Mersey Ferry, The Royal Iris

The Royal Iris is a boat that’s been ferrying passengers across the River Mersey for over sixty years. At the end of this month it’s being de-commissioned, the Mersey Ferries website has a blog post about this. Its last sailings will be on the weekend of the 28/29th March, and it’s expected to be very, very busy.

I have many fond memories of using the Mersey ferries back in the seventies and the first half of the eighties. Often, I’d get the train to New Brighton and pub crawl to Seacombe to catch the last ferry back to the Pier Head (at 23:10). In all weathers. I can remember dodging the crashing waves while walking along the prom in windy weather. I can remember standing on the land watching the landing stage bouncing up and down in the waves; and then, on the landing stage watching the land bouncing up and down! I can remember having to run from the Egremont Ferry pub in order to not miss the last ferry; surprisingly, I never missed it!

Today was a lovely sunny day, so I decided to have a day trip to Liverpool for a last trip on the boat. The trip lasts for fifty minutes and costs £13 or £11.50 if you’re and oldie like me, details here. I did the trip with my friend John. The photos on this page were taken during that trip.

The next two photos show the boat after leaving the Pier Head ferry terminal. In the background you can see the Seacome landing stage and one of the ventilation shafts for the new Mersey Tunnel.

The Royal Iris

The Royal Iris and the Seacombe Ferry Terminal

Just after we left the Pier Head, a Stena Line ferry departed for the open sea. Photos in the direction of the ferry were difficult to take due to the position of the sun, which was behind the ferry. Stenna Line have a passenger service from Liverpool to Belfast, twice a day, during the day and overnight. In the next year or two I’m planning to catch the overnight ferry out and the plane back.

Stena Line ferry heading to the Irish Sea

After leaving the Pier Head the ferry follows the Liverpool side of the river northwards, as far as the New Everton football ground, at which point it crosses the river to the Wirral side.

The Liver Building

Looking south towards the Royal Albert Docks

Looking north from the Pier Head

The Isle of Man ferry terminal and a floating crane

Warehouses at the Tobacco Dock and the six-sided clock

John and I visited the Stanley and Tobacco docks last September, I wrote about this here.

The six-sided clock, in the background is Liverpool’s football ground

The six-sided clock and Everton’s new football ground

After the football ground we crossed over the river, to the Wirral side heading for the Seacombe Landing Stage.

The view along the Wirral side of the river towards New Brighton

Wallasey Town Hall

Approaching the Seacombe Landing Stage

Seaforth docks from the Seacombe landing stage

Emergency evacuation craft at the stern of the Royal Iris

Jonny Vagas being filmed on the Seacombe landing stage

After a short stop to let passengers on and off we continued upriver. The offshore tug/supply ship the Farra Emer was berthed at the Seaforth Landing Stage.

The Farra Emer

The Farra Emer

Stena line ship berthed at the Stena Line terminal, Birkenhead

Looking down river towards the Irish Sea

Warehouses and Everton’s new football ground

The Liverpool waterfront

The three graces at the Pier Head

The Royal Albert Dock

Looking upriver towards the South Liverpool docks

Not long after the Seacombe ferry terminal we passed the Woodside ferry terminal, which been closed since 2022 for a revamp. It should have re-opened last year but it couldn’t because Wirral council started reshaping the waterfront last year to make it a better visitor attraction. Well done Wirral council, if you’d reshaped the waterfront at the same time as the ferry terminal, both would be open by now. No one knows when the ferry terminal will re-open. It could be 2028.

This is a real shame, as Gallaghers Traditional Pub is nearby. It’s an excellent pub that’s been in the Good Beer Guide for several years.

The Birkenhead waterfront

Next, we passed the Cammel Laird shipyard. It almost closed earlier this century but survived due to a management buyout. The yard has three ships in dry dock. Two ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and a Stena Line ferry. The yard is also building a new Mersey Ferry, due to be launched this year.

I took some photos of Cammel Laird ship yard on a hazy day last summer, they are here.

A ship being repaired at Cammel Lairds

Three ships being repaired at Cammel Lairds

Just after Cammel Laird’s, we passed the Tranmere oil Terminal. There was a tanker moored there and I took a few photos of it, but due to the location of the sun none are usable. Just after the terminal we crossed the river back to the Liverpool side, to return to the Pier Head.

Liverpool waterfront

The Anglican Cathedral

The Pier Head from the south

Looking out to the mouth of the river Mersey

The Royal Iris berthed at the Pier Head

The trip was a good way to spend an hour.

You can break your journey at Seacombe, included in the price is the bus to New Brighton, where there is an excellent micropub called the Bow-Legged Beagle. I’ve visited it many times, it’s one of my favourites. I wrote about one of my visits here. When the Woodside terminal finally re-opens, you could have a pint in Gallaghers as well.