TF Carrier
Encyclopedia
TF Carrier was a train ferry
introduced by the Edinburgh & Northern Railway, later incorporated into the North British Railway
, to cross the River Tay
as part of its route between Edinburgh
and Aberdeen
.
, the engineer of the ENR/NBR, to carry the company's trains across the Forth
and Tay estuaries. Bouch was not only responsible for their design but also that of the linkspans and associated equipment. The ferries carried goods wagons and, occasionally, empty passenger coaches. The passengers themselves crossed by conventional paddle steamers.
Built by Scott & Co of Greenock
, Carrier was a 243GRT paddle steamer, 124ft long and 26ft 9ins wide between the paddles. She was powered by two oscillating cylinder steam engines, each developing 112HP. She had two tracks on her deck each capable of handling 7 wagons.
Initially allocated to the Tay crossing she was transferred to the Forth crossing along with her sister ship Robert Napier when Bouch's ill-fated Tay Bridge
opened in June 1878. When that structure collapsed on 28th December 1879, Robert Napier returned to the Tay to re-eastablish the link but Carrier remained at Granton
.
which wished to establish a ferry service between Langstone
station on the LB&SCR's Hayling Island
Branch and Bembridge
on the island. The service commenced in 1885. The following year it was sold to the LB&SCR. However the Carrier was ill-suited to the exposed waters of the Solent
and the service ceased in 1888 and the ship sold for scrap.
Train ferry
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
introduced by the Edinburgh & Northern Railway, later incorporated into the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
, to cross the River Tay
River Tay
The River Tay is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui , then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay , in...
as part of its route between Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
.
Scotland
Launched in 1858, the Carrier was the third and smallest vessel in a fleet of six train ferries introduced by Thomas BouchThomas Bouch
Sir Thomas Bouch was a British railway engineer in Victorian Britain.He was born in Thursby, near Carlisle, Cumberland, England and lived in Edinburgh. He helped develop the caisson and the roll-on/roll-off train ferry. He worked initially for the North British Railway and helped design parts of...
, the engineer of the ENR/NBR, to carry the company's trains across the Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
and Tay estuaries. Bouch was not only responsible for their design but also that of the linkspans and associated equipment. The ferries carried goods wagons and, occasionally, empty passenger coaches. The passengers themselves crossed by conventional paddle steamers.
Built by Scott & Co of Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Carrier was a 243GRT paddle steamer, 124ft long and 26ft 9ins wide between the paddles. She was powered by two oscillating cylinder steam engines, each developing 112HP. She had two tracks on her deck each capable of handling 7 wagons.
Initially allocated to the Tay crossing she was transferred to the Forth crossing along with her sister ship Robert Napier when Bouch's ill-fated Tay Bridge
Tay Rail Bridge
The Tay Bridge is a railway bridge approximately two and a quarter miles long that spans the Firth of Tay in Scotland, between the city of Dundee and the suburb of Wormit in Fife ....
opened in June 1878. When that structure collapsed on 28th December 1879, Robert Napier returned to the Tay to re-eastablish the link but Carrier remained at Granton
Granton
-Places:Australia* Granton, TasmaniaCanada* Granton, Nova ScotiaScotland* Granton, EdinburghUnited States* Granton, Wisconsin...
.
Isle of Wight
By 1883 Carrier was surplus to requirements at Granton and was sold to the Isle of Wight Railway CoIsle of Wight Railway
The Isle of Wight Railway was a railway company on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The company owned 14 miles of railway line and its headquarters were at Sandown...
which wished to establish a ferry service between Langstone
Langstone Harbour
Langstone Harbour is an inlet of the English Channel in Hampshire, sandwiched between Portsea Island to the south and west, Hayling Island to the south and east, and Langstone to the north. Geographically it is a ria....
station on the LB&SCR's Hayling Island
Hayling Island
-Leisure activities:Although largely residential, Hayling is also a holiday, windsurfing and sailing centre, the site where windsurfing was invented....
Branch and Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
on the island. The service commenced in 1885. The following year it was sold to the LB&SCR. However the Carrier was ill-suited to the exposed waters of the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
and the service ceased in 1888 and the ship sold for scrap.