# Isle of Man TT races ship charters



## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Hi,

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co have confirmed that they will have 3 vessels on charter for the TT races fortnight. They will be - 

mv Diamant (Plastic fast thing) - Douglas to Heysham route
mv P&O Express (Plastic fast thing) - Douglas to Larne route
mv Moondance (proper metal ship - 1978 / 3045gt) - Relief vessel for bikes and cars on the Douglas to Heysham route.

They don't mention what will be covering the old Lady of Mann's summer sailings....but she will be sorely missed.

Rushie


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## Bob S (Jul 12, 2004)

When is the TT fortnight?
The SEACAT DIAMANT has recently returned to layup in Tilbury Dock afer a maintenance period in Rotterdam.


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Hi Robert,

May 27th to 9th June

Rushie


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## rstimaru (Jun 15, 2005)

Seacat Diamant i have been on her quite a few times out of Dover- zeebruger and i have never known to do a trip without problems, she was always half speed or we will be late geting there/home she is a wonderful ship/boat but i have never been on her when she worked


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Funny that...when I made enquiries through the Steam Packet Press Office they stressed that she was soooooooooo much faster than the Lady of Mann....time will tell...!!

Rushie


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## Bob S (Jul 12, 2004)

rushie said:


> Hi Robert,
> 
> May 27th to 9th June
> 
> Rushie


Cheers Rushie, will keep an eye open for the Diamant's departure from Tilbury. I crossed the channel on her a few days before the route closed, she went pretty well on the occassion.


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## fred henderson (Jun 13, 2005)

Bob S said:


> Cheers Rushie, will keep an eye open for the Diamant's departure from Tilbury. I crossed the channel on her a few days before the route closed, she went pretty well on the occassion.


She is for sale, with the rest of Seacontainers fleet.

Fred


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## sleepyjean (Feb 8, 2006)

The Diamante is due in Manx Waters on 24th May.... 
http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/News/Steam-Packet-Lines-Up-Fleet-For-2006-TT-Invasion.htm


Here is some recent pics of the Lady undergoin her stern conversion...
http://apostolossphotos.fotopic.net/p24009481.html

Also here is the link to the Manx Radio webcam..... it overlooks Douglas Harbour & Bay and you can even see the boats/ferries/cats entering or leaving the harbour....
http://www.manxradio.com/webcam.aspx

Here is some recent pics of the Mona's Queen in the Phillipines..... I found the mass of metal bunks very disturbing.... I wonder how long her passages take?? 
http://www.merseyshipping.co.uk/photofeatures/worldshipping/marythequeen0106/marythequeen.htm

http://www.monasqueen.wanadoo.co.uk/Tour the Ship.htm

Here is some recent info on the recent vandalism of the Manxman..... she is due to be scrapped any time now.....
http://www.manxman-som.fsnet.co.uk/Last chance for the Manxman.htm

Here is a few pics of the once named Manx Viking (the ferry I worked on)
http://www.merseyshipping.co.uk/photofeatures/worldshipping/manxviking/manxviking.htm
Hope that little lot keeps u all happy lol......
sorry if I have duplicated anything but I am still trying to find my way around this site.....


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## Frank P (Mar 13, 2005)

sleepyjean said:


> The Diamante is due in Manx Waters on 24th May....
> http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/News/Steam-Packet-Lines-Up-Fleet-For-2006-TT-Invasion.htm
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the links sleepyjean,

I have often traveled on the ferries in the Philippines. I have noticed that most of the ferries are Ex Japanese or Ex Korean ships. I will look out for the Monas Queen the next time that I am there,(it depends on which of the islands the ferry is traveling to).

Frank


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

Hey, does anyone remember Geoff Duke, Bob MacIntyre and Nortons followed by John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and MV's.
It really was the other way. Big old Bangers V's Sewing machines.
Those were the days.
Spectators up on the road side behind low hedge rows or behind straw bales.
Sorry, must be having a blond moment, TT always in June, missed it again.
Cheers


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Aleddy,

Geoff Duke still lives on the island and produces all the TT videos.

When I was there Joey Dunlop was my hero (rip)....and his crowns were taken over by Steve Hislop (also rip I believe).

The TT's were superb to watch. Most of the riders were not proffessional and entered for the thrill of it all. Many lost their lives....and the races were often criticised, but my personal view, and I can bear substance to this, as I knew many who took part, was that they did it as a lifetime ambition, to take part in the TT. They knew the risks involved...full stop. It is unique still to this day that you don't have to be a proffessional rider to enter...long may it continue...!

Thanks for bringing back happy race watching memories...!

Rushie

I


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## terence (Aug 14, 2005)

foggy was it not ?


