TSS Manxman
Encyclopedia
Turbine Steam Ship Manxman was launched from the Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
shipyard, Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
on 8 February 1955. She was the final vessel in a class of six similar ships ordered by the Isle of Man Steam Packet
Isle of Man Steam Packet
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, celebrating its 180th anniversary in 2010....
, and was the second of the Company's ships to carry this name.
Sister ships
- King Orry: built 1945, she was withdrawn from service in 1975 and scrapped in 1979.
- Mona's Queen: built 1946, sold for use as a Mediterranean cruise liner in 1962. She was scrapped in Greece in 1981.
- Tynwald: built 1947, withdrawn and scrapped in Spain in 1974.
- Snaefell: built 1948, withdrawn and scrapped in 1978.
- Mona's Isle: built 1950, withdrawn and scrapped in 1980 in the Netherlands.
- Manxman: built 1955, withdrawn in 1982. Currently laid up in Sunderland
Operational history
Manxman’s maiden voyage took place on 21 May 1955, with a sailing from Douglas to Liverpool. From then on, she plied the routes from North West England and North Wales to the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
In 1981, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company made a pre-tax loss of £620,000 and it was announced that 1982 would be the Manxman's last year in Steam Packet service. Her first sailing of the 1982 season was a 23.55 relief from Liverpool to Douglas on 28 May.
On 19 June 1982, the ship had been chartered by the Liverpool Co-Operative Society, but this booking was cancelled at quite short notice. The ship was therefore offered to the Manxman Steamer Society, who instead ran a Liverpool to Douglas day excursion entitled 'Steam All The Way'. On arrival at Douglas, passengers were able to travel by steam train to Port Erin on the Isle of Man Railway
Isle of Man Railway
The Isle of Man Railway is a narrow gauge steam-operated railway connecting Douglas with Castletown and Port Erin in the Isle of Man. The line is built to gauge and is long...
.
As the 1982 season began to near its end, Manxman began to attract increasing attention from the media, making appearances on both television and radio broadcasts, and in regional and national newspapers.
On 3 July, Manxman sailed from Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
for the final time. This was followed by last sailings from Fleetwood
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
on 15 August, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 27 August, and Dublin on August 28. On August 30, Manxman sailed 'light' from Douglas to Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
in preparation for a 10.15 sailing back to the Isle of Man. That evening, the return trip departed Douglas at 19.00 in foul weather. A Force 8 gale was blowing in the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
and it was not possible for the ship to berth safely in Workington. Manxman was forced to sail Northwards with over 1,000 passengers on board, and ride out the storm in the shelter of the Solway Firth
Solway Firth
The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very...
. The ship finally docked at Workington at 09.00 the following morning, having given those on board a farewell trip they were unlikely to forget in a hurry. 1 September saw the final departure from Llandudno
Llandudno
Llandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
, and that evening the ship sailed light to Liverpool in preparation for what would be her penultimate public sailing.
At 09.35 on 4 September 1982, Manxman departed Liverpool with her last ever sailing for the Isle of Man Steam Packet: a charter to Douglas run under the name 'Finished With Engines'. Slipping from the landing stage stern
Stern
The stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...
first, she turned in the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
before heading downstream towards the sea. Long salutes on the ships whistle were sounded as she passed fellow Steam Packet vessel Manx Maid
Manx Maid
Manx Maid . No. 186352. Steel; twin-screw geared turbine. Manx Maid was built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead in 1962, and was the second ship in the Company's history to bear the name.-Dimensions:...
still berthed at the landing stage, and also with the small excursion ship Royal Iris. Further towards the sea she passed Mona's Queen, a little further on Lady of Mann, and finally Ben-my-Chree
Ben-my-Chree
-Ships:Six ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company:**HMS Ben-my-Chree, seaplane carrier converted from Ben-my-Chree, sunk in 1917*TSS Ben-my-Chree *TSS Ben-my-Chree — launched 1998...
. Sailing into Douglas, Manxman was greeted by many small ships which had sailed out to greet her. Passengers were able to enjoy 5 hours ashore before the advertised 18.30 departure, her last sailing from the Isle of Man.
A dismal evening departure with drizzle and mist seemed to match the mood of many on board as Manxman left Douglas behind for good. With the Onchan Silver Band
Onchan Silver Band
The Onchan Silver Band is a community-based fourth section band based on the Isle of Man.- Early years :The formation of the Onchan Silver Band was first proposed on Monday 4 January 1937 at a public meeting held in St Peter's parish hall, Onchan. The essential components required were a keen...
playing, and a flotilla of small vessels once more accompanying her, she set sail for Liverpool one last time. At sea, the weather improved dramatically, and she sailed under clear skies and a bright moon with the lights of North Wales and North West England visible on the shore. After arrival, Manxman was to be laid up at Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
pending a decision on her future.
