Farewell to the Cambridge Ferry

The former Sealink train ferry Cambridge Ferry has recently passed to ship breakers in Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping. The Cambridge Ferry was one time a favourite relief ferry (or misfit depending on your point of view!) on the Larne to Stranraer service of Sealink.

Her first spell of service on the route was from the 24th April - 8th May 1975. Her service was marred by a mechanical failure causing her to remain tied up for two days at the beginning of her period on the run. She did set the record back then for the longest ferry to use Stranraer harbour at 403' (122.8m), only eclipsed by the Galloway Princess in 1980. (The Larne record holder at the time was Pandoro's Bison at 410' 3" or 125m, introduced Feb 1975.)

Then it was back to her usual run on the train ferry service between Harwich and Zeebrugge, later switching to the Dover to Dunkirk train ferry service in 1982. She also had her upper deck at the stern extended aft and a ramp was provided to allow her to carry trade cars on the new extended deck. This gave her a series of 'holes' along the side of hull at the stern where the extended frames to hold up the new deck above were not plated in.

The Cambridge Ferry hard at work on the train ferry service. Her top deck is loaded with trade cars while the novel 'ventilation' and lack of a stern door is also readily apparent. The Cambridge Ferry was certainly quite unique in her appearance. Photo: Roy Thorntonn Collection

As far as I can determine, the Cambridge Ferry next returned to the Larne - Stranraer route in 1990 as back up to the Earl Granville which was supposed to relieve the usual Stranraer ferries by herself but was found to be unsuitable for carrying large loads of freight. Initially the St Cybi filled this role but she was recalled to Holyhead to cover the St Columba, which retired due to an engine room fire.

Subsequent visits occurred in 1991 and 1992 all during overhaul time. In 1991, with the Darnia departing for pastures new in February that year and a delay with her replacement Stena Antrim arriving from Dover the gap was filled by the Cambridge Ferry and St. Cybi. Eventually the Stena Antrim's sister Stena Cambria arrived and seen the route through until the Stena Antrim arrived in April. In 1992 the Cambridge Ferry helped the Stena Hengist, which was also found to be too small for the freight traffic wanting to use the service.

As a road freight carrier she could accommodate four lanes of traffic, and if memory serves me right 8 trailers could be accommodated in the central lanes with 7 in the wing lanes, the memory is starting to go in my old age, so I'm very much willing to be corrected. Between each lane she had plenty of room but she was just too narrow for her to squeeze in a fifth lane. In her later years, especially in 1992, if things went wrong they weren't fixed and she regularly ran without her bow thruster operational while based at Larne so the local tugs in Larne were kept very busy.

She very often never had a rigorous timetable while on the Larne - Stranraer route. Most sailings were as and when required, although 2130 ex Larne seemed to run on a regular basis. She didn't have a passenger certificate at Larne so she mopped up the unaccompanied trailers and allowed the main vessels to keep the 'running' traffic flowing.

At low tide in Larne all that could be seen of her above the water line was the masts and her funnel and she was often likened to a submarine by her captains. Her specialised ballast tanks made her tend to drive through waves rather than up and over them so it ended up rather wet on deck. Her normal 'stern door' was a length of heaving line tied across the stern to stop any one accidentally falling overboard.

Cambridge Ferry (left) at berth 4 Rosslare. She served on the Rosslare to Fishguard route as freight back up in the late 1980's and early 1990's. On the right is Irish Ferries' Saint Patrick II Photo: LFW Collection

Her last ever stint in UK waters was on the Larne - Stranraer route which she finished on the 15th of March 1992. After lay up in Milford Haven she departed for the Adriatic as the Ita Uno. She didn't see much service and was laid up in Bari, Italy under the new name of Sirio since 1993 right up until her removal to Aliaga for scrap.