Earl Godwin British Ferries Departs Weymouth 1985

Earl Godwin departs Weymouth bound for the Channel Islands. Passes a Type 21 Frigate off of Portland

[@markclifton14]

I use to love watching the ferries sail out of Weymouth as a kid in the 1970s and 80s , when we were on holiday. Never did get to sail on the Earl Godwin or Maid Of Kent . But did sail out of Weymouth to Jersey on the Condor in early 2000s . Sad now theFerries have gone from Weymouth. It’s not the same anymore when I go down and visit.

[@BS15RED]

I sailed on that ship in August 1989 from Weymouth to Cherbourg!

[@AndrewNoogoo]

Met the captain of this ship in 1986 - wonderful guy. Great video. Will never forget the Earl's William, Harold, Granville and Godwin.

[@tedtheturbot]

Takes me back, used to work down the other end of the beach in 1985.. Thanks for the video. EG started out and built in Helsingborg, Sweden 1966 as 'Svea Drott' running to Travemünde in Germany. Quite a long run North to South down the Baltic Sea, the longest of her career. Sold after only 7-8 years of service, a larger vessel was needed. EG was then first leased then later sold to Sealink 1975ish mainly running over to the Channel islands from Weymouth and Portsmouth. 1987/8 she was holdup on the River Fal for over a year due to industrial (union) action before refit and more service 1988/9. Sold to an Italian company 'Moby lines' June 1990 - she was renamed 'Moby Baby' (what kind of a name is that?? and her later livery was truly awful with big gawdy sea creatures dawbed all over her). She was purchased to sail from Piombino, her home port in mainland Italy, to Portoferraio on Elba Island (where Napoleon was banged up), only about a 30k run. She stayed there some 27 years running several trips a day. She hit bow first into her birth August 2015, after a 'communication error' between bridge and engine room, causing some damage (video on youtube). 2017 initially she put up for sale with another aging Moby Lines ferry together for I think 1M, was bought to run out of Portugal, left Genoa 2017 under tow for Drapetsona Greece then some re-sale problem stopped a re-fit such a shame, also renamed ANEMOS. Refit fell through, sold for scrap and went to Aliaga, Turkey for breaking in Oct/Nov 2018. btw Earl William sank whilst under tow to be scrapped, forget when, caused about 100 million Euro's worth of damage to an oil drilling ship - caused her to stop production. I know i need a hobby..

[@scopex2749]

So sad since the ferries and the railway harbour link went Weymouth is like some ghost town in a Clint Eastwood film, run down and deserted 😢

[@marshalllucky]

I went on this old ship as a child in 1980, the engine broke down and we were stranded off guernsey for 32 hours , I remeber the panic, a woman had to be winched by helcopter as she got ill on the ship :-(

[@georgeholland2934]

Nice footage but you'll find the year was 1986, the reason being the 'British Ferries' livery. This was introduced after a disastrous year for Sealink UK trading on the Channel Islands routes in 1985. The recently privatised company rebranded sailings from Portsmouth as Starliner and sailings from Weymouth as Sunliner. The Earl Godwin ran out of Weymouth with the Earl Harold (formerly Ailsa Princess). Sealink British Ferries abandoned the Channel Islands after a merger with rival Channel Island Ferries failed. The Earl Godwin was laid up on the River Fal and then saw seasonal use on sailings to Cherbourg in the late 1980s. Sealink pulled out of Weymouth altogether in 1990 when the Earl Godwin was sold. Condor came and went and sadly the port hasn't seen any ferry activity since 2014.

[@johnpenson8801]

Thanks for comments. The year was 1985. The year that the vessels were repainted in the British Ferries Colours. You are correct the routes closed in 1986 when there was a failed merger with Channel Island Ferries on the CI routes. The route was then operated by British Channel Island Ferries until they moved to Poole. Sealink British Ferries maintained the Weymouth Cherbourg Route for a few more years.

[@tedtheturbot]

I think the final Condor sailing out of Weymouth was 23rd March 2015.

[@georgeholland2934]

@@tedtheturbot Yes I stand corrected.

[@paulbarnett539]

Went on this ship. In the classic blue White and red livery. Earl Granville was my favourite.

[@MrGiloine]

Amazing video. Thanks a lot !!

[@jimbomayo69]

My Brother was in the engine room of her for many years, had great trip on her

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

James Mayo great stuck , what engines did she have ? Pielstick ?

[@andrewbrowning9770]

Remember going on this in late 1970,s Weymouth to Guernsey to see my brother and his family

[@MrVicmeldrew]

ahhh the good ole days of sealink, and proper ferries.. looked better in blue hull and red funnels though.. any more vids of ships in weymouth?

[@MrAJO77]

She's dressed overall for departure. Any idea what the occasion was? Launch of the Sunliner service maybe?

[@thesevenseas]

Great footage! Are you the owner of this video? Is it possible for me to use and upload this footage on my youtube page? As a seafaring and history enthusiast (majored in history), I share footage on my channel from all kind of activities on our ocean as my KZbin hobby. Cargo ships in the 1960s till now, oil rigs, fishing vessels, inland barge ships, navy, etc. Of course full credit and a link to your KZbin page will be given when I upload. I’d like to talk this through via e-mail, is that possible for you? . My email is on my youtube page. I'm looking forward to your reply. Kind regards and thank you for your time!

[@kdan621]

This ship was originally the Viking Victory when Townend Thoresen owned her in the 70s I sailed on her in August 1975 from Southampton to Le Havre a .When the ferry was originally built she was the Viking 1 owned by Otto Thoresen before the merger with Townsend somewhere about early 70s

[@ianm452]

This is Earl Godwin. She was completed in 1966 as Svea Drott and first sailed on the Channel Islands route in 1974 under that name for five weeks under charter to British Rail / Sealink, before being taken over by that company and renamed Earl Godwin in 1975. After a refit lasting over a year, she returned to the Weymouth - Channel Islands route in 1976. She was never owned or operated by Townsend, Thoresen or Townsend-Thoresen and wasn't "Viking Victory". Viking Victory was completed in 1964 as Viking 1 for Thoresen, and was renamed Viking Victory in 1976.

[@0rchardend]

Sorry Earl Godwin was the Svea Drott. The Earl William was the ex TT Viking

[@ianm452]

Yes, Earl Godwin was built as Svea Drott, but Earl William was Thoresen's (later Townsend Thoresen's) Viking II (Viking "two").

[@johnpenson8801]

You are, of course, right Ian

[@ectopudding]

What's that alarm going off during most of the video

[@tedtheturbot]

Its to scare the sea gulls away, stop them from crapping on the passengers... wait...no, no it isnt..i don't know what it is but i'd guess maybe a general alarm to warn anyone..

[@ianm452]

I think the alarm is from the new(ish) enclosed passenger gangway that can best be seen (painted white) on the quayside from 5:00 to 5:10 at the extreme left of the picture. The gangway could be moved under its own power along the quay and have its upper end raised and lowered to align it with a ship's gangway doors - the alarm was to warn people nearby that it was moving.