The Plymouth Boat Cruises was an excursion boat operator on the River Tamar in South Devon. It was started in 1981, in competition with Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co Ltd. In 1985 the Millbrook company withdrew from the Tamar, and several of its vessels were transferred to Plymouth Boat Cruises. In 2005 the company was taken over by Sound Cruising.[1]

Fleet List

Name Built Company service Notes
MV Plymouth Princess 1921 1981–2005
MV Plymouth Venturer 1982 1982–2003
MV Southern Belle 1925 1985–2000
MV My Queen 1929 1985–1987
MV Eastern Belle 1946 1985–1985
MV Totnes Castle 1949 1985–2005
MV Plymouth Belle 1961 2003–2005

The 1985 reshuffle

In 1985 Dart Pleasure Craft, owners of the Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co Ltd, decided to withdraw from the River Tamar, mainly due to competition with Plymouth Boat Cruises. The Cremyll Ferry was taken over by a new operator, Tamar Cruising / Cremyll Ferry. Some vessels were eventually sold to G.H. Riddalls and Sons. In the process of all of these changes the fleets of all five companies underwent many changes, which are listed below.

Name Pre-1985 operator Post-1985 operator 1987 situation Notes
MV Plymouth Princess Plymouth Boat Cruises Plymouth Boat Cruises Plymouth Boat Cruises
MV Plymouth Venturer Plymouth Boat Cruises Plymouth Boat Cruises Plymouth Boat Cruises
MV Totnes Castle Dart Pleasure Craft Plymouth Boat Cruises Plymouth Boat Cruises
MV My Queen Dart Pleasure Craft Plymouth Boat Cruises GH Riddalls
MV Queen Boadicea II Dart Pleasure Craft Tamar Cruising Tamar Cruising
MV Adrian Gilbert Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft
MV Dartmouth Castle Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft Spent some time operating for Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co.
MV Western Belle Millbrook Steamboat Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft Operating on the Dart since 1984
MV Cardiff Castle Millbrook Steamboat Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft
MV Edgecumbe Belle Millbrook Steamboat Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft
MV Plymouth Belle Millbrook Steamboat Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft
MV Eastern Belle Millbrook Steamboat Plymouth Boat Cruises GH Riddalls Operating on the Dart from 1984. Renamed Totnes Princess by Riddalls.
MV Southern Belle Millbrook Steamboat Plymouth Boat Cruises Plymouth Boat Cruises
MV Northern Belle Millbrook Steamboat Tamar Cruising Tamar Cruising
MV Plymouth Sound Tamar Cruising Built 1987
MV Queen of Helford GH Riddalls GH Riddalls GH Riddalls
MV Dartmothian GH Riddalls GH Riddalls GH Riddalls

References

  1. ↑ Kittridge,A. Steamers & Ferries of the River Tamar & Three Towns District, Twelveheads Press, 2003
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