Scan from, P Ransome-Wallis, Roy Thornton Collection Steel twin screw turbine steamer, one of three identical stern-loading railway ferry boats ordered by the Southern Railway in 1933 for their intended new Dover-Dunkirk ferry service. Built by Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Walker-on-Tyne (Yard No. 1448), and engined by Parson’s Marine Steam Turbine Co. Ltd., Messrs. Yarrow & Co. of Scotstoun, Glasgow, providing the oil-fired boilers. Launched July 30th, 1934.
 Technical Data
ID Number - 5141433 Length on deck - 346.8 ft(105.36m) Breadth of hull - 60.7 ft(18.50m) Depth - 18.2 ft(5.55m) Draught - 12.5 ft (loaded) Tonnage - 2,839 gross 1,044 net 1,200 deadweight Speed - 16.5 knots (max), 15 knots (service) Engines - 4 Parson’s single reduction steam turbines of 948 nominal horse power in two sets, each driving one screw Power -3,300 kW Capacity - 500 passengers, 12 sleeping cars and 2 baggage wagons (or 40 x 25 -foot (7.62m) goods wagons) 25 cars.
History July 30th 1934: Launched. November 1934: Delivered to Southern Railways, London, England. November 13th 1934: Arrived at Dover, but had to be sent to Southampton until the ferry berth was ready. October 3rd 1936: Commenced service for goods trucks only between Dover - Dunkerque. October 12th 1936: Inaugural voyage, with passengers, between Dover - Dunkerque
Roy Thornton Collection
August 25th 1939: Rebuilt to a mine-layer. Renamed HMS HAMPTON. September 11th 1939: Began laying mines in the Channel off Dover. January 1940: Returned to Dover to carry war material to Dunkerque. February 1940: Horse stalls were erected in the garages and in the train decks and the sisters conveyed over 12,000 horses, personnel and equipment of most of the British Army Cavalry Regiments to France, where they were entrained en route to Palestine. May 1940: Again used as a mine-layer to extend the East Coast protective mine barrier. September 1940 - April 1944: Used as a troop-transport between Stranraer - Larne. August 1944: After being held in reserve at Southampton. Began to carry engines and wagons to France. Fitted with special cranes on the vessels stern, weighing 258 tons and jutting 35 feet beyond the vessels stern. Similar to a kind of derrick fitted with great straps for lifting engines, each strap weighing 2.5 cwt. For vehicles of less than 60 tons a ramp was used, and beyond that the derrick, which could cope with a load of 84 tons and would first lift and turn the engine and then drop it gently on board.. A ferry’s full load was 16 locomotives, with the engines ready coaled and about 20 trucks. One interesting point about the HAMPTON was that beyond crew, she had ships staff of 18 American soldiers who were under the direct command of the ships Master (Captain Munton). They looked after the gear, did all the greasing, and adjusted the straps for lifting.
Roy Thornton Collection
October 1947: Sent to the Clyde for conversion and refitting for commercial service. 1947: Redelivered to Southern Railways and re-installed in train-ferry service.
Roy Thornton Collection
January 1st 1948: Registered to British Transport Commission, Southern Region. 1950: Specially fitted with additional flooring on the train deck to allow her to take more cars and lorries. Capacity increased to carry nearly 100 cars at a time.
Roy Thornton Collection
February 18th 1950: Slightly damaged when she struck the South Pier at Dover. July 8th 1951:Collided into the end of the breakwater near the Eastern Entrance, severely damaging her bows.
Roy Thornton Collection
August 24th 1951: Returned to service after repair. February 17th 1953: Collided with the British cargo vessel RIPPINGHAM GRANGE, in dense fog off the French coast. June 18th 1953: After refitting and repairs at Cardiff, including having her rear doors stiffened, she arrived at Stranraer. June 19th 1953 - October 2nd 1961: Operated a seasonal sailing to and from Larne, based in Scotland in the summer and going back to Dover in the winter-time. Whilst in the north, her train deck was entirely covered with planks to accommodate the drive-on cars, the upper garage not being used at all for this purpose, serving instead as covered seating for passengers. October 3rd 1961: Sailed back to Dover, and re-introduced between Dover - Dunkerque. January 1st 1963: British Railways Board succeeded British Transport Commission. 1963: Operated for a short while as relief between Dover - Boulogne
Roy Thornton Collection
1963 - 1964: Vessels painted in the new livery of British Railways, (blue hull and red funnels) and the “Double -Arrow”
Roy Thornton Collection
1968: Rebuilt at Heckbereich for the new ramp at Dunkerque.
Roy Thornton Collection
November 1969: Sold to Claxton Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda. Renamed TRE-ARDDUR.
Andreas Wörteler Collection
December 9th 1969: Laid up in Faslane. Fitted with new boilers and diesel engines. June 29th 1971: Towed from Faslane to Piraeus. July 19th 1971: Arrived at Piraeus 1971: Laid up in Piraeus. July 5th 1973: Towed from Piraeus to Valencia for scrapping.
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