Plymouth Boat Cruises
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 eventually were 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-'85 Operator | Post-'85 Operator | '87 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 | |
- ↑ Kittridge,A. Steamers & Ferries of the River Tamar & Three Towns District, Twelveheads Press, 2003