Ally
Deckhand
The Leopard is one of the ships featured in my signature, I travelled aboard her from Southampton to Casablanca & back as a child in the early 1970's. I was too young to really take alot of notice as to what she was like back then, but have found her history, which sadly ends up in the scrapheap 5 years ago.
She was launched in 1968, originally to do the Southampton to Le Havre ferry route. She had a twin sister, Dragon, and both flew the French flag, being owned/operated at the time by P&O's French arm, Normandy Ferries.
Leopard also did the Southampton to Casablanca run, along with Southampton to Lisbon too.
She was sold to Townsend Thoreson in 1985, then sold again in 1986 to Marlines and renamed Countess M. Her tenure lasted until 2000 when she was laid up for a couple of years until 2002 when she was renamed Talya I and placed onto the Brindisi to Cesme route.
Unfortunately she fell foul of Greek authorities in 2003 and was scrapped in 2004.
Below as Leopard and as she was shortly before scrapping as Talya I...
She was launched in 1968, originally to do the Southampton to Le Havre ferry route. She had a twin sister, Dragon, and both flew the French flag, being owned/operated at the time by P&O's French arm, Normandy Ferries.
Leopard also did the Southampton to Casablanca run, along with Southampton to Lisbon too.
She was sold to Townsend Thoreson in 1985, then sold again in 1986 to Marlines and renamed Countess M. Her tenure lasted until 2000 when she was laid up for a couple of years until 2002 when she was renamed Talya I and placed onto the Brindisi to Cesme route.
Unfortunately she fell foul of Greek authorities in 2003 and was scrapped in 2004.
Below as Leopard and as she was shortly before scrapping as Talya I...