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London & North Western Railway
A major British Railway Company created in 1846 out of the amalgamation of three smaller railway companies. With amalgamation of the British railway system in 1923, it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Connecting services were operated from Holyhead to Ireland (Kingstown or Dublin) and the company also operated links from Fleetwood to northern Ireland (Belfast and Derry) in association with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway

It took over a fleet of ageing paddle steamers from the Chester & Holyhead Railway

The North Lancashire Steamship Company (based at Fleetwood) was a subsidiaty of the Preston & Wyre Railway
The P&W became jointly owned by the Lancashire & Yorkshire and the London & North Western Railways

Most new paddle steamers were ordered from Laird Bros. of Birkenhead

Vessels taken over from the Chester & Holyhead Railway

Hercules (1859-1862)  Built in 1835 by Mottershead & Hayes (Liverpool) : 147.6 ft : Engine by Fawcett, Preston & Co. ex- St George Steam Packet Co
Ocean (1859-1862)  Built in 1836 by W & T Wilson (Liverpool) : 154.7 ft : 507 GRT : Engine by Scott, Sinclair & Co.  ex- St George Steam Packet Co 
Anglia (1859-1861)  Built in 1847 by CJ Mare & Co (London) :  190 ft : 473 GRT : Engine by Maudsley
Cambria (1859-1861)  Built in 1848 by J Laird : 207.5 ft : 590 GRT : oscillating
Scotia (1859-1861)  Built in 1847 by Money Wigram (London) : 194 ft : 479 GRT
Sea Nymph (1859-1876)  Built in 1845 by Caird & Co (Greenock) : 206.3 ft : 685 GRT
Telegraph (1859-1884)  Built in 1853 by J&G Thomson (Govan) : 247.5 ft : 830 GRT
 
New Build
Cargo vessel:
Admiral Moorsom (1860-1885)  Barclay, Curle & Co of Glasgow : 219.3 ft : 747 GRT :  Sank in 1885 under tow after a collision and drifting from near Holyhead to near Co Wexford coast

Alexandra (1863-1889)   Laird : 226.6 ft : 703 GRT : oscillating    
Stanley (1864-1888)   Caird (Greenock) : 239.2 ft : 715 GRT : oscillating : sold to the Irish National Steamboat Company for Londonderry-Glasgow service. Scrapped 1890
Countess of Erne (1868-1889)   Walpole, Webb & Bewley (Dublin) : 241.4 ft : 830 GRT : oscillating by Fawcett, Preston & Co
Earl Spencer (1874-1896)   Laird : 253.7 ft : 855 GRT : oscillating
Rose (1876-1894)   Laird : 291.8 ft : 1178 GRT : 2 cyl
Shamrock (1876-1898)   Laird : 291.8 ft : 1178 GRT : 2 cyl
Isabella (1877-1898)   Laird : 254.2 ft : 831 GRT : oscillating
Lily (1880-1900)   Laird : 300 ft : 1175 GRT : oscillating (reengined 1891 TE 44, 70 and 108 x 78 in) : Sold to the Liverpool & Douglas Steamers Ltd
Violet (1880-1902)   Laird : 300 ft : 1075 GRT :  oscillating (reengined 1890 TE 44, 70 and 108 x 78 in) : Sold to the Liverpool & Douglas Steamers Ltd  
Banshee (1884-1906)   Laird : 310 ft : 1250 GRT : oscillating

Carlingford Lough Services
Greenore, later Cloughmore (1896-1922)

Dublin - Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) local services
Dodder (1877-1893)
Built in 1866 by Walpole, Webb and Bewley of Dublin
148.4 ft : 181 GRT
Engine : 2 cyl Side Lever
Built for Mr F Barrington of Dublin
Taken over by the LNWR in 1877
Withdrawn in 1893

Cargo Vessels
Admiral Moorsom (1860-1885)   Barclay, Curle (Glasgow) : 219.3 ft : 747 GRT :  2 cyl by Randolph, Elder (Govan). Sank under tow after collision off Wexford
Duchess of Sutherland (1868-1908)  A Leslie & Co (Hebburn) : 251 ft : 908 GRT : 63 and 63 x 72 in  by R Stephenson : converted to screw in 1888 - used as cattle carrier
Duke of Sutherland (1868-1888)  A Leslie & Co (Hebburn) :  244 ft : 860 GRT : oscillating 63 and 63 in x 66 in by R Stephenson (Newcastle)
Edith (1870-1912)  A Leslie & Co (Hebburn) : 250.6 ft : 891 GRT : oscillating by R Stephenson : converted to screw propulsion in 1892 - used as cattle carrier
Eleanor (1873-1881)  A Leslie & Co (Hebburn) : 252.9ft : 917 GRT : oscillating 63 and 63 in x 78 in by R Stephenson.  Wrecked in Carlingford Lough in 1881
Eleanor (1881-1902) Laird : 254.2ft : 903 GRT : 2 x 2 cyl oscillating 30 and 60 in x 66 in

Fleetwood Services to Ireland (with the Lancashire & Yorkshire railway)
Vessels of the North Lancashire Steamship Company (owned by the Preston & Wyre Railway) at Fleetwood

Prince of Wales (1842-1853)
Princess Alice (1843-1855)
Her Majesty (1844-1849)
Royal Consort (1844-1870 : transferred to new company)
Prince Alfred (1861-1869) Wrecked

LNWR & L&YR fleet

Prince Arthur (1870-1877)  Built in 1864 by Caird & Co (Greenock) : 227.8 ft : 803 GRT : oscillating. Taken over as a blockade runner. Sold in 1877. Hulked in 1885
Royal Consort (1870-1890)  Built in 1844 by Tod & MacGregor (Glasgow) : 177.9 ft : 522 GRT 
Princess of Wales (1870-1896) A Leslie & Co (Hebburn) : 260 ft : 949 GRT : Osc 63 and 63 in x 78 in by Stephenson : Reeng 1883 2x 2cyl 32 and 56 x 78 in by Rankin&Blackmore
Thomas Dugdale (1873-1888)  A Leslie & Co : 260.5 ft : 1000 GRT : Osc 63 and 63 in x 78 in by Stephenson : Reengined 1883 2x 2cyl 32 and 56 x 78 in by R&B. Sold
Duke of Connaught (1875-1894) Barrow SB (Barrow) : 267.5 : 1082 GRT :  2 x 2 cyl  34 and 64 in x 72 in
Prince of Wales (1886-1896)  Barrow SB (Barrow) : 307.2 ft : 1563 GRT :  2 x 2 cyl  43 and 77 in x 94 in. Sold to Spanish Navy as General Valdez. Sank 1901. Scrapped 1907 

Note : Prince Arthur : was built for the Bristol Steam Navigation Co as Alfred, but sold for blockade running as Old Dominion. Returned to the UK as Sheffield for the Liverpool & Dublin Steam Navigation Company. Sold to Fleetwood owners as Prince Arthur. After being sold by the L&NWR she was privately owned at Fleetwood and then Glasgow until hulked in 1885
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Historical Database