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- Whilst broadly similar in design and dimensions, the ‘Pride of the Tyne’ is the slightly larger of the two vessels
- Both ends of their hulls are identical i.e. neither have a conventional ‘bow’ and ‘stern’, to make best use of deck space for carrying passengers
- The relatively large water plane created by the double-ended arrangement gives increased stability to the vessels
- A Voith Schneider propeller unit is sited at both ends of each ferry
- The units which propel and steer the vessels are driven by their own engine and gearbox
- Each boat has twin diesel generators to supply electrical power
- The double-ended ferries operate diagonally across the river without the need for turning. This saves time so the speed of the ferry can be reduced, saving wear and tear on the machinery and fuel without reducing frequency of the service
- The design of the ‘Pride of the Tyne’ was adapted from that of the ‘Shieldsman’. The basic configuration was retained while the standard of passenger accommodation was improved
- The ‘Pride’ was also the first river ferry to incorporate, from new, all of the new safety features introduced in the wake of the Marchioness disaster on the Thames in 1989
- The hulls of both ferries are divided into 5 watertight compartments
- Both boats incorporate buoyant apparatus in the upper deck seating and self-inflating rafts are mounted at each end of the main deck
- Additionally 353 life jackets are carried on-board, sufficient for a full complement of passengers and crew
- Both vessels have 2m wide boarding ramps allowing easy embarkation for all passengers including those with prams, wheelchairs and bicycles.
| Capacity | Shieldsman | Pride of the Tyne | | Standing - timetabled service | 350 | 350 | | Standing - private hire/river trips | 212 | 248 | | Seats - main deck | 64 | 60 | | Standing - timetabled service | 56 | 112 | | Seats - bar | n/a | 50 |
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