MV Snowdrop

MV Snowdrop прибывает на головку пирса
История
Имя	1959-2003: Вудчерч 2003 далее: снежный
Владелец	1959-1968: Birkenhead Corporation 1969 и далее- Мерсеитравел
Оператор	1959-1968: Birkenhead Corporation 1968-1990 гг.: Merseytravel 1990 далее: Mersey Ferries
Порт реестра	1959 далее: Ливерпуль , Великобритания
Ordered	November 1957
Builder	Philip and Son, Dartmouth
Yard number	1305
Launched	October 1959
Christened	October 1959
Maiden voyage	Delivery voyage to the River Mersey from Dartmouth, 1960.
In service	1960 - present
Out of service	1980 – 1983
Identification	IMO number: 8633724
Status	In service
General characteristics
Class and type	IV with seasonal III
Tonnage	617 GT
Length	46.32 m (152 ft 0 in)
Beam	12.2 m (40 ft 0 in)
Draught	2.46 m (8 ft 1 in)
Decks	4 - bridge deck, promenade deck, main deck & lower deck/machine space
Installed power	2 × Wärtsilä diesel engines
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Crew	6 – captain, mate, engineer, deck hands x 2 and catering assistant

MV , Snowdrop - это паром Мерси работающий на реке Мерси , Англия . Начиная с запуска до крупного ремонта в 2003 году, ее назвали MV Woodchurch .

MV Woodchurch

Вудчерч . родственным кораблем MV Mountwood был Оба парома были построены для Birkenhead Corporation и были основаны на дизайне Wallasey Ferries Leasowe и Egremont . Они были построены той же компанией, господа Philip & Son Ltd. из Дартмута и спроектированы военно -морскими архитекторами Грэмом и Вулно. Был какой -то местный сюрприз, когда контракт был заключен Филиппу и Сыну, потому что судостроители Cammell Laird были «по соседству» до паромного терминала Биркенхеда, и считалось, что Lairds автоматически построят новые паромные лодки. Однако их цена не считалась конкурентоспособной.

Named after an overspill post-war housing development of Birkenhead, the Woodchurch was the second of the new Birkenhead diesel ferries. Запущенный Гвендолином М. МакРональдом, женой председателя комитета транспорта Биркенхеда Чарльзом С. МакРональдом MBE, ее корпус покинул Noss Slipway в 15:45 и в реку Дарт в четверг, 29 октября 1959 года. Другими бирконскими высокопоставленными лицами, присутствовавшими на запуске, были миссис Луиза Бейкер, мэр Биркенхеда и Олдерман Хью Платт, лидер Совета и мэр Дартмута. Вечером был официальный ужин в Grand Hotel, Torquay.

After fitting out and sea trials, the ferry was delivered to the Mersey in 1960. The Woodchurch was a popular ship. She was externally and internally identical to the Mountwood. The vessel was 152 ft long (46 m), with a beam of 40 ft (12 m), gross tonnage of 464 and a passenger capacity of 1,200 passengers.

She was given Birkenhead Corporation's orange and black livery. The Woodchurch was powered by two medium speed Crossley diesel engines, which were fitted with air brakes for rapid speed change and could be controlled directly from the bridge via the three pairs of connected Chadburn Synchrostep engine order telegraphs.

The Woodchurch remained in near constant operation up until 1980 when she was withdrawn from service and laid up in Morpeth Dock for reasons of economy. Up until this period there had been minimal maintenance work carried out on the vessel and at one point she even lost the forward port side rubbing strake. She was put up for sale, but no buyer was found. During this time she was cannibalised for parts to keep the other ferries running. By 1983, the ferry was re-painted and overhauled and returned to passenger service.

Alongside her sister, the vessel was withdrawn from service for extensive refurbishment in 1989. The six-month absence from the river was the result of a major rebuild and life extension programme. During this, her bridge wings and wheelhouses were plated over to form one single bridge. Curiously she retained all her original navigation equipment. She returned to service in July 1990.

MV Snowdrop

The Woodchurch was again withdrawn in 2003. The ferry's superstructure was totally removed and replaced. New engines and electrical equipment were installed. The original funnel of Woodchurch was found to be suffering from rust upon removal, so a new funnel was installed on the vessel She was relaunched in 2004. A few months later it was revealed that she would be renamed Snowdrop, alongside the Royal Iris of the Mersey and Royal Daffodil. This renewed a 125-year-old link with the past, with all Mersey ferries now carrying traditional Wallasey "flower" names. The ferry's redesign was not as well received as her two sisters. There appears to be stark contrast between the ships original fine lines and the harsh welding of the Mersey Heritage Ship Repair contractors. The ferry has a large square and box like wheelhouse which does not follow the contours of the ship.

In December 2007, the Snowdrop featured in the Liverpool Nativity, which was broadcast live on BBC Three and repeated on BBC One. Gerry Marsden also made a cameo appearance as the ferry's captain. The ferry is the regular boat used on the Manchester Ship Canal cruises, held over most weekends during the summer months.

MV Snowdrop in dazzle livery, in May 2015, departing from Seacombe

In January 2015, the ferry was selected as a "dazzle ship"; she was given a unique new livery inspired by the First World War dazzle camouflage. Designed by Sir Peter Blake and entitled Everybody Razzle Dazzle, the livery was commissioned by Liverpool Biennial, 14-18 NOW and Tate Liverpool. Snowdrop is one of three vessels commissioned to carry a dazzle livery, the others being Induction Chromatique à Double Fréquence pour l'Edmund Gardner Ship / Liverpool. Paris, 2014 by Carlos Cruz-Diez on the museum ship Edmund Gardner located in the Canning graving dock adjacent to the Pier Head in Liverpool, and Tobias Rehberger's Dazzle Ship London on HMS President in the River Thames. Snowdrop is the only one of these three vessels to be a working vessel.

External links

• Официальный сайт Mersey Ferries
• Фото: Вудчерч
• Фото: Снежон