by northeast » Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:35 pm
Dredged up this re an intended replacement for SCILLONIAN of 1956, could be your 'unnamed ferry'?
HISTORY OF THE VESSEL
1956 as SCILLONIAN (II)
The new vessel SCILLONIAN (II) was required to meet the increasing passenger numbers; it needed to be introduced to compete with the plans for the introduction of helicopter service due in January 1956 – a service which would complement the existing air service. Other reasons for the need to have a new vessel included the difficulty in finding firemen and stokers.
Captain Daniels had presented himself and his crew of four to the Shipping Master at Southampton, before setting off to St Mary’s with their new ship.
The Shipping Master was concerned at the size of the crew and that they were not union men. On production of their discharge books, the Shipping Master was impressed at the breadth of service they had between them, stating that, having just before signed out the crew for the Queen Mary, the crew of the Scillonian “had more experience than the whole damn crew of the Queen Mary”.
As it turned out, the helicopter service did not commence until 2nd May 1964.
Scillonian II began service with her first voyage from Penzance on 28th March 1956, proving to be a reliable vessel for the waters which she had to sail.Voyage time reduced from over 3 hours ( on occasion 4 or 5 ) to 2.5 hours.
However, she did not handle as well as the first Scillonian and had difficulties in berthing in bad weather; she had to be taken on to Falmouth or St. Ives on occasion.
After much protest at the proposal to make Falmouth the permanent location for berthing, Penzance offered a position on the Albert Pier, which was easier to enter and berth than the North Arm at the entrance to the Dry Dock.
Besides her usual route between the Isles of Scilly and Penzance, she made sailings to Newlyn, Falmouth and St Ives; with Plymouth being added in early 1961, due to the blockage of the main railway line to Penzance.
During the early 1970s, consideration was given to a new vessel, and an order was placed with Ryton Marine, at a cost of £750,000, to be delivered 1974, However, in March 1973 Ryton Marine went into liquidation, £75,000 having already been paid by the Islands.