# MV Medina III Southampton to Cowes 1931-1962



## Nish Kampfner (Jul 2, 2008)

Does anyone know anything about what happened to this vessel? I've found some information on the Red Funnel website but not much - am particularly interested in pictures showing her lifeboats? She was sold in 1962 and eventually converted into a floating restaurant c 1980's??


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## vectiscol (Oct 14, 2006)

According to Red Funnel and Before by R.B. Adams, Medina left Southampton 28-04-1962, renamed Mons Abyla for M.H. Bland, Gibraltar as a tender to passenger liners calling at the port.
May 1968 - Sold to Gibraltar Government (Port Department)
May 1973 - re-sold to Gibraltar owners
Dec 1971 - sold to R. Mills, London
May 1972 - renamed Marilu, Old Albert Dock, London
Oct 1973 - renamed Medina, floating office at Lymington yacht haven
Feb 1976 - Ramsgate, floating restaurant
1977 - Brighton Marina, clubhouse
Oct 1982 - towed to Newhaven scrapyard
Oct 1983 - Rotherhithe
July 1984 - Canary Wharf, floating restaurant

Try to find a copy of the book; there is a good view from the starboard quarter showing the lifeboats. I can remember the little (and slow) ferry well from my boyhood at Cowes. I have had trips to Southampton in her wheelhouse.


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## Nish Kampfner (Jul 2, 2008)

*Medina MV III*

Thanks, that's really helpful - have seen similar information on the Red Funnel website. Had not heard of the book, will try to locate a copy.

Any ideas what happened after 1984 and whether the ship is still in use?


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## hhvferry (Jan 29, 2006)

Some comments from old issues of European Ferry Scene:

Summer 92: "advertised for sale on the River Medway. During the last 20 years she has enjoyed and subsequently suffered a host of static roles and now sports the name Island Pride. She has just moved north to Wallsend but for what purposes has yet to be revealed".

Winter 96/97: it is mentioned in passing that she is "languishing midway through a conversion into a Chinese restaurant".

Finally Winter 97/98: "It is now necessary to relate that the Medina 
has finally been demolished at South Shields. Sporting the name Island Pride 
and having at one time sailed under the nomenclature Mons Abyla (while 
working for Blands, Gibraltar) she has suffered a protracted and ignoble 
end. In her last years, she was dwarfed by a hideous, half constructed 
Chinese restaurant framework balanced on her frail hull. She never did 
function as that intended restaurant and now the Balmoral is the only 
survivor of Red Funnel's classic diesel vessels."


Matt


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## vectiscol (Oct 14, 2006)

Red Funnel and Before by R.B. Adams was published by Kingfisher Railway Productions in 1986 or thereabouts; ISBN 0 946184 21 6


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