MV Norris Castle (1968)

Norris Castle, Red Funnel car ferry in the Solent
History
Name	Norris Castle Lovrejenac
Owner	Red Funnel Jadrolinija
Port of registry	Southampton
Route	Southampton–Cowes/East Cowes
Ordered	October 1967
Builder	John I. Thornycroft & Company
Yard number	4226
Launched	8 August 1968
Maiden voyage	19 December 1968
Identification	IMO number: 6826951
Status	Laid up 2008
General characteristics
Class and type	Castle class car ferry
Tonnage	as built: 734 GT after rebuild: 999 GT
Length	as built: 191 feet 3 inches (58.29 m) after rebuild: 221 feet 2 inches (67.41 m)
Beam	42 feet 1 inch (12.83 m)
Installed power	1,800 brake horsepower (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	2x Crossley Premier diesels driving twin screws
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)

MV Norris Castle, the third vessel in the Red Funnel fleet to carry the name, was built in 1968 by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Woolston and operated as a car ferry between Southampton and East Cowes until 1994. Mrs Joan Lacon, owner of the namesake building, Norris Castle, named the ship.^[1] Originally designed to load and discharge through the bows, in 1976, she was converted to drive through operation, with mezzanine decks and an extended superstructure, by Boele in Rotterdam.^[2] As built, she was 191 feet 3 inches (58.29 m) long with a capacity of 734 GT. After rebuilding she was extended to 221 feet 2 inches (67.41 m) and 999 GT.

With the arrival of Red Osprey in 1994, she was surplus to requirements and sold to Jadrolinija for service in Croatia.^[3] She was renamed Lovrjenac. After 14 years further service, she was laid up in 2008.^[2]

In gale-force winds in 1981, when turning in the River Medina in the Isle of Wight, she was blown on to the Cowes Floating Bridge, but there was no serious damage done to either vessel.^[3]

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