed from the LMS to British Railways ownership when the railways were nationalized in 1948.The Duke of York (2) moved to the Harwich-Hook of Holland route in 1948. The three 1928 Dukes were replaced by three even larger ferries (4900 grt) in 1956, which received the same names. A further page will cover the history of Heysham-Belfast in the British Railways/Sealink period, up until its closure in 1975.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Duke of Argyll (2) - 1928-1956
Duke of Lancaster (2) - 1928-1956
Duke of Rothesay - 1928-1956
Duke of York (2) - 1935-1963
 
 
 
Midland Railway Heysham Services:-
The first railway to reach the a port on the North West coast of England was the the Furness Railway at Barrow on Furness. Railway companies were not empowered to run shipping services at this stage, so the Barrow Steam Navigation Co was formed to start service from Barrow to Belfast. Both the Midland Railway and the Furness Railway had interests in the Barrow SN. In 1904, the Midland Railway's purpose-built port at Heysham was opened, with direct rail connection. Four new steamers were built to open services to Belfast and Douglas (Isle of Man). The Midland Railway became part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923, who concentrated Belfast services on Heysham, closing the ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire route from Fleetwood. Full history of Midland Railway services from Heysham.
 
The following Irish Sea ships passed to the LMS from the Midland Railway:-
Antrim - 1904-1928
City of Belfast - 1907-1925
Duchess of Devonshire - 1907-1928
Londonderry - 1904-1927
Wyvern - 19xx-1960 - excursion tug/tender
 
 
LYR/LNWR Fleetwood Services:-
The first services from Fleetwood to the North of Ireland were started in 1843 by the North Lancashire SN Co. By an Act of 1870, the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway (LYR) and the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) obtained powers to run steamers from Fleetwood to Belfast and Londonderry. The North Lancashire SN Co owned three paddle steamers at this time, of which the Royal Consort was taken over by the LYR/LNWR joint companies, who retained the black funnel with a white band for their own ships. The first of the famous screw propelled Dukes was the Duke of Connaught (2), acquired in 1902. Seven more Dukes followed every few years until 1909, only the final two being genuine sisters. The LYR was taken over by the LNWR in 1922, which in turn became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923. No new ships were acquired for the Fleetwood service after 1909, and the route was closed in 1928 when all Belfast operations were centralized in Heysham. The traditional Duke nomenclature was maintained at Heysham for the following two batches of ships ordered by the LMS and British Railways. Full history of Lancashire & Yorkshire/LNWR services from Fleetwood.
 
 
The following Irish Sea ships passed to the LMS from the LYR/LNWR:-
Colleen Bawn - 1903-1931
Duke of Argyll (1) - 1909-1927
Duke of Clarence - 1892-1930
Duke of Connaught (2) - 1902-1934
Duke of Cornwall - 1898-1928
Duke of Cumberland - 1909-1927
Mellifont - 1903-1933
 
 
Associated Pages:-
British Railways - Header page for all UK railway-owned services
Furness Railway - Fleetwood-Barrow services
Isle of Man SP Co
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway - Fleetwood-Belfast services
Midland Railway - Heysham-Belfast & Heysham-Douglas Services
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
References:-
Heysham Port by Dick Clague - Ferry Publications
Merchant Fleets No.25 - Britain's Railway Steamers by Duncan Haws - TCL Publications, 1993
Railway & Other Steamers by Duckworth & Langmuir - Stephenson (T) & Sons, 1968
Barrow & Morecambe Bay - Maritime Heritage by Raymond Sankey - Silver Link, 1986
     
 
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Table of Ship Histories

Name

Other names

 Built
 Duke of York  Fantasia

 1935
 
 
 
 
 
LMS Heysham Fleet List
 
 
Duke of Argyll (2)
(LMS: 1928-1948)
(BR: 1948-1956)
 
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) was formed in 1923, and acquired two competing services to Belfast, the Midland Railway route from Heysham and the LYR/LNWR route from Fleetwood. To rationalise this duplication of routes, the LMS ordered three large ferries of 3600 grt, with sufficient capacity to carry traffic from both Heysham and Fleetwood. These ferries were delivered in 1928, at which time the Fleetwood-Belfast route closed. The new ships received the traditional Fleetwood "Duke" names of Duke of Argyll (2), Duke of Lancaster (2) and Duke of Rothesay (1). The three 1928 Dukes were replaced by three even larger ferries (4900 grt) in 1956, which received the same names. Duke of Argyll (2) was replaced by the Duke of Argyll (3), which survived in the BR/Sealink fleet until 1975.
 
