| Ferry crosses the Mersey on final voyage after 66 years in service Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:48, 29th March 2026 |     |
From the BBC:
Ferry crosses the Mersey on final voyage after 66 years
Launched in 1959, the Royal Iris will be replaced by a new vessel
An "iconic" ferry that crossed on the River Mersey for 66 years has set sail on its final voyage.
The Royal Iris of the Mersey featured in the 1965 film Ferry Cross the Mersey, starring the band Gerry and the Pacemakers, who also sang the legendary title song.
It is set to be replaced by the new £26m vessel Royal Daffodil later this year, with an interim service to be run on the Snowdrop, a vessel nicknamed the Dazzle Ferry because of its design by Sir Peter Blake, who created the Beatles' Sgt Pepper album cover.
Liam Phelan of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said the Royal Iris is estimated to have carried more than 17 million people since 1960 between Liverpool and Wirral. "Locally, she's as iconic probably as the Graces and the Mersey Tunnels," he added. "She's part of the history of the Mersey and obviously today's a bit of a sad day for us."
(BBC article continues)
Launched in 1959, the Royal Iris will be replaced by a new vessel
An "iconic" ferry that crossed on the River Mersey for 66 years has set sail on its final voyage.
The Royal Iris of the Mersey featured in the 1965 film Ferry Cross the Mersey, starring the band Gerry and the Pacemakers, who also sang the legendary title song.
It is set to be replaced by the new £26m vessel Royal Daffodil later this year, with an interim service to be run on the Snowdrop, a vessel nicknamed the Dazzle Ferry because of its design by Sir Peter Blake, who created the Beatles' Sgt Pepper album cover.
Liam Phelan of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said the Royal Iris is estimated to have carried more than 17 million people since 1960 between Liverpool and Wirral. "Locally, she's as iconic probably as the Graces and the Mersey Tunnels," he added. "She's part of the history of the Mersey and obviously today's a bit of a sad day for us."
(BBC article continues)
Rather poignant for me: I, too, was 'launched' in 1959, in the Devonport Hospital maternity ward overlooking the ferry there.
