Mona's Queen(5) was launched on 22nd December 1971 at the Ailsa Shipyard, Troon, Ayrshire. She was 342 feetin length and had a breadth of 52 feet. Her gross Tonnage wa3,000 tons and she had a speed of 21 knots. Mona's Queen was capable of carrying 1,400 passengers and up to 80 cars. The ship waspowered by two Pielstick diesel engines. Mona's Queen made her maiden voyage on 9th June 1972 with a sailing from Liverpool to Douglas. She took a sailing from Fleetwood to Douglas on 15th August 1990, this being the 150th Anniversary of the first passenger sailing from Fleetwood introduced by Sir Peter Hesketh and the Preston and Wyre Railway and Harbour Company. She stayed in service with the Steam Packet until being laid-up at Vittoria Dock, Birkenhead on 3rd September 1990. In December 1995 she was sold to MBRS Lines of the Philippines and renamed Mary the Queen. She left Birkenhead on 4th December 1995. She is still in service in the Philippines.

Click on the thumbnails below to see larger images of the ship

MONA'S QUEEN IN VITTORIA DOCK, BIRKENHEAD
A look round the ship, re-named Mary The Queen, on December 2nd 1995, just before she left for the Philippines. Through the late Captain Vernon Kinley, Ted Capstick ,another IOMSPCo enthusiast, managed to get us both on board the Ship two days before she was due to leave for the Philippines. This nearly didn't happen because we were denied entry to Vittoria dock by the security guard. Ted showed him the letter he had received from the Steam Packet, but the guard said as the ship was no longer owned by the Steam Packet so was nothing to do with them and therefore he wasn't letting us in the Dock.

After some frantic phone calls we were eventually allowed in the Dock and managed to get on board. Once on board wewere taken up to the wheelhouse and introduced to the Captain, a tall Scandinavian man and two of the owners of MBRS Lines who had bought the ship. We gave out some complimentary MANXLINK magazines and videos and were then given the run of the ship for a couple of hours. Here are some snaps taken on that day and show how much the Lady of Mann's interior has changed. Inside both ships were very similar until Lady's rebuild.


To see photographs of Mona's Queen's voyage to the Philippines click Here