© Fotoflite, Andreas Wörteler Collection Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1964 at Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend, England (Yard No 2001) for Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, England as a passenger and vehicle ferry. Launched October 3rd, 1963.
 Technical Data
Registry - London IMO Number - 542714 Length - 111.22 m (364.9 ft), 131.40m (431.1 ft)(after rebuild) overall 109.50m (344 ft),134.9m ( ft)(after rebuild) between perpendiculars Breadth - 17.10m (56.1 ft)(extreme) Depth - 10.24m (33.6 ft) Draught - 4.12 m (13.6 ¼ ft)(maximum) Tonnage - 2,760/3,316 gross (after rebuild) 887/1,228 net (after rebuild) 1,701 deadweight, 1,646 (after rebuild) Engines - Two 10-cylinder Sulzer diesels Power - 3,840kW/5200 bhp Speed - 16.0 knots Capacity - 28 passengers/ 44 (after rebuild), 564 metres of cargo Call Sign - GMHS
History October 3rd 1963: Launched January 1964: Completed. January 1964: Delivered to Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, England. January 1964: Introduced between Tilbury - Rotterdam/Antwerp. July 12th 1965: Commenced service between Felixstowe - Rotterdam. January 1966: Opened the new Felixstowe - Amsterdam route. July 1971: Commenced service between Felixstowe - Rotterdam.
 Andreas Wörteler Collection
November 18th 1971: Sale of Atlantic Steam Navigation to European Ferries Group, London (Townsend Thoresen). February 1972: Rebuilt at builders yard with extra passenger accommodation. March 1973: Lengthened at builders yard by 22.8m. May 18th 1973: Returned to operational service. December 1980: Laid up at Tilbury. November 1981 - December 1981: Operated between Cairnryan - Larne, thereafter laid up in Barrow. April 1982: Operated between Southampton - Le Havre.
© Brian Fisher
May 2nd 1982: Introduced between Felixstowe - Rotterdam for a short time, then operated between Southampton - Le Havre.
© Brian Fisher
November 30th 1982: Operated between Cairnryan - Larne. 1983: In the summer operated between Southampton - Le Havre.
© Brian Fisher
1984: A new TT logo, in white, was introduced on the funnels. May 22nd 1984: Introduced between Portsmouth - Le Havre. January 1985: Laid up in Barrow before sailing to Flushing to have stern ramp alterations
Courtesy of “Patrick”, Dover Ferry Photos Forum
July 1985: Saw service between Dover - Zeebrügge.
Dover Ferry Photos Library
December 13th 1985: Laid up in Chatham. 1986 (Spring): Towed to Southampton then used as a dumb barge to carry obsolete link-spans from Princess Alexandra Dock, Southampton to Zeebrugge where the plan was that they would be used in the construction of a new double-decker berth April 25th 1986: Arrived at Zeebrügge, then laid up. September 10th 1987: Sold to Universal Range Shipping Co. Ltd. (Dalmeijer's Metalen B.V. Holland), Kingstown, St Vincent. Renamed GAELIC. October 5th 1987: Towed to Vlissingen to join up with FLUSHING RANGE and later to be towed, by the tug MARKUSTURM, to Taiwan for breaking. October 16th - 17th 1987: The English Channel was lashed by hurricane force winds. The two ships broke loose and were “lost” for at least 24 hours until they were spotted by a French coastguard aircraft near Cape Finnisterre.October 19th 1987: Both ships were drifting off the Spanish port of Gijon December 27th 1987: Broke free again off Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Rescued by the tug SCIROCCO and eventually towed into Port Elizabeth. December 31st 1987: Tow re-commenced. March 22nd 1988: Arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for breaking.
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