371 g.t. built in 1927 by Day Summers & Co. Ltd., Northam
Former Red Funnel Line paddles steamer seen moored by London Bridge on 21/12/80.
PS Princess Elizabeth has had a long and eventful career. Most of her pre war sailings were from Southampton and Southsea to the Isle of Wight where she operated as a ferry. In 1939, however, she was used on the Bournemouth to Swanage run, replacing Corfe Castle. During the Second World War she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and was converted for use as a minesweeper. She made four trips to Dunkirk in May 1940 rescuing many British troops. In 1942 she became an anti-aircraft vessel. After returning to her owners, she was converted from coal to oil burning and returned to service as a Ryde excursion steamer. From 1953 she became a standby steamer as she was considered too small and able to carry only a few cars on her foredeck, rather than the new car ferry Carisbrooke Castle, which entered service in 1959. Princess Elizabeth was sold in 1959 to Torbay Steamers Ltd. In 1962 she ran from Bournemouth again and was transferred to Weymouth for the final few years of her operational career. In 1966 she was sold for use as a casino (did not materialise) and in 1967 was sold again for scrap. Her engines and equipment were removed in 1967. After two or three more abortive sales she was moved to the London Embankment for use as a restaurant. She was later moored at Paris and she is believed to now be at Dunkirk and in use as a restaurant.