Sealink-Holyhead: Normannia - Holyhead's First Car Ferry

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The Normannia - Holyhead's First Car Ferry

Built:	1952, Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, Scotland
Length:	309ft 2ins
Beam:	49ft 8ins
Draught:	12ft 6ins
Tonnage:	2,217 gross
Passengers:	500
Vehicles:	111 cars
Propulsion:	Two Denny turbines, oil fired boilers.
Speed:	19 knots

The historic moment in July 1965 when a car ferry entered Dun Laoghaire for the first time, with Dover's Capt J Giddy and Holyhead's Capt A Robertson on the bridge. The Normannia was built in 1952 as a passenger ship for the Southampton - Le Havre service and converted to a stern loading car ferry for the Dover - Boulogne run in 1964. On 9 July 1965 she opened the new car ferry link between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire pending the late arrival of the new Holyhead Ferry 1 from her builders. The Normannia was released on 19 July when she returned to the English Channel and there she continued to operated until 1978 when she was sold for scrap. © Justin Merrigan Collection

The tiny car deck on board the 94 metres long ship. © Roy Thornton Collection	The Normannia. © Roy Thornton Collection	The Normannia leaves Dover Eastern Docks for Boulogne. © Roy Thornton Collection
The Normannia. © Roy Thornton Collection	On the bottom at Dover's Western Docks having grounded on arrival from Boulogne. © Roy Thornton Collection	With a holed engine room, the Normannia settles on the bottom at Dover. © Roy Thornton Collection
Alongside at Newhaven ready for a new season. © Mike Taplin	Leaving Dover for Boulogne, September 1976. © Photo: Albert Novelli Collection / © Don Smith Pictureships	Re-registered in Panama for a sale that fell through at the 11th hour. The next transaction brought the ship to Spanish ship breakers. © Les Harris, courtesy of Andrew Gilbert.

Many thanks to Nigel Thornton for access to his late father's collection.

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