 
Official LMS real photographic postcard for all three Dukes.
Card posted from Preston on 24th August 1939.
 
 
Matthews (Bradford) real photographic postcard 7025 for all three Dukes.
 
 
Real photographic postcard of Duke of Argyll
 
 
Real photographic postcard of Duke of Argyll
 
 
Photo of Duke of Argyll in use as a hospital ship at Tilbury during WW2
Scan: Roger Corfield
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duke of Lancaster (2)
(LMS: 1928-1948)
(BR: 1948-1956)
 
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) was formed in 1923, and acquired two competing services to Belfast, the Midland Railway route from Heysham and the LYR/LNWR route from Fleetwood. To rationalise this duplication of routes, the LMS ordered three large ferries of 3600 grt, with sufficient capacity to carry traffic from both Heysham and Fleetwood. These ferries were delivered in 1928, at which time the Fleetwood-Belfast route closed. The new ships received the traditional Fleetwood "Duke" names of Duke of Argyll (2), Duke of Lancaster (2) and Duke of Rothesay (1). The three 1928 Dukes were replaced by three even larger ferries (4900 grt) in 1956, which received the same names. Duke of Lancaster (2) was replaced by the Duke of Lancaster (3), which survived in the BR/Sealink fleet until 1975.
 
 
Official LMS real photographic postcard for all three Dukes.
Card posted from Preston on 24th August 1939.
 
 
Matthews (Bradford) real photographic postcard 7025 for all three Dukes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duke of Lancaster (2) being broken up.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duke of Rothesay (1)
(LMS: 1928-1948)
(BR: 1948-1956)
 
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) was formed in 1923, and acquired two competing services to Belfast, the Midland Railway route from Heysham and the LYR/LNWR route from Fleetwood. To rationalise this duplication of routes, the LMS ordered three large ferries of 3600 grt, with sufficient capacity to carry traffic from both Heysham and Fleetwood. These ferries were delivered in 1928, at which time the Fleetwood-Belfast route closed. The new ships received the traditional Fleetwood "Duke" names of Duke of Argyll (2), Duke of Lancaster (2) and Duke of Rothesay (1). The three 1928 Dukes were replaced by three even larger ferries (4900 grt) in 1956, which received the same names. Duke of Rothesay (1) was replaced by the Duke of Rothesay (2), which survived in the BR/Sealink fleet until 1975.
 
 
Official LMS real photographic postcard for all three Dukes.
Card posted from Preston on 24th August 1939.
 
 
Matthews (Bradford) real photographic postcard 7025 for all three Dukes.
Possibly Duke of Rothesay for which an individual card was issued (see card below).
 
 
Matthews (Bradford) real photographic postcard 7043 of Duke of Rothesay.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duke of York (2)
(LMS: 1935-1948)
(BR: 1948-1963)
 
The Duke of York (2) was built by Harland and Wolff in 1935, as a two-funnelled steamer for the LMS Railway's Heysham-Belfast service. After service in WW2, Duke of York was rebuilt with a single funnel. She was transferred to the Harwich-Hook of Holland route in 1948, after passing from the LMS to British Railways. In May 1953, Duke of York had a serious collision, in fog, with the American freighter Haiti Victory. The bow section was sheered off completely. She reappeared with a new, more modern bow.
 
She was sold to Chandris Lines, and entered service in 1964 as the Fantasia. She ran mainly on cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean, with some winter charters to religious tour groups. She was withdrawn in the mid-seventies and scrapped in Spain.
 
Complete history of Duke of York
 
 
Real photographic card by W.E.Walton of Belfast, showing the Duke of York as built with two funnels.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Duke of York with two funnels.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Duke of York with two funnels.
 
 
This crudely faked photo is of one of the earlier Heysham-Belfast Dukes, not the Duke of York as claimed.
 
 
After service in WW2, Duke of York was rebuilt with a single funnel.
She was transferred to the Harwich-Hook of Holland route.
This is an official British Railways card of the period.
 
 
In May 1953, Duke of York had a serious collision, in fog, with the American freighter Haiti Victory.
The bow section was sheered off completely. She reappeared with a new, more modern bow, as shown in this Bridge House card.
 
 
British Railways official postcard of Duke of York.
 
 
 
 
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