Editing Mersey Ferry (section)

===''Leasowe'', ''Egremont'' and the ''Royal Daffodil II''===
[[File:Egremont ferry.JPG|thumb|''Egremont'' in [[Salcombe|Salcombe Harbour]]]]
The {{MV|Leasowe||2}} and {{MV|Egremont||2}} were built by [[Philip and Son]] in [[Dartmouth, Devon]] and entered service in late 1951 and early 1952 respectively. Named after suburbs of Wallasey, both vessels were commissioned by Wallasey Corporation.

They were of a traditional design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough, who are based in Liverpool, but boasted modern equipment including [[Crossley]] multi-speed engines for versatile control. They only had one single boarding gangway and their forward saloons extended to the whole width of the ship. This proved somewhat problematic especially at busy periods, so an additional gangway space was added on the promenade deck for use with the high level terminal gangways. The forward saloons also had facility for a bar area and dance floor, which meant the vessels could be used for cruising. The two vessels were primarily used on the Seacombe – Liverpool service, augmenting the New Brighton run during the summer seasons.

''Egremont'' differed externally to ''Leasowe'' in that she had a canvas awning fitted around her funnel. Early photographs of ''Leasowe'' and ''Egremont'' show them to have deckhead compasses above the wheelhouse and side boxes, which appear to have been removed in the late 1950s. Upon the bridge there were numerous modern devices. [[Chadburn]] synchrostep [[telegraph]]s and rudder angle indicators, hydraulic steering telemotor and an automatic whistle control could be found in both the wheelhouse and the navigation boxes. There was also an internal communication system and a ship to shore radio system. Similar types of navigation equipment and deck fittings used on these vessels are extant on the [[pilot boat]] ''Edmund Gardner'' at [[Merseyside Maritime Museum]]. The ''Leasowe'' and ''Egremont'' were popular ferries with their crews as they had much improved crew accommodation compared to the earlier steamers, where much of the lower deck space was taken up with boilers and machinery. When the ferries entered service they all had Wallasey white and black funnel liveries.

A second {{MV|Royal Daffodil II||2}} was constructed by [[James Lamont & Co]] at [[Greenock]] and entered service in 1958. She was larger than the Dartmouth pair as she had three decks and was designed for the dual role of ferry and cruise service. The Roman 'II' was added to her name because of a Thames estuary cruise ship also called {{MV|Royal Daffodil|1939|2}} which existed from 1939 until 1967. The gross register tonnage of ''Royal Daffodil II'' was 609. A gross error was the size of her engines, developing {{cvt|1360|bhp}} a piece she was underpowered and often struggled in strong tides. Aside from the engine order telegraphs, she also had helms in the side boxes meaning that the ship could be steered from them if required. The vessel ran aground on a sandbank in thick fog in September 1967 and was involved in a collision in January 1968. Taking on water from a hole near her [[Bow (ship)|bow]], she was beached near Seacombe. Repaired at [[Cammell Laird]], she subsequently returned to service.<ref name=mp>{{cite web |url=https://inostalgia.co.uk/liverpool/royal-ferries/ |title=Royal Ferries |publisher=iNostalgia |first=Malcolm |last=Pheby |date=16 June 2019 |access-date=9 June 2021 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609183058/https://inostalgia.co.uk/liverpool/royal-ferries/}}</ref><ref name=as>{{cite web |url=https://liverpoolspedding.blogspot.com/2019/03/61-royal-daffodil-april-1966.html |title=Royal Daffodil II, April 1966 |first=Alan |last=Spedding |date=2 March 2019 |access-date=9 June 2021 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609183020/https://liverpoolspedding.blogspot.com/2019/03/61-royal-daffodil-april-1966.html}}</ref> 

During the 1970s the fleet was rationalised, with surplus vessels being put up for sale. ''Leasowe'' was sold into Greek ownership in 1974 and renamed ''Naias II''. By 1980 she had been sold on and was renamed ''Cavo Doro''. She remained in service until the early 2000s and is reported to have since been scrapped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=3150241|title=LEASOWE - IMO 5305112|publisher=Ship Spotting|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://liverpoolspedding.blogspot.com/2019/02/55-ex-leasowe-naias-ii-may-1974.html|title=Ex-Leasowe - Naias II, May 1974|first=Alan|last=Spedding|date=24 February 2019|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref> 
''Royal Daffodil II'' was also sold to Greek owners in 1977 and renamed several times. She sank in heavy seas on 7 November 2007, whilst carrying the name ''Dolphin I'', with the loss of her captain and mate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=16258 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206185503/http://clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=16258 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=6 December 2010 |title=MV Royal Daffodil II|publisher=Shipping Times|access-date=13 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=10626#v |title=Scottish Built Ships: Royal Daffodil II |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=9 June 2021 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609183013/http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=10626#v}}</ref> 
The ''Egremont'' was laid up in [[Morpeth Dock]] whilst on sale offer in 1975 and sprang a leak. Her engine room was flooded, ruining her engines and rendering her inoperable. She was stripped of her machinery and used as a floating headquarters for the Island Cruising Club in [[Salcombe]], Devon, not far from her original birthplace. In 2016, the vessel underwent extensive repairs to her hull in [[Sharpness, Gloucestershire|Sharpness]], Gloucestershire, before being again laid up. As of April 2019, the vessel is no longer in use by the ICC and has been offered for sale.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/1926/egremont|title=Egremont|publisher=National Historic Ships UK|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref>