# Spirit of Britain - P&O Ferries



## FerryEnthusiast (May 7, 2009)

Historic day in the Port of Dover today and for P&O Ferries. The new *Spirit of Britain* arrived following a three day delivery voyage from STX Europe in Rauma under the command of Captain Miller.

The *Spirit of Britain* arrived around 11am and berthed at berth 1 on the Eastern Arm. Shortly after arrival the *Pride of Calais* arrived give onlookers the opportunity to view old and new next.

The *Spirit of Britain* is due to enter service with the 9:20am departure on Friday 21st January and is a replacement for the *Pride of Dover* which retired on the 14th December 2010 and is currently laid up in Tilbury, London.


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## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

A little rusty on names: But does the 'Spirit' name hark back to TT Townsend Thorenson days?


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## jimthehat (Aug 5, 2006)

david freeman said:


> A little rusty on names: But does the 'Spirit' name hark back to TT Townsend Thorenson days?


Not too sure on that,did P&O not have the Spirit ships ie "Sspirit of free enterprize.
I think that T,T ran out of portsmouth and we here in felixstowe ran the TT Viking ships,ie venturer,Valient and VOYAGER

jim


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## FerryEnthusiast (May 7, 2009)

Yes the 'Spirit' name runs back to Townsend days. 

The Spirit of Britain entered service over the weekend and I have been on two round trips now, including the maiden voyage.

Have just posted 145 photographs from the weekend to my website, with over 100 of them being onboard shots.

All the best


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## Hawkeye (Dec 7, 2005)

There was only ever one Spirit - Spirit of Free Enterprise. The naming theme for ships in Dover was 'Free Enterprise' for the passenger ships and 'European' for the Freight ones. The Pride of Dover & Calais came about because of a competion held among the local people. P&O, wanting to distance themselves from 'Free Enterprise' name adopted the 'Pride of' names. Anything with 'Enterprise' in the name was quickly renamed after the Herald of Free Enterprise capsized. They kept the 'European' names, the only one being renamed was the European Enterprise which became European Endeavour. The rest of the fleet were later renamed along the same lines. Portsmouth ships in 1989 and the ASN ships (Felixstowe & Cairnryan) in 1992. Pandoro followed in 1998 and the NSF passenger ships in 2001 with the introduction of the Hull / Rotterdam after which, the Norsea & Norsun recieved 'Pride of' names in 2003. The only P&O ships not renamed where the Free Enterprise IV & the Ionic Ferry, both of which were sold before the renamings took place. Also the Aberdeen ships were never renamed, neither were the NSF freight ships.
Originally the new ships weren't going to be 'Spirit of' but 'Olympic'. The Britain was going to be the Olympic Spirit & the France was the Olympic Pride.


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## Hawkeye (Dec 7, 2005)

jimthehat said:


> Not too sure on that,did P&O not have the Spirit ships ie "Sspirit of free enterprize.
> I think that T,T ran out of portsmouth and we here in felixstowe ran the TT Viking ships,ie venturer,Valient and VOYAGER
> 
> jim


The main theme for ships in Felixstowe & Cairyran was 'ic Ferry'. This has its roots in the White Star theme, where the founder of ASN was an employee. When Frank Bustard started his own company, he adopted a similar theme, first with 'Empire ic' (the second part of the names ending in ic), then 'ic Ferry' (the first name ending in ic) i.e. Empire Doric & Doric Ferry.
The two Viking ships were ordered after the merger of the three companies and they decided on what to do with the ships. Ships of the FE class also ran out of Felixstowe & Cairnryan. As did the older Viking ships. In keeping with the renaming theme, they should have been renamed for their service in Felixstowe. The Viking Viscount was the only ship in the fleet to have operated on all the TT passenger routes. (I think, not sure if she went to Calais or Ostend). Maybe someone can confirm or correct me on this point?


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## R831814 (Jun 9, 2006)

Wish I could say she is pretty but she ain't....(Whaaa) (not that it matters)


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## borderreiver (Oct 11, 2008)

Huge bunker capacity 1382mt for a short sea ferry. Hope she is double hulled in this area.


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## jimthehat (Aug 5, 2006)

Hawkeye said:


> The main theme for ships in Felixstowe & Cairyran was 'ic Ferry'. This has its roots in the White Star theme, where the founder of ASN was an employee. When Frank Bustard started his own company, he adopted a similar theme, first with 'Empire ic' (the second part of the names ending in ic), then 'ic Ferry' (the first name ending in ic) i.e. Empire Doric & Doric Ferry.
> The two Viking ships were ordered after the merger of the three companies and they decided on what to do with the ships. Ships of the FE class also ran out of Felixstowe & Cairnryan. As did the older Viking ships. In keeping with the renaming theme, they should have been renamed for their service in Felixstowe. The Viking Viscount was the only ship in the fleet to have operated on all the TT passenger routes. (I think, not sure if she went to Calais or Ostend). Maybe someone can confirm or correct me on this point?


pretty comprehensive report,I think that you and I have read from the same book,"by road across the sea"
The Viscount sailed from felixstowe-Zeebrugge then 
6months Dover Zeebrugge and finally transferred to portsmouth.
I did 1 year on the valiant and 3 on the Voyager,good times.

jim


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## EdB1985 (7 mo ago)

jimthehat said:


> Not too sure on that,did P&O not have the Spirit ships ie "Sspirit of free enterprize.
> I think that T,T ran out of portsmouth and we here in felixstowe ran the TT Viking ships,ie venturer,Valient and VOYAGER
> 
> jim


At the time the Herald Capsized the company Townsend Thoresen was a wholly owned subsidiary of......... P&O so in a way yes the Spirit of Free Enterprise WAS owned by P&O hence why a few weeks after the loss of the Herald all Townsend Thoresen Ships received the P&O Pale Blue and P&O House Flag on their funnels also hence why P&O were in court after the disaster and not Townsend Thoresen because at the time TT was just a Trading name that's all


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## jnorm59 (Oct 9, 2020)

So with the introduction of a new ship everyone is supposed to forget about P&O's disgraceful behaviour to its British crews? Some people have short memories and it shows how companies are able to get away with this behaviour. Boycott them.


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