St. Patrick: This vessel was built in 1947 by Cammell Laird and Co., Ltd., Birkenhead, as a replacement for a steamer of the same name which was lost during the Second World War. She had a gross tonnage of 3,482; was 321 ft. in length; 48 ft. in breadth; with twin screws driven by steam turbines and carried 1,300 passengers. Her speed was 20 knots.
Originally intended for the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbour Company (a joint enterprise of the Great Western Railway and the Irish Great Southern Railway) the St. Patrick was employed as a summer relief by British Railways on their Weymouth—Channel Islands service between 1948 and 1959.
Her red funnel and her naval-type syren, which was invariably used in preference to her organ pipe whistle, made her easily distinguishable from all other mail ships on the Channel Islands route.
On December 17, 1959, she was transferred to the British Transport Commission and became a permanent member of the Weymouth fleet; she was subsequently given an extensive refit.
In 1961 and 1962 she was employed on week-end and excursion duties and in 1963 she operated the Jersey—St. Malo route. In the following year the St. Patrick operated on the Southampton to St. Malo route, but still visited the island occasionally on day-trips. However, in December she was transferred to the Dover station to work on the short sea route to France. Withdrawn from service in 1971, she was sold to Greek buyers for service in the Mediterranean. SG82