just some info for people on today's ferries, just incase anybody fancies a read lol
The current vessels are Mountwood, Woochurch and Overchurch although over the past 10 years each of these has, in turn, been extensively re built and re engined and also re named with traditional Wallasey names.
The Mountwood and Woodchurch were commissioned by Birkenhead Corporation in 1958 and were based looseley upon the designs of the 1952 Wallasey pair, Leasowe and Egremont. Up until this time Birkenhead had been operating with a fleet of popular but ageing steamships and were lagging behind Wallasey's technologically advanced fleet which included the Royal Iris. They were built by Philip and Sons Shipbuilders at Dartmouth, Devon. The Mountwood's hull was launched on the 31st of July 1959 and Woodchurch in late october of the same year. Both ferries were deilivered to Birkenhead in 1960, replacing the Thurstaston and Claughton. Only the Bidston remained of the old steamers. They were joined in 1962 by the Cammel Laird built Overchurch, which was similar in design to the slightly older pair, but what of the ferries themselves?
Well the Mountwood and Woodchurch each weighed around 460 tonnes each. They were powered by two Crossley diesel engines which propelled them at a top speed of around 12 knots. The engines were fitted with air brakes for rapid reversal. They had, on the main deck, a central saloon, below this was the buffet and smoke room for special functions. For'd of this was the fwd main deck saloon which was heated. On the top deck there was a forward shelter beneath the bridge with a forward promanade deck. The main prom deck was aft of the bridge. The bridges originally had a central control room / wheelhouse and two navigation boxes used when berthing. The wheelhouse contained the brass helm and telemotor, a pair of Chadburns synchrostep telegraphs, rudder angle indicators, whistle controls, CB radio, speed and engine indicators as well as switches for the deck and nav lights. There was also a large binnacle with compass. The docking wings or navigation boxes had pairs of telegraphs which were linked to the wheelhouse ones and another binnacle and various other controls. Overchurch differed from the Mountwood and Woodchurch in the fact that she had a higher funnel that joined onto the bridge, and the bridge spanned the full width of the ship, not like the Mountwood and Woodchurch's wheelhouse and nav boxes. There was also a bridge deck around the funnel. The equipment on Overchurch's bridge and the engines were identical to the slightly older pair.
All the ferries remained in operation through the merger of the two companies under the control of the PTE, and were never sold off. The Mountwood and Woodchurch were withdrawn in 1989 for major refurbishment which saw complete rewiring, re decorating and the bridge wings and wheelhouse were plated to form a single bridge, though the equipment inside remained the same as built. Overchurch was also refurbished though not as extensively as the sisters. They were given a new black and red livery. They all remained in operation up until 1998 when Overchurch was withdrawn and re engined and re built as the Royal Daffodil. Mountwood recieved the same treatment in 2001, emerging as Royal Iris of the Mersey and Woodchurch in 2003 becoming the Snowdrop.
I'll post more info on the rebuilds soon.
Here is a list of funnel liveries used on these ferries.
1. Orange and Black - Original Birkenhead Corp Colours
2. Primrose yellow and powder blue - First PTE colours
3. Green and Black - Second PTE colours
4. Red, White and Blue - Given for the garden festival in 1984
5. Current Red and Black livery - Recieved 1990
James x
please excuse any spelling errors lol