On 21 September 1982 it was announced that TSS Manxman had been saved from the scrap man, and had been purchased by Marda (Squash) Ltd. for a sum in the region of £100,000. The company intended for her to be the centrepiece of a new leisure complex at Preston Docks. Manxman was to be sailed there under her own steam, a final outing in passenger service. She departed her berth at Birkenhead at 08.28 on 1 October, sailing the short distance to Liverpool Landing Stage where she moored. On 3 October, with passengers paying £12.50 for a single ticket, and with beer on sale at 1955 prices (10p per pint), Manxman departed Liverpool at 09.07. She berthed at Preston at 12.45 and 'finished with engines' was rung on the ships telegraph at 12.48.
Decline
Following withdrawal from revenue service, and relocation to Preston Docks, Manxman's new owners intended to convert her into a floating museum and visitor centre. This venture was not a success, and the ship was subsequently developed into a floating nightclub and restaurant.While in Preston docks she was used as a location for the film 'Yentl' with Barbara Streisand. She also featured in a Granada series called 'Scramble' with Richard and Judy (before they were an item) the show provided help to people setting up businesses.
Redevelopment of the Preston docks area once again made the Manxman homeless, and she was towed to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1991 where once again she was to be used as a floating nightclub in the Trafalgar Docks area.
In 1993 she was again moved, this time to Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, being moored in the disused Ruscador Dry Dock. Here, a fire which broke out in August 1997 seriously damaged many of the vintage wood panels of the ships interior, and she was moved to the yard of Pallion Engineering Company Ltd. on the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
, in the shadow of the Queen Alexandra Bridge in Sunderland, where she remains to this day inside Pallion DRY DOCK. Images of her present state in dry dock at Pallion can be seen at http://www.shipsofmann.org.uk/Manxman.htm. (info provided by Keith Lloyd 270210)
Pallion on numerous occasions had threatened to scrap this vintage vessel. Manxman was finally broken up in April 2011.
Preservation campaign
A preservation group, The Manxman Steamship Company has been formed with the aim of securing the historic ship, the last of her line, and the last remaining classic British passenger turbine steamer. She is also the last surviving passenger ship constructed by Cammell LairdCammell Laird
Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
.
A charity cruise on board the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's Lady of Mann
MS Panagia Soumela
The MS Lady of Mann was a side-loading car ferry built for and operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. She was built in 1976 by Ailsa Shipbuilding in Troon, Scotland...
took place to raise funds for the Manxman.
Numerous celebrities have been known to support The Manxman Steamship Company, including Paul O'Grady
Paul O'Grady
Paul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
, Tom O'Connor
Tom O'Connor
Tom O'Connor is a British actor and comedian. He is best known for presenting game shows such as Crosswits, The Zodiac Game, Name That Tune, I've Got A Secret and Gambit.- Early life :...
and Ken Dodd
Ken Dodd
Kenneth Arthur Dodd OBE is a British comedian and singer songwriter, famous for his frizzy hair or “fluff dom” and buck teeth or “denchers”, his favourite cleaner, the feather duster and his greeting "How tickled I am!", as well as his send-off “Lots and Lots of Happiness!”...
.
It was announced in March 2010 that the S.S. Manxman is to be dismantled in Pallion shipyard very soon.
January 2011 and the ship is currently being dismantled in Pallion shipyard.
Technical specifications
- Boiler: 2 × Babcock and Wilcox water tube boilers.
- Operating Boiler Pressure: 340 p.s.i.
- Main Engines: 2 × Pametrada (Parsons and Marine Engineering Turbine Research and Development Association) Steam Turbines, each developing 4,250 s.h.p.
- Rotor speed: 4290 r.p.m.
- Gearing: double reduction.
- Propeller speed: 275 r.p.m.
- During sea trials on the River ClydeRiver ClydeThe River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
on 12 May 1955, TSS Manxman achieved the speed of 21.95 knots. - Passenger certificate: the original passenger certificate issued on 19 May 1955 was for 1049 1st Class and 1344 3rd Class passengers. In 1967 the vessel was converted to single class accommodation with a certificate for 2032 passengers and 60 crew.
External links
- Records of Manxman Steamship Company, are available at Yahoo Group named ssmanxman (free to join)
- History of TSS Manxman at the Ships of Man website
- Feature on 'Manxman' on BBC Inside Out website
- 'Manxman' to be dismantled - BBC News, April 2010