Sealink ‘Caledonian Princess’, Weymouth 1975

The Sealink ferry ‘Caledonian Princess’ is captured at Weymouth Harbour in this authentic 1970s colour photograph. The archival image showcases the vessel’s classic mid-century profile, featuring a dark blue hull emblazoned with the bold white “Sealink” livery and a distinctive red funnel with a white logo. Launched in 1961, the ship is seen here during its primary service years before its retirement in 1981. In the foreground, holidaymakers in typical mid-1970s summer attire—including a woman in a patterned skirt and a man in a white shirt and dark trousers—rest on a grassy embankment behind a white timber fence to watch the ship’s departure. Large dockside cranes are visible to the left, and a small sailing yacht is moored to the right. This factual record documents a vessel that would later become a cultural icon on the River Tyne, after being converted into the floating nightclub ‘Tuxedo Princess’ in 1983, a role it held until 2008 before being scrapped.