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History
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Years of Operation
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1885 - ?
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Head Office
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Southampton, UK
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Areas of Operation
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The Solent, UK.
Southampton Water, UK.
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Brief History
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The Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (later to become known as the Red Funnel Line) were already a successful passenger ferry operator when they made their first foray into towage in 1885 with the purchase of the Southampton New Steam Towing Company.
The purchase included the Southampton New Steam Towing Company's three tugs: Alexandra, Fawn, and Sovereign. Red Funnel's first purpose built tug was the Albert Edward, built in 1886.
The Red Funnel Towage fleet continued to grow through the 20th Century and several of their tugs performed wartime duties during World War I and World War II.
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Former Red Funnel Tugs
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Ajax
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1894
Scrapped: 1936
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1894 until scrapped in 1936 with a spell of war service during World War 1.
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Albert Edward
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1886
Sold: 1934
History: First tug built specifically for the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. Sold in 1934 and renamed Joy Bell III. Scrapped in 1964.
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Alexandra
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Type: Iron Steam Single Screw
Built: 1876
Acquired: 1885
Sold: 1897
History: Acquired as part of the takeover of the Southampton New Steam Towing Company in January 1885. Operated around Southampton and the Isle of Wight until being sold to J. Constant of London in 1897. Was sold twice more before being scrapped in 1955.
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Ascupart
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Type: Iron Steam Single Screw
Built: 1921
Acquired: 1922
Sold: 1927
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1922 until sold to Dominion Coal Co. Ltd of Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1927. Sold once more before being broken up in 1961.
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Calshot (I)
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1930
Sold: 1964
Status: Active on Southampton Water from 1930 until 1964 before being sold to Port & Liner Services (Ireland) Ltd. and renamed Galway Bay. Served as a passenger vessel carrying out excursions from Galway until 1986. Now undergoing restoration by the Tug Tender Calshot Trust.
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Canute
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1923
Sold: 1965
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1923. Sunk by a bomb in Southampton Water on 28th December 1940 but was raised and resumed service. Sold to Tsavliris (Salvage & Towage) Ltd. of Piraeus in 1965 and renamed Nisos Samos. Disappeared from Lloyds Register around 1972/73.
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Clausentum (I)
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1926
Scrapped: 1966
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1926 until scrapped in 1966.
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Fawn
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Type: Iron Steam Single Screw
Built: 1869
Acquired: 1885
Sold: 1891
History: Acquired as part of the takeover of the Southampton New Steam Towing Company in January 1885. Operated around Southampton and the Isle of Wight until being sold to Rhyl & Vale of Clwyd S.S. Co. Ltd. of Rhyl in 1891. Was sold five more times before being scrapped in 1938.
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Gatcombe
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IMO Number: 7026637
Bollard Pull Ahead: ?
Delivered: 1970
Status: Active on Southampton Water until 1997. Now owned by Multraship and named Multratug 6.
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Hector
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1903
Scrapped: 1958
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1903 until scrapped in 1958.
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Hercules
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1890
Scrapped: 1927
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1890 until scrapped in 1927 with a spell Le Harve and St. Nazaire during World War 1.
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Morglay
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Type: Iron Steam Single Screw
Built: 1921
Acquired: 1922
Sold: 1926
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1922 until sold to the South Australian Harbour Board in 1926 and scrapped in 1961.
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Minas
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Type: Iron Steam Single Screw
Built: 1909
Acquired: 1920
Sold: 1931
History: Bought from Robert W. Wheeldon of Hull in 1920. Sold in 1931 to Associated Transport Ltd. of Liverpool. Disappeared from shipping records in 1955.
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Neptune (I)
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1896
Sold: 1904
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1896 before being sold to the Admiralty and renamed Fortitude in 1909. Was sold for scrap in 1923.
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Neptune (II)
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1910
Scrapped: 1961
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1910 until scrapped in 1961.
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Sir Bevois (I)
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1916
Lost: 1941
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1916. Posted to Plymouth during World War II and was bombed and sunk on 20th March 1941. Was later raised and broken up.
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Sovereign
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Type: Iron Steam Single Screw
Built: 1870
Acquired: 1885
Sold: 1894
History: Acquired as part of the takeover of the Southampton New Steam Towing Company in January 1885. Operated around Southampton and the Isle of Wight until being sold to E. Costanza of Constantinople in 1894. Was scrapped in 1917.
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Vulcan
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Type: Iron Steam Twin Screw
Built: 1893
Scrapped: 1957
History: Operated on Southampton Water from 1893 until scrapped in 1957 with a spell serving French ports during World War 1.
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