2025 - A very important year

Published: 20th Jan

Set sail this year on a very special steamship!

ONE of the UK’s premier historic steamships celebrates a double anniversary this year with both her 122nd birthday and 10th year back in service after being saved from the scrapyard at the 11th hour for £1 and restored to superb working order.

The SS Daniel Adamson - a unique combination of Edwardian tugboat and art deco passenger ferry – sails back onto the Northwest rivers and canals this spring for a splendid variety of cruises aimed at all ages and pockets.

Destinations and voyages range from Liverpool city centre docks, across the ocean-like expanse of the River Mersey, through lush green Cheshire countryside on the Weaver Navigation and to the world famous Anderton Boat Lift.

Fares start with the incredible bargain One Hour Family Trips at just £5/ £10 for Children/ Adults – an ideal way for youngsters to get the ‘steamboat bug’ aboard ‘The Danny’ and enjoy the rare experience to be afloat on our fascinating local waterways.

The main 2025 season launches with one of three lengthy ‘signature’ trips, The Cross River Job, departing with from the vessel’s winter maintenance berth in Sandon dock, Liverpool, to Vittoria Dock, Birkenhead including tours of both dock systems and the River Mersey.

The Cross River Job name refers to the pre-container era when large freighters would discharge cargo in Liverpool and then, shepherded by tugs often overnight, would move across to finish unloading in Birkenhead. However, this voyage is definitely in daylight!

In contrast the next day The Cheshire Sheaf cruise will see ‘The Danny’ steam from Birkenhead to her summer berth at Sutton Weaver, near Frodsham. Again, the name The Cheshire Sheaf is a historic reference, this time to the grain barges which ran from Birkenhead’s large mills to Frodsham mill.

The 2025 program also sees ‘The Danny’ take in her old operating area along the Manchester Ship Canal when she doubled both as top tugboat and directors’ inspection vessel, with trips to both Mode Wheel Lock, near Salford, and to Latchford Locks, near Warrington.

Her welcome appearance in Liverpool's Albert Dock will feature occasionally in 2025, but public demand means much of the sailing schedule focuses on the River Weaver, via the best of Cheshire’s countryside, with many trips including the Anderton Boat Lift.

Back by popular request is the third of the ‘signature’ trips, the “Little Leigh Steam Party” sees a wonderful heritage trip from Liverpool’s Canning Dock, all the way up to Acton Bridge on the River Weaver where the Danny will meet up with dozens of other, historic boats and steam driven traction engines for the end of season steam party. The season also features special Meet the Brewer cruises celebrating locally produced beer, aimed at not only real ale fans, but also all those who simply enjoy a fine pint.

These cruises feature real ale on draft with HUSH Brewing Co. of Northwich, based on the River Weaver. Passengers can sample and learn about brewing and beer types from HUSH’s experts working for this relatively new brewery. In between all these wonderful cruises, Danny is busy hosting private celebrations and corporate events whilst she is moored at The Royal Albert Dock or her berth at Sutton Weaver Swing bridge, where she is a welcoming, elegant and memorably special venue.

Andrea Ward, Director of the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society, said: “There is something for everyone with our 2025 cruises. We have tried to offer cruises to suit all tastes and pockets.

“This year’s offer has been achieved against the tough background of increasing costs, across fuel, maintenance and insurance, and facing into the mandatory ten-year boiler inspection and vessel refit next winter.

“It is crucial for us to have a very successful season in 2025 to allow the lavish care and attention the old lady deserves to ensure she gracefully sails on into the 2030’s and beyond.

“We’re calling on everyone who loves heritage, maritime history, the local landscape – or just wants to a different kind of day out – to support this fantastic little ship, which has survived beyond all odds and is rooted in the Northwest. It’s a case of use it or lose it!”

Cruises are now available to book online at www.thedanny.co.uk/events

Notes

All revenue from our cruises goes towards the on-going maintenance and running costs of the vessel, as well as subsidising the family and education programmes.

Daniel Adamson Preservation Society is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit charity which bought SS Daniel Adamson for £1 to save this unique vessel from the scrapyard and succeeded in restoring her from dereliction back to full operational condition for the enjoyment and benefit of all.

The vessel is also available for hire for private events at her berth near Frodsham, and for limited dates in Liverpool Royal Albert Dock and at the Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich.

As well as public cruises, the Danny opens to the public when static for tours, talks, family activity days, music events, visit by all kinds of youth, inclusion and mental health support groups, and runs a programme of learning activities for children and young people from all backgrounds.

The Anderton Boat Lift, maintained and operated by the Canal and River Trust, is one of the very first boat lifts in the world, lifting canal boats between the Weaver Navigation to the Trent and Mersey Canal. It is the heritage engineering jewel of the Weaver, a river rich in both engineering heritage and natural beauty.

History: SS Daniel Adamson was built in 1903 in Birkenhead on the banks of the Mersey and as such, pre-dates the ill-fated Titanic by ten years. Built for the London North-western Railway Company subsidiary, the Shropshire Union Railway & Canal Co as the Ralph Brocklebank. Originally intended to carry passengers and tow large barges of cargo between the owners’ terminus docks at Ellesmere Port and Liverpool. The ship was sold to the Manchester Ship Canal Co in 1920 and was used extensively to assist large ships navigate the Manchester Ship Canal. The Tug Tender was extensively refitted as the canal’s inspection launch in the 1930s and fitted with luxurious Art Deco saloons to entertain the great and the good. Eventually the vessel was retired in late 1984 and after 16 years at the then Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, was bought for £1 while facing an uncertain future by a group of enthusiasts. Her historic significance is recognised nationally, as she is the last operational Mersey built steam vessel in the country, and is the maritime equivalent of a listed building, listed both in the National Historic Ships Register and as one of the elite National Historic Fleet. After many hours of volunteer time and grants from the National Lottery Heritage fund, the ship returned to passenger carrying service in September 2016, September 2025 will see the vessels 10th season in public service begin ahead of an extensive ten-year overhaul.

Further information: www.thedanny.co.uk [email protected]

Contacts: Partnerships manager: [email protected]