Plymouth Boat Cruises
Introduction 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.
Fleet List NameBuiltCompany serviceNotesMV ''Plymouth Princess''19211981–2005MV ''Plymouth Venturer''19821982–2003MV ''Southern Belle''19251985–2000MV ''My Queen''19291985–1987MV ''Eastern Belle''19461985–1985MV ''Totnes Castle''19491985–2005MV ''Plymouth Belle''19612003–2005
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 were eventually 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.NamePre-1985 operatorPost-1985 operator1987 situationNotesMV ''Plymouth Princess''Plymouth Boat CruisesPlymouth Boat CruisesPlymouth Boat CruisesMV ''Plymouth Venturer''Plymouth Boat CruisesPlymouth Boat CruisesPlymouth Boat CruisesMV ''Totnes Castle''Dart Pleasure CraftPlymouth Boat CruisesPlymouth Boat CruisesMV ''My Queen''Dart Pleasure CraftPlymouth Boat CruisesGH RiddallsMV ''Queen Boadicea II''Dart Pleasure CraftTamar CruisingTamar CruisingMV ''Adrian Gilbert''Dart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftMV Dartmouth CastleDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftSpent some time operating for Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co.MV Western BelleMillbrook SteamboatDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftOperating on the Dart since 1984MV Cardiff CastleMillbrook SteamboatDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftMV ''Edgecumbe Belle''Millbrook SteamboatDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftMV ''Plymouth Belle''Millbrook SteamboatDart Pleasure CraftDart Pleasure CraftMV ''Eastern Belle''Millbrook SteamboatPlymouth Boat CruisesGH RiddallsOperating on the Dart from 1984.Renamed ''Totnes Princess'' by Riddalls.MV ''Southern Belle''Millbrook SteamboatPlymouth Boat CruisesPlymouth Boat CruisesMV ''Northern Belle''Millbrook SteamboatTamar CruisingTamar CruisingMV ''Plymouth Sound''Tamar CruisingBuilt 1987MV ''Queen of Helford''GH RiddallsGH RiddallsGH RiddallsMV ''Dartmothian''GH RiddallsGH RiddallsGH Riddalls
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