Life After Plymouth: Western Belle
Something slightly different to the usual "Life After Plymouth":
Built to the order of the Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co. Ltd in 1935, the Western Belle immediately established herself as the company's new flagship and for nearly fifty years was the firm favourite on Tamar and Yealm excursions. In 2007 she was purchased from Chris Cruises where she had worked for a time on the River Thames. She was completely refurbished by Ullswater 'Steamers', and re-launched onto her new home in early July 2010. Seen approaching the pier at Glenrhydding at the southern end of Ullswater on Sunday 7th August 2014. 
© Ian Kirby
Recommended Reading
- FOCUS TRANSPORT: CORNISH TRANSPORT BOOST FOR ISLES OF SCILLY Penzance and the Isles of Scilly have been awarded more than £7m in funding to improve transport links. LONDON BUS DRIVERS IN PROTEST MARCH Hundreds of London's bus drivers have taken part in a protest march to demand collective bargaining. Members of Unite want an end to salary differences between firms that can see pay differ from £17,000 to £25,000.
- PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE: Crazy Conflict on Coronation Street (2) .. Clearly SWC's aim is to cream off enough of First's route 2 and route 3 traffic to make a profit. Is this likely? Is there enough business from these estates to justify two operations? Of course there isn't. Northampton Newspeak Nonsense This fine imposing main entrance on the main road, presenting a dramatic improvement in the station's image (etc. etc. blah blah) may look like the main entrance ... but it isn't.
- DENNIS BASFORD: Coaches 'Scene' in the Southwest A few days holiday based in Weymouth allowed me to have a look at what goes on in that part of the world. The buses of the Southwest will feature in a later ‘blog’.
- NORWICH BUSES: A day of rare allocations This begs the question, why would Konectbus send away their deckers if there is still some need to use them?
- IAN VISITS: A bale of straw for Tower Bridge Due to works on the central section of Tower Bridge, headroom below for boats will be reduced, and as such, under ancient rules, a bale of straw is to be suspended from the bridge to warn boats.
I remember the Millbrook Steamboat and Trading Company vessels back in the 1970's and 1980's operating on Tamar and Yealm excursions from Phoenix Wharf.
ReplyDeleteTheir fleet consisted of the Northern Belle, Southern Belle, Eastern Belle, Western Belle and Plymouth Belle. There were also two other vessels, Lady Elizabeth and Cardiff Castle.
The Northern Belle has been operating on the Cremyll Ferry for the best part of 80 years (although has been out of service for some time since being involved in a collision with a Landing Craft, replaced by Edgcumbe Belle).
The Southern Belle was primarily used on the Tamar and now operates out of Great Yarmouth.
The Eastern Belle was primarily used on the Tamar and also as the Cremyll Ferry relief boat, she has been renamed Karina and operates out of Laxey on the Isle of Man.
The Western Belle operated Tamar, Yealm and coastal excursions (as far as Looe) and is now on Ullswater (as per the article).
The Plymouth Belle was primarily used on the Tamar and as occasional Cremyll Ferry relief boat and is currently the Barbican to Mountbatten ferry (painted in a hideous yellow colour scheme).
The Lady Elizabeth operated as the Drakes Island ferry and now operates out of Falmouth.
The Cardiff Castle is now on the River Dart at Dartmouth.
Most of the vessels were powered by Gardner diesel engines.