Builders: John I Thorneycroft & Co Ltd, Woolston Southampton 1931
Propulsion type: Twin Screw Diesel
Owners: Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Ltd
Service dates: 1931 - 1962
Tonnage: Gross 347
Comments:
Medina was built for the Southampton to Cowes run and was unusual in having twin screw, diesel propulsion, rather than the tradional paddle machinery. I have seen her described as "ugly and utilitarian" although I feel this unfair as she was primarily a working vessel with space for motor cars en route to and from the Isle of Wight. Beauty was not a prerequisite for such a vessel. Her passenger accommodation was of a higher standard than the old paddlers and she proved popular with those who sailed on her. She was unsuitable for calls at piers, owing to her widely flared bows, although she was fine visiting pontoons. She was not a fast ship, having a service speed of 11 knots which was later increased to 13 knots when re engined in 1953.
She was replaced by the purpose built car ferry Osborne Castle in 1962 although she sailed out of Gibraltar until 1971 when she came back to England. She was used in the Old Albert Dock London and later as a floating office near Lymington. In 1976 she was moved to Ramsgate for use as a floating restaurant and later to Brighton Marina for use as a floating club house. In October 1982 she was towed to Newhaven for scrapping but was reprieved and in 1984 was a floating restaurant again in Canary Wharf London.