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

Hi Rushie
Superb to watch as you say, all the public road races were so much better than the private track events of which there were none in NI, Ulster GP and Northwest 200 to name only a couple were all raced on public roads and as you say many of the riders were amateurs.
I did John Hartle a great disservice in Bracketing MH with Surtees on the MV's, MH came later.
What has this to do with SN, the Manx ferry of course Belfast to Douglas, like a double event on a few ocassions in my youth.
The Duke lives on then, good on i'm.
Cheers
Ted


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

*isle of man TT races ship charters*

hi,aleddy.I hope you arn't refering to the mighty MV3's and 4's as sewing machines.If you have ever stood next to them in the pits when they are being warmed up pre race,the thunder of the engine beats the sound of a yank tank muscle car any day.there is nothing more demonic in sound that an old classic MV Agusta.absolutely wonderfull to the ears and a great hang over cure!


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

Hi NHP651,
being a sore loser Manx Norton fan it's natural that I should scrape the bottom of the barrell ( not that I was ever in the barrell of course) to find some fault with those winning walkovers repeately dished out from those red painted go faster over reving sewing machines called MV Agusta's.
True about the thunder in the pits but the scream of the engine with the back wheel on the ground along the straight was just like an overreving sewing machine, in fact music to the ears.
As a fan of the sport it was a love hate relationship for me.
Don't know about the hangover cure as i was too young and starry eyed and don't forget about the sail home in the Manx Ferry.
No sour Grapes,
I loved it
Ted


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

*isle of man tt races ship charters*

if you are a manx norton fan,do you have a spare 50 grand.if so i've just the pressy for you.geoff dukes very own manx norton that he road in one of his races.not mine,ohhhh how I wish it was,but I know a man who does have the machine,or perhaps Tonny Rutter's own works ducati that he came second in the 1984 senior gp.now thats a beauty and could be yours for 20k+.again sadly not mine but another friends who would be open to an offer on that price so he tells me.ah well we can all always dream.me myself would settle for a dbd34.cheers,neil.but what has this to do with ships.well just like ships they are themselves a work of art.

p.s.how old are you.where you ever at Amaroo park in 1977 to see mike the bike race his manx norton in the classics race.boy what a day that was.28 years ago and i remember it like yesterday.gave the old actor keenan wynne a stubby out of my eski and got invited out with my aussie mates to an evening of luxury,the racing was pretty bonza as well.


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

Hi Neil,
Don't believe I could sit on one of those machines for very long these days but i could find a space in the lounge room for them if the wife would allow me but I won't hold my breath waiting for permission.
Have never been to a bike race in OZ since arriving here in 65 but been to Bathurst once to see the sports sedans race, Holdens racing Fords, boring stuff, not enough variety and not even a boat ride at the end of the day.
Bike racing gets good TV coverage late at night as does F1.
Philip Island (bikes) and Albert Park (F1) both live coverage once a year, and if Ozzies are doing well there is frenzied support.
The good times of Brabham, Jones, Gardener and Doohan are long gone, but someone is doing well in the Super bikes at the moment and there is also that Indy cars event once a year.
Have enjoyed our brief exchange on bikes and would have to concede to you as you have been on the ever winning MV. Did you ever see Gilera's racing? they were before my time.
Best we give this space back to the Seafarers before we get in trouble.
Cheers
Ted


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## Tim Turner (Dec 23, 2005)

I have the opposite of fond memories of TT races in the 70's when they drained all the petrol out of your bike, sold it to taxis n Liverpool, then discharged you at 6am in the morning on the IOM where petrol was dear and all the petrol stations refused to open before 8am.

I saw a great big lump of a Honda Gold Wing go up in the air on a crane, then descend under the power of gravity to the deck, and the ensuing scuffle. If the cork that we all bobbed around in had sunk I doubt if there would have been sufficient lifeboats. It was an atmospheric experience [email protected]


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

*isle of man tt races ship charters.*

ah! sweet memories.The way the passengers were treated on those trips defies belief.but as you say atmospheric.I once saw a Brough Superior ss80 take that same trip,but unfortunately it bounced off the dock side and into the Mersey.come to think of it,I wonder if it's still there???


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*Joey Dunlop....*

The great man of my era...

I remember that he returned to the Isle in the late 80's and early 90's....and this has a lot to with shipping...because....the trawler he was coming to the island on sank...(with him on board)...and bikes....but he survived...got rides...and I do believe retained a title...a true man of grit and iron.... so....can anyone name the trawler that sank with Joey Dunlop on it...??!!

Rushie


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

It really sounds as though all the Wild Colonial Boys were not actually transported to Australia in leaky boats, some seem to be trapped on IOM and Joey Dunlop got one of the remaining leaky boats.
Cheers
Ted


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