The ''MV Dartmouth Princess'' is a single

screw A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to fa ...

passenger vessel, operating on the

River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that rises high on Dartmoor and flows for to the sea at Dartmouth. Name Most hydronyms in England derive from the Brythonic language (from which the river's subsequent names ultimately derive fr ...

South Devon South Devon is the southern part of Devon, England. Because Devon has its major population centres on its two coasts, the county is divided informally into North Devon and South Devon.For exampleNorth DevonanSouth Devonnews sites. In a narrower se ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. She is mainly used on the

Dartmouth Passenger Ferry The Dartmouth Passenger Ferry, also known as the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat company, is a passenger ferry that crosses the River Dart in the English county of Devon. It is one of three ferries that cross the tidal river from Dartmout ...

service from Dartmouth to

Kingswear Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth. It lies within ...

, where she runs year-round as the main vessel. Boyle, I, http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Dart_Pleasure_Craft.html, Referred 2009

History

Built as ''MV Devon Belle II'' for K J Bridge of

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

, where she operated from West Hoe Steps. In 1994 she was sold to G.H. Riddalls and Sons of Dartmouth. She was used on their cruises from Dartmouth to

Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-so ...

, and on circular cruises from Dartmouth.The Red Cruisers 1998 Brochure Shortly after being bought by Riddalls, her superstructure was extended to the stern. In 2000 the Riddalls fleet was bought by Dart Pleasure Craft Ltd and she was transferred to their fleet, with her former red hull painted blue. She was placed on the Dartmouth-Kingswear ferry, which operates in conjunction with the steam trains of the

Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway The Dartmouth Steam Railway, formerly known as the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, is a heritage railway on the former Great Western Railway branch line between and in Devon, England. Much of the railway's business is from summer touri ...

which is owned by the same company.

Design

MV Dartmouth Princess is a steel twin-deck passenger vessel. The main deck is slightly lower than the gunwale, so she has a forward well deck, with a partially enclosed saloon aft with bar and toilets on the main deck. The aft part of the saloon has a removable fabric roof, and is open to the stern. There is a large open deck on the upper deck along with the wheelhouse, accessed by an external stairway forward.

References

External links

Dart Pleasure Craft Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devon Belle Ii 1990 ships Ferries of South West England River Dart passenger vessels