Yard number 540 Fate Sunk Length 107 m Builder Fairfield Govan | Out of service 18 March 1945 Launched 12 September 1917 Beam 18 m | |
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Name 1917-1940TSS Train Ferry No. 3
1940-1945HMS Daffodil Operator 1917-1924British Army War Office
1924-1934Great Eastern Railway as Great Eastern Train Ferry Company Limited
1934-1940London and North Eastern Railway
1940-1945Royal Navy Tonnage 2,678 gross register tons (GRT) | ||
TSS Train Ferry No. 3 was a freight vessel built for the British Army War Office in 1917.
History
The ship was built by Fairfield Govan and launched on 12 September 1917. Along with her sister ships SS Train Ferry No. 1 and SS Train Ferry No. 2, they were the first vessels to offer regular transport between Britain and continental Europe for rail freight vehicles. They were ordered by the British Army to provide rail freight transport from Richborough harbour to the continent to sustain the war effort. They had four sets of rails along the train deck and used a link span to load when in harbour.
On 1 February 1919 she was involved in the rescue of British and American soldiers from the American transport Narrangansett which had gone ashore on Bembridge Point, Isle of Wight.
After their use by the British Army ended in 1922, they were purchased by the Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway company in 1923 with its interest in the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company. The new service was inaugurated on 24 April 1924 by Prince George, Duke of Kent.
In 1934, the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company was liquidated and she was bought by the London and North Eastern Railway.
In 1940 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Daffodil. In 1941 was converted to a Landing Craft carrier. She was sunk on 18 March 1945 off Dieppe, Seine Maritime, France.