Stena Europe/Normandy Big Movie Star

[larry]

Hello there, Let me first introduce myself, I'm Larry, have been living in a coastguard station directly overlooking rosslare harbour for many years now and holidayed a lot here as a child (this house once being owned by my grandfather who was head of customs in the harbour).

I have always been a massive ferry enthusiast, my mini museum of models and memoribilia in my sittingroom is all the proof i need of that, I'm currently trying to build up a collection of genuine old postcards of ships that served in rosslare to hang in the wee gallery, if anyone knows where i can get some i would be very grateful.

Anyhow on to the topic, I apologize in advance if this has been covered but recently i saw the movie Baltic Storm for the first time, It's a movie about the estonia disaster and guess who stars as the estonia... I believe it's the stena Europe however it could be the normandy either, I have no doubt that it is one of the sisters, I can get screen caps if you wish or if anyone has any more info on this i'd love to hear it.

Also i found this site after a search for some postcards of irish ships and then spent a good hour and a half looking through some really interesting threads on here.

Hello to all

[giftgrub]

Baltic Storm was indeed filmed onboard the Stena Europe while in service on the Rosslare Fishguard route, well spotted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/2863979.stm

The makers of a new $6m movie have thanked residents in a west Wales port for helping them get it finished.
Actors, stunt men and technicians descended on Fishguard for three days to complete filming the thriller Baltic Storm.

Starring Donald Sutherland and Greta Scaachi it focuses on the real-life Estonia ferry disaster, which sank in 1994, claiming 852 lives.

With finance from Welsh film company Aquarius, the producers used the passenger ferry on the busy Fishguard to Rosslare route as a back drop for some scenes after being turned away by other countries.

The film crew spent Monday through to Wednesday in Fishguard and now shooting has been completed and the movie is in the can.


Greta Scacchi plays a journalist.
Producer Juta Rabe said: "We have been shooting on the ferry, in the ferry and around the ferry.

"All the governments in the Baltic were very concerned that we were doing the film and did not want to spoil their reputations as being good ferry operators.

Cast and crew

"But when we came to Fishguard they were very helpful in making everything possible for us here - it has been wonderful.

"Compared to all the difficulties that we have had in Sweden and Estonia - here it was just like walking in the park.

"We have been helped by some very talent and knowledgeable people here."


Donald Sutherland plays an American agent.
Some residents secured parts as extras and with a cast and crew of more than 20 staying in the town there has been a boost to the local economy as well.

Relatives of the victims have never been satisfied with the official explanation of the disaster, which took place in the Baltic Sea between Estonia and Sweden.

The Estonia set off from the Estonian capital Tallinn on 27 September, 1994 at about 1900 local time with 989 passengers and staff on board.

Release date

Findings from the Joint Investigation Commission revealed that at approximately 0100 local time, high seas tore off the bow visor, exposing the car ramp, which loosened, allowing the sea onto the car decks.

The ferry became unstable and capsized.

Ms Rabe added: "This was the last three days of filming and we have a rough cut ready.

"We have a release date in Germany for September and I think it will hopefully be out in the UK about the same time.

"Although the ferry was not a 100% double (for the Estonia) we will be using computer graphic images (CGI) to adjust that. When the film comes out, you will not be able to tell the difference."


Trailer for the movie here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgdOpVDLRHo

[larry]

honestly it wasnt a bad film regardless of the debates regarding actual truth

[Collision-course]

Looks like A good film , am looking forward to seeing it , as far as I know the Estonia does'nt have any sister ships (am open to correction on that) but Stena Europe is similar enought to pass herself off as Estonia in places.
Well done to Stena Line for being brave enough to take on a project like this , as can be seen above , not every operator would be so willing.
Ebay is a good place to get ferry items , but you will have to be vigilant as the lists are constantly being updated.

[larry]

i dont believe she had any sisters, a documentary i saw a long time ago said she originally had a sister ship but during the course of building the project changed hands a lot and was modified beyond recognition of the original design which left her fairly much an all new ship.

I think there was some other shots of tother ships used in the film too but all in all the stena line ship did a convincing job, however in one scene the ulysses can be seen in the background but i think the estonia had sank before ulysses was ever on the scene.

its definitely worth a watch, a god film indeed regardless of anyones beliefs about what actually happened i thought it was very good, it's mainly based on the aftermath rather than the sinking itself.

I have pillaged eBay alright, so far got about 2 dozen postcards but i cant get any of the st killian ones i remember as a child nor can i get the very old St patrick I with the yellow funnel one (think it was john hinde), i also managed to get some nice 1/400 model kits, mainly passenger ships but one or two military ships just to highlight the awesome scale size of ships like finnjet and titanic

[larry]

Just thought I'd throw up some views from my house, im a very lucky man to have such a great view over the harbour, love to randomly take snaps of the ferrys but so few new ones have graced us with their presence lately ive not felt the need to, looking forward to the new celtic link ferry now


From the end of the drive


The Diplomat (before she was renamed) on a murky day with the Europe lurking around in the background


And the Diplomat heading off

[Kieran]

Estonia did have a sister, built as Diana II...last sailed in europe as M/S Meloodia and is now MS ARV 1 for Equinox Offshore Accommodation. Her Fakta om Fartyg page is here.

Ps.
Now thats a house with a view!

[larry]

I didnt know that at all, good looking ship that, as was the estonia, it looks like a proper ship, i have to say i wouldnt be the biggest fan of designs like the innishmore, innishfree, norman voyager etc, i guess as it is with cars for me ill always prefer the older less sleek looking vehicles, possibly my favourite ship of all time was the st killian II, or even the isle of innishfree that was chartered to b&i, niels klim i think it was originally called.

I very much appreciate the view from this house here over the harbour, lots of lovely scenic spots to throw your eyes out over the ocean, i have to say though, maybe im imagining it but in the mid eighties to mid nineties the place seemed much more ferry friendly, random new visitor almost every week, one or two vessels in port even over night a lot of nights, i miss that kind of thing

[aidan664]

Hello