Much-missed former Mersey Ferry Royal Iris begins to sink

Feb 10 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

ONE of the best-loved and most missed Mersey ferries has begun to sink.

The Royal Iris, which left service in 1991, was last week found to be taking on water in the Thames.

London Police and RNLI lifeboatmen were called in to find water swamped up to the level of the deck and evidence of squatters living on board.

Station manager Ian Dunkley said the boat had been on the river for at least eight years.

He said: “It’s a bit of an undignified ending for her.”

Officials are now trying to track down the current owners of the ferry.

The Royal Iris was built for Wallasey Ferries in 1950, and entered service on May 5, 1951.

During the Merseybeat era The Beatles and other leading local bands performed on the boat during cruises.

The boat was initially licensed to carry 2,296 passengers on normal ferry duties, or 1,000 for cruising.

In 1991 she was retired because an overhaul would have cost £4m.

After that she was bought by a southern company which towed her to Cardiff and planned to convert her to a floating nightspot, but when authorities refused permission, she was moved to London in 2002.