Page "Mersey Ferry" Paragraph 40

The " Royal " prefix was granted to the ferries Iris and Daffodil for their service during the First World War where they were instrumental at the Mole in Zeebrugge.

Both ferries were badly damaged but returned home to a triumphant greeting.

Since the original duo's withdrawal, there have been other Royals.

The Royal Daffodil 2 was arguably the most luxurious ferry ever built.

She was hit by a bomb and sunk at her berth in the Second World War, but later raised and returned to service, with little of her pre-war splendour.

Perhaps the most famous Royal is the Royal Iris of 1951.

She was the best loved of all the Mersey ferries.

She was the first diesel powered vessel of the Wallasey fleet.

She had four diesel generators connected to two Metrovick marine propulsion units.

She differed to all the other ferries as she had super smooth lines and a dummy funnel in place.

She played host to hundreds of party cruises and bands such as Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Beatles and also Elvis Costello.

She received a major refit in the 1970s and her popular fish and chip cafe-which earned her the name " the fish and chip boat "-was removed and replaced with a steak bar.

The Royal Iris remained in service for nearly 40 years before being sold in 1993-two years after withdrawal-for use as a floating nightclub.

She is now berthed at Woolwich, London.

Attempts to bring her back to Merseyside have come to nothing due to the prohibitive cost of making her fit for a 1, 000 mile journey coastwise.

It is ironic that the Royal Iris finds herself close to the waters from which another Royal Daffodil once sailed.