# The Duke of lancaster



## sureshank (May 4, 2016)

A few months ago i went to see this stunning ship for the first time after wanting to see it for years and it didnt dissapointed me even the 4 hour trip seemed worth it after getting their its a shame you cant get inside the ship but you cant win them all love everything about this ship i love that they got famous graffiti
artist to do some of their work on the ship here is some history on the ship.

the duke of lancaster Along with her sister ships the TSS Duke of Rothesay 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). She was a replacement for the 1928 steamer built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, RMS Duke of Lancaster.

Built at Harland & Wolff, Belfast 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. In this capacity, the Duke of Lancaster travelled to the Scottish islands and further afield to Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Spain.

From the mid-1960s, passenger ships such as the Duke of Lancaster were gradually being superseded by car ferries. Rather than undertake the expensive option of renewing their entire fleet, British Railways instead began a part-programme of conversion. In order to maintain ferry services whilst these modifications took place, the Duke of Lancaster's duties as a cruise ship ceased. On 25 April 1970 the ship returned to service, having had her main deck rebuilt to accommodate vehicles via a door at her stern. The ship now provided space for 1,200 single-class passengers and 105 cars, with a total cabin accommodation for 400 passengers.

The three ships continued on the Heysham-Belfast route until the service was withdrawn on 5 April 1975. The Duke of Lancaster was then briefly employed on the Fishguard-Rosslare crossing, before becoming the regular relief vessel on the Holyhead–Dún Laoghaire service until November 1978.The ship was then laid up at Barrow in Furness, Cumbria.



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr



the duke of Lancaster by kurt roberts, on Flickr


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## jsp77 (May 4, 2016)

nice one, will have to have a look one day.


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## Rubex (May 4, 2016)

Yeah me too, I'd love to see this one! I wonder if anyone has ever explored inside it? Great photos Sureshank


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## sureshank (May 4, 2016)

jsp77 said:


> nice one, will have to have a look one day.



thanks its well worth it


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## sureshank (May 4, 2016)

Rubex said:


> Yeah me too, I'd love to see this one! I wonder if anyone has ever explored inside it? Great photos Sureshank


 thanks its well worth the trip also the last time someone got in wales 2008 before secca was there i heared people have tried and got beatings for it so not worth it now lol


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## Rubex (May 4, 2016)

sureshank said:


> thanks its well worth the trip also the last time someone got in wales 2008 before secca was there i heared people have tried and got beatings for it so not worth it now lol



Haha yeah I'll visit when I'm in Wales. I'll send Mikeymutt in first and see if he gets a beating hahah!


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## sureshank (May 4, 2016)

Rubex said:


> Haha yeah I'll visit when I'm in Wales. I'll send Mikeymutt in first and see if he gets a beating hahah!



haha thats kind of you lol


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## smiler (May 4, 2016)

I enjoyed your take on it sureshank, nicely photographed, Rubex imagine Secca are gonna confiscate your jug, my money's on you but sending Mikey in first sounds good as well


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## sureshank (May 4, 2016)

smiler said:


> I enjoyed your take on it sureshank, nicely photographed, Rubex imagine Secca are gonna confiscate your jug, my money's on you but sending Mikey in first sounds good as well



thank you smiler i think ill be visiting it again soon haha because my friend bought a drone


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## Mikeymutt (May 4, 2016)

How come I always get ganged up on by rubex and smiler.always sent in first ha ha.great set sure shank.I loved my visit here last summer.I got right up to the ship before secca came.he was really nice.but not in the past.it has been done a couple of times but not many


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## Lars. (May 5, 2016)

Rubex said:


> Yeah me too, I'd love to see this one! I wonder if anyone has ever explored inside it? Great photos Sureshank



Yes. The inside was explored a few times back in 2009-ish by members on another forum.


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## flyboys90 (May 5, 2016)

First class images even the graffiti looks better on a sunny day.


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## HKPK214 (May 7, 2016)

Visiting next week with a few friends, think we have found a way on board...


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## sureshank (May 7, 2016)

HKPK214 said:


> Visiting next week with a few friends, think we have found a way on board...


Good luck with secca around it 24/7


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## krela (May 7, 2016)

sureshank said:


> Good luck with secca around it 24/7



and they read this site...


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## sureshank (May 7, 2016)

krela said:


> and they read this site...


 do they lol I'm just saying there no chance getting on it now without permission


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## krela (May 7, 2016)

sureshank said:


> do they lol I'm just saying there no chance getting on it now without permission


Yep I was agreeing with you.


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## sureshank (May 8, 2016)

krela said:


> Yep I was agreeing with you.


Aw fair play lol do they really read this website ?


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## krela (May 8, 2016)

sureshank said:


> Aw fair play lol do they really read this website ?



They sure do. Lots of security do. One of the reasons using exact dates and posting up access info is not allowed here.


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## sureshank (May 8, 2016)

krela said:


> They sure do. Lots of security do. One of the reasons using exact dates and posting up access info is not allowed here.


 aw right lol


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## Lavino (May 8, 2016)

This is the security guy that caught us.... I think we were lucky lol


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