Ferry Cambria at Carlisle Pier - June 1975
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History | |
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Name |
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Owner |
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Operator |
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Port of registry | |
Route |
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Builder | Harland and Wolff, Belfast |
Yard number | 1368 |
Launched | 21 September 1948 |
Maiden voyage | 1949 |
Identification | IMO number: 5059020 |
Fate | Foundered 15 January 1985 |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | 4,972 gross register tons (GRT) |
Length | 379.5 ft (115.7 m) |
Beam | 54.2 ft (16.5 m) |
Draught | 27.5 ft (8.4 m) |
Speed | 15 knots |
MV Cambria was a twin screw motor vessel operated by the British Transport Commission from 1948 to 1962 and British Rail from 1962 to 1976. [2] Together with her sister ship the MV Hibernia she served the Holyhead to Dún Laoghaire route across the Irish Sea. [3]
She was built by Harland and Wolff of Belfast, launched in 1948 for the British Transport Commission and started service in 1949. [4] She replaced a smaller 1920 vessel of the same name, the twin screw steamer Cambria, and despite a large size had a reduced maximum speed of 21 knots (39 km/h) compared to 25 knots (46 km/h) of the older ship. [5] In 1951 she was fitted with Denny-Brown stabilisers. In 1964–65 they were refurbished with airline style seating. Some cabins and staterooms were removed and replaced with second-class lounges, and a cafeteria. The screened areas were extended to provide further covered seating, and the first and second class smokerooms were converted into a tea lounge. [4]
She was sold in 1976 to the Orri Navigation Company in Saudi Arabia and became the Al Taif. [6]