MIKHAIL LERMONTOV - Passenger Cruise Ship Ivan Franko Class Passenger Ship 19872 grt/1972 blt / Russia/7042318 Leaving Tilbury - 28.8.1982 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Hit rocks and Sank 16.2.1986 Nr Marlborough Sounds,New Zealand whilst on a 2 week cruise from Australia

BALMORAL - Passenger Ship 735 grt / 1949 blt / UK / 5034927 Off Ilfracombe - June 1977 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Balmoral was built as a ferry by John I Thorneycroft & Co at Woolston in 1949, for the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.Limited, more normally known as the Red Funnel Line. As built, Balmoral could carry up to 10 cars on her aft car deck, and she normally operated on her owner's ferry service from Southampton on the English mainland to Cowes on the Isle of Wight . From her introduction she also occasionally performed excursion duties, but as dedicated car ferries were introduced to her main route, her role became more focussed on offering coastal cruises around the South Coast. Red Funnel ceased operating excursions in 1968, after which Balmoral was acquired by P & A Campbell. She moved to the Bristol Channel, where she became part of P&A Campbell's White Funnel Fleet until 1980, by which time she was the last working member of the fleet. Balmoral moved to Dundee to become a floating restraunt. This was unsuccessful and the ship was placed for sale again.  

KING GEORGE V - Pass Cruise 789 grt / 1926 blt / UK Leaving Oban - 13.9.1969 Don Smith Collection Notes:- TheKing George V was a passenger turbine steamer that operated on the Firth of Clyde for nearly 50 years and became famous for its heroic service during World War II.  Built in Dumbarton: The ship was built in 1926 by William Denny and Brothers for Turbine Steamers Ltd., a company that served routes on the River Clyde. A pioneering design: The King George V was one of the first passenger vessels to use high-pressure, geared turbines. However, the advanced engineering led to early problems, including boiler explosions that killed two firemen in 1927. Operational routes: After being re-boilered, the steamer served popular routes to Inveraray and Campbeltown. In 1935, its ownership was transferred to David MacBrayne Ltd., and it became based out of Oban, cruising to scenic spots in the Inner Hebrides.  Dunkirk evacuation: In 1940, the King George V transported troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, making six voyages and rescuing 4,300 men. Atlantic Charter: In 1941, the vessel carried Prime Minister Winston Churchill to his battleship to meet with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the Atlantic Conference.  Post-war career: After the war, the steamer returned to its cruising routes on the Clyde. It was incorporated into the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet in 1973. Retirement and fire: The ship was withdrawn from service in 1974 and sold to a company intending to convert it into a floating pub or restaurant. In 1981, while undergoing conversion in Cardiff, a fire destroyed the vessel. Scrapping: The fire-damaged hulk was finally scrapped in 1984, bringing an end to the ship's 58-year career