RED FUNNEL’S REMARKABLE RUN

Still boasting one of the maritime world’s longest names, what was created in 1861 as the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, now Red Funnel, reached a major milestone in September 2021, celebrating the 160th anniversary of its formation through the combination of two separate operators who were already using wooden hulled paddle steamers to take passengers to and from the Isle of Wight.

With sailing packets providing efficient links, steam was later arriving on Island services than in some other areas. However, the 49gt wooden-hulled built in 1814 and introduced between Cowes and Portsmouth, appears to have been the first. Another was the 1817-built , named after the Prince Regent and with a wooden hull, bowsprit, three masts and