TSS Duke of Rothesay

Duke of Rothesay at Fishguard in August 1969
Career
Name:	TSS Duke of Rothesay
Owner:	1956–1963: British Transport Commission 1963–1975: Sealink
Operator:	1956–1963: British Transport Commission 1963–1975: Sealink
Port of registry:	Lancaster, United Kingdom
Route:	1956–1967: Heysham – Belfast 1967–1971: Fishguard – Rosslare
Builder:	William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton
Launched:	1956
Maiden voyage:	1956
Out of service:	1975
Fate:	Scrapped
General characteristics
Type:	Turbine steam ship
Tonnage:	4,797 GT
Length:	114.63 m (376 ft 1 in)
Beam:	17.46 m (57 ft 3 in)
Draught:	4.54 m (14 ft 11 in)
Installed power:	2 x Parmetrada steam turbines
Speed:	21 Knots
Capacity:	1800 passengers

The Duke of Rothesay was a railway steamer passenger ship that operated in Europe from 1956 to 1975.

In service

Along with her sister ships the TSS Duke of Lancaster (1956) and the TSS Duke of Argyll she was amongst the last passenger-only steamers built for British Railways (at that time, also a ferry operator).^[1] She was a replacement for the 1928 steamer built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, RMS Duke of Rothesay.

Built at William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton and completed in 1956, she was designed to operate as both a passenger ferry (primarily on the Heysham-Belfast route) and as a cruise ship.^[2]

She provided some relief services between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire in 1965 and 1966.

In March 1967, she was converted to a side loading car ferry by Cammell Laird to be used on the Fishguard to Rosslare service, which continued until the Caledonian Princess started in 1971. The Main Deck was gutted and space made for 100 cars.

In October 1975, she was towed from Holyhead to Faslane to be broken up.

References