Earl Siward
At Holyhead's Refit Berth in June 1981, preparing for her final spell of service on the Dun Laoghaire run. © Johan Inpijn
Like the Holyhead Ferry I the Dover also underwent major surgery, sailing to the Danish yard of Aalborg Vaerft A/S in September 1976. She was still there in April 1977 when the newly built St Columba left on her delivery voyage to Holyhead under the command of Captain Len Evans, himself a former master of the Dover.
The conversion was a little more involved than that on near sister Holyhead Ferry I/Earl Leofric. While the rearrangement of the forecastle to make way for the bow door and visor was extensive the ship also received thicker vehicle deck plating to accommodate heavier axle loads. The opportunity was also taken to remove asbestos insulation from the passenger and crew areas.
Renamed Earl Siward, after the 11th century Danish Earl of Northumbria, the drive through ship returned to Dover on 1 July 1977. Her passenger capacity had been reduced from 100 persons to just 680 while the car deck capacity rose only marginally from 203 to 209. But of course she could now accommodate a greater amount of freight and this did not have to be reversed onboard as in her stern loading days.
The conversion of the Dover/Earl Siward was very much a band-aid for Sealink's Dover to Calais services which was losing the competition battle against the private sector company Townsend Thoresen. The long awaited news that all concerned with the crossing had waited so long for finally came early in 1978 with the announcement of a contract with Harland & Wolff at Belfast for two new double deck ferries for delivery in 1980. The Earl Siward's days were numbered.
The new St Anselm replaced the Earl Leofric in service on 27 October 1980, the steamer sailing to Newhaven for lay-up pending sale. However just days later the Earl Siward suffered engine trouble and the 'Leofric' was recalled for a final spell of duty, ending when the 'Siward' returned to service on 17 December.
The ship was called in to cover for the Vortigern when she suffered an engine room fire while on passage between Folkestone and Ostend on 16 January 1981. But then the steamer was herself to fail with boiler trouble on 18 January resulting in a week off service. A further spell off service occurred on 28 February - the ship was becoming troublesome. Her career on the Dover Strait came to an end shortly after, arriving at Folkestone from Calais for the final time on 14 April. The next day saw the new St Christopher enter service opposite sister ship St Anselm.
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Before her disposal, and after a period in lay-up at Newhaven with the Earl Leofric, the Dover/Earl Siward was to enjoy one final spell of service at Holyhead operating the additional 'second ship' summer sailings from 22 June 1981. Holyhead was not entirely happy about receiving a steamer at the end of her career and the Irish services had already announced the Hengist as the second ship for the summer. But Dover/Folkestone were having none of it! After drydocking and overhaul in Holyhead the Earl Siward operated for 17 days before being replaced by the chartered Prinsessan Desirée.
When the Earl Siward quietly departed Dun Laoghaire under a cloud of black smoke on 8 July the few onlookers on the piers were not just witnessing the ship's final departure, but the end of an era as the last Railway-owned turbine steamer to operate on the Irish Sea disappeared over the horizon.
The Earl Siward at Holyhead following her final Irish Sea service. © Ken Larwood
On her way back around to Newhaven for lay-up the Earl Siward was hastily called to Weymouth where she entered service to the Channel Islands on 11 July for three days following a fire in the Earl Granville and a grounding for the Earl William. The 112.5 metre long ship became the largest ferry to use the inner harbour at St Helier, Jersey.
The Earl Siward laid up at Newhaven pending sale. © Mike Taplin
The ship was sold four months later, sailing from Newhaven on 25 November as the Sol Express; destination Cyprus. Unbelievably, all her spare parts had gone to the breakers yard on board the Earl Leofric.