| Ddisgrifiad / Description | The Steamship was the property of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. When it was suggested that the sailings were to be stopped, the Manxman Steamer Society was set up to try to preserve the vessel. The Society tried to raise £70,000 by September 1982 to save her from the scrapyard.
In 1981, fewer than 10,000 people sailed on her and she had always been featured in the company brochure as first sailing from Llandudno to Liverpool and then on to the Isle of Man. However, in 1980 the Company stopped the loss making Liverpool to Llandudno run, marking in some ways the end for the 'Manxman'.
The Ship was built in 1955 by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead and was capable of doing over 21 knots but she used nine tons of heavy bunker oil on one Llandudno to Douglas run at £150 a ton.
The link between the Isle of Man and North Wales started in 1830 when the first steamer to operate in North Wales, the 'Mona Lisa' crossed from Douglas to Menai Bridge. The fare then was six pence (2.5 p.) for a Third Class Single journey compared to the 1982 price of £9.50 Return for Adults and £3 for Children and Under 5s going free.
The 'Manxman' left Llandudno at 10.15 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. However, there were not enough passengers to justify the upkeep of the service according to the Company and so the last sailing was on Wednesday, 1 September 1982 with the 5.15 p.m. departure from Douglas to Llandudno.
Original Index No. D0773. |