Midland Railway
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of steamers of the Midland Railway. 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.
 
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). In 1907, the Barrow SN was taken over by the Midland Railway, and the City of Belfast and Duchess of Devonshire joined the fleet, mainly used as relief and summer extra vessels. 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.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Antrim - 1904-1928
City of Belfast - 1907-1925
Donegal - 1904-1917
Duchess of Devonshire - 1907-1928
Londonderry - 1904-1927
Manxman - 1904-1920
Wyvern - 19xx-1960 - excursion tug/tender
 
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
London Midland & Scottish Railway - Heysham-Belfast 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
 Antrim  Ramsey, Ramsey Town

 1904
 Manxman  

 1904
 
 
 
 
 
MR Fleet List
 
 
Antrim
(MR:1904-1923)
(LMS: 1923-1927)
 
The Antrim was one of four ships built for the opening of the Midland Railway's new port at Heysham. Antrim was a twin-screw steamer with triple-expansion engines. She transferred to the LMS in 1923. Antrim served between Heysham and Belfast, and later Heysham-Douglas until 1928, when the Heysham-Douglas route and its ships passed to the Isle of Man SP Co. Antrim became the Ramsey Town for the Isle of Man SP Co and was scrapped in 1936, after a relatively short career with them.
 
Complete history of Antrim
 
 
Official Midland Railway postcard of Antrim, plus card back.
Posted in 1908.
 
 
 
Postcard of Antrim, at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Antrim, at Heysham.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Antrim.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Donegal
(MR: 1904-1917)
 
 
The Donegal was one of four ships built for the opening of the Midland Railway's new port at Heysham. Donegal was a twin-screw steamer with triple-expansion engines, and served between Heysham and Belfast. She was lost in 1917, when torpedoed in the English Channel, whilst in use as a hospital ship.
 
 
Official Midland Railway postcard of Donegal, plus card back.
 
 
 
Postcard of Donegal.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Donegal.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Londonderry
(MR: 1904-1922)
(LMS: 1923-1927)
 
 
The Londonderry was one of four ships built for the opening of the Midland Railway's new port at Heysham. Unlike "sisters" Antrim and Donegal, Londonderry received direct drive steam turbines. She transferred to the LMS in 1923. Londonderry served between Heysham and Belfast until transferred to the Angleterre-Lorraine-Alsace route from Tilbury to to Dunkirk in 1927 as the Flamand. She was scrapped in 1936.
 
 
Official Midland Railway postcard of Londonderry, plus card back.
 
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry.
Uses the image from the photographic the card below.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Londonderry.
The original image for the card above.
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
Note the use of the foresail.
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
 
 
T.Turner (Skipton) photographic postcard of Londonderry, at Heysham.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manxman
(MR: 1904-1920)
 
 
The Manxman (1) was built for the Midland Railway in 1904 to operate a rival service to the Isle of Man from Heysham. Manxman was sold to the Isle of Man SP Co in 1920.
 
Complete history of Manxman
 
 
Official Midland Railway postcard of Manxman, plus card back.
 
 
Official Midland Railway postcard of Manxman, plus card back.
Posted from Douglas in September 1909.
 
 
 
Postcard of Manxman.
 
 
Postcard of Manxman.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Manxman.
 
 
Postcard of Manxman, arriving at Heysham.
 
 
Valentines postcard 73124 of Manxman at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Manxman at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Manxman at Heysham.
 
 
Postcard of Manxman, leaving Heysham.
Pity about the horizon!
 
 
Photographic postcard of Manxman.
 
 
 
 
 
 
City of Belfast
(MR: 1907-1922)
(LMS: 1922-1925)
 
 
City of Belfast was built for the Barrow SN in 1893. She transferred to the Midland Railway in 1907, and was used on relief and summer services out of Heysham. City of Belfast transferred to the LMS in 1923, and was sold in 1925, becoming the Greek Nicolas Togias.
 
 
Postcard of City of Belfast arriving at Douglas.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duchess of Devonshire
(MR: 1907-1922)
(LMS: 1922-1928)
 
 
Duchess of Devonshire was built for the Barrow SN in 1897. She transferred to the Midland Railway in 1907, and was used on relief and summer services out of Heysham. Duchess of Devonshire transferred to the LMS in 1923, and was sold in 1928, becoming the Gibel Dersa of Bland Line, Gibraltar.
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Barrow SN colours.
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire.
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Barrow SN colours (yellow funnel).
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Midland colours.
Variation of the image above.
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Midland colours.
Further variation of the image above.
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Midland colours.
 
 
Postcard of Duchess of Devonshire at Douglas in Midland colours.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Midland colours.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in Midland colours.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Duchess of Devonshire in LMS colours.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wyvern
(MR: 1906-1922)
(LMS: 1923-1947)
(BR: 1948-1960)
 
Wyvern was a tug built for the Midland Railway at Heysham in 1905. She started running excursions between Heysham and Fleetwood in 1908, and later served in this capacity only. She passed to the London Midland & Scottish Railway in 1923, and continued running excursions until WW2. Ownership passed to British Railways in 1948, and she was not scrapped until 1960, presumably having reverted to towing duties after the war.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Wyvern at Heysham in Midland Railway colours, with passengers.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Wyvern at Heysham in Midland Railway colours, with passengers.
 
 
Postcard of Wyvern (at Fleetwood?) in LMS colours, with passengers and a canvas shelter erected.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Wyvern (at Fleetwood?) in LMS colours, with passengers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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