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Samuel F Built 1964 GRT 216 tons Power 13,000hp Pull: 18 tons bollard pull Pictured left inward to Larne on 20/7/94. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
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The Samuel F is one of Larne's big celebrities, rarely used now she has had a long and interesting career. She was built for use on the Mersey by Cochrane & Sons, Selby as the J.H. Lamey later becoming the Hornby in 1970. She was bought by John McLoughlin in 1984 and renamed Samuel F also bought was sister ship Salthouse (ex B.C. Lamey) which became David F. Both vessels were named after members of the Ferran family which are related to the owners family. They were initially bought to handle tankers for Ballylumford power station but this never came to fruition and tugs from Belfast always came round to do the tankers although McLoughlin's did the mooring and their smaller ships ran lines ashore. Instead the two tugs were used to help the ferries berth in bad weather and they were often chartered to other operators. It was on one charter to Londonderry Harbour Commissioners that was to see the loss of the David F. While engaged on a tow in the River Foyle in July 1985 the David F was hit by her tow, the Panamanian flagged ship Jupiter II, which had ran forward and struck the tug's stern. David F was holed but she was beached before she sank just downstream of the Foyle bridge with her 5 crew (some are still familiar faces about Larne harbour) and the Foyle pilot rescued unharmed. David F was later salvaged and sold to a South of England based operator for further service. Left alone Samuel F continued at Larne and can still usually be seen moored at Castle Quay, she has assisted at some notable incidents including the grounding of the Townsend Thoresen vessel Ionic Ferry in 1987. |
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| Maria McLoughlin at Larne on 11/6/02 with Northern Star inbound from Liverpool in the background. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) | Sarah McLoughlin being lifted out of the water for overhaul at Larne's Castle Quay on 29/8/98. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
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Maria McLoughlin and Sarah
McLoughlin are sister ships built by David Abels, Bristol These two workhorses are most often seen in use assisting the ferries to berth in inclement weather as they require less crew members than the Samuel F. Powered by a Volvo Penta engine they can achieve about 8-9 knots when running free. One of the sisters is normally based in Larne while the other is based in Carrickfergus to provide assistance to the coal boats arriving at Kilroot Power Station on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. They were built specifically for John McLoughlin and have also spent time in Loch Ryan helping the ferries berth at Stranraer and Cairnryan. |
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Donna Bollard pull: 5 tons Pictured at the Blue Circle pier, Magheramourne with the coaster Egholm on 15/7/01. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
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came to the McLoughlin fleet second hand and was extensively used at
Stranraer from the summer of 1992 to provide assistance to the fledgling
Seacat operation. She was captained there for many years by the
fearless Stephen Peoples. Not only did she assist the likes of
Seacat Scotland and Hoverspeed Great Britain at Stranraer's
West Pier but she also provided help to the Sealink vessels at Stranraer and P&O's ships
at Cairnryan. One grisly chore Donna and her captain
had was recovering the bodies from the crane that toppled into Stranraer
harbour from Ross Pier in December 1992. Donna returned to
Larne early in 1999 when Seacat Scotland was transferred to Troon. |
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David
Built 1971 Pictured left facing down the gale waiting to assist the Bison to berth at Larne on 27/8/95. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
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The David is the only wooden hulled tug in the fleet. She isn't as powerful as the other steel tugs and is normally used to help one of the other tugs, particularly with the larger ferries when two tugs are needed to give a push. She was built in Portavogie on the County Down coast specifically for McLoughlin's service. She had a sister ship called Samuel F. |
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Adrienne Pictured left in Islandmagee dock while engaged on the Islandmagee ferry service on 5/5/90. Europic Ferry is in the background. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
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recently the Adrienne was most often used as the Islandmagee ferry
and she is pictured as such with her captain for many years Hammy Robinson
at the helm. The Islandmagee - Larne crossing was first recorded as
being used by St Patrick and has been under his protection ever since.
There is a myth that nobody has ever been lost from the ferry but apparently in the 19th
century someone by the name of McBurney was drowned. In more recent
times there has only been a few instances of some people getting an
unexpected bath in Larne harbour but all bathers have been recovered with
none the worse for their encounter with the waters of the harbour. The service is mainly used by Ballylumford Power Station
workers but the degree of automation at the station now has seen that
trade dwindle. In summer trade is better as people head over to Islandmagee for a day at Brown's Bay beach or for a day's golfing at the
golf course on Islandmagee just a short walk from the dock. The
ferry runs regularly between 0900 and 1700, with sailings every 15
minutes between 0730 and 0900 on weekdays, at weekends the schedule is
reduced. Cost of a single journey is £1 and the trip takes 5 - 10
minutes depending on shipping traffic in the harbour. Currently the Adrienne is based in Belfast and is used to run lines ashore from tankers and cargo ships. |
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Mary Ann
Power 100hp Pictured left on the Islandmagee ferry run on 11/6/00. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
| Mary Ann is the used
on the Islandmagee ferry run in winter. She has a passenger
certificate for 44 with 2 crew members. |
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| Some further shots of the tugs in action..... (click all to enlarge) | |
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| Sarah McLoughlin and David standing by to assist European Causeway on 13/8/02: Photo: Aubrey Dale | Maria McLoughlin assisting Superstar Express at Chaine Quay on 25/4/00. Photo: Aubrey Dale |
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| Maria McLoughlin with Sedov at MacKean Quay on 27/7/91. Photo: Aubrey Dale | Maria McLoughlin assisting Ben Varrey at Magheramorne on 19/5/01. Photo: Aubrey Dale |
| Let's meet some of the crew in action.... | |
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| Stephen Peoples brings the Adrienne into the Larne ferry slip on 15/6/03. Photo: Larne Ferry Web | After a hard day on the ferry Stephen takes a breather. Photo: Larne Ferry Web |
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| Steve McConnell (left) and Paul Garrett (right) prepare to take Sarah McLoughlin out to assist the European Pioneer to berth in high winds on 31/1/03. (LFW) | John Clements (ashore) and Stephen Peoples aboard Maria McLoughlin dock at Islandmagee to take the lighthouse tender out to the Maiden's on 26/12/03. Photo: LFW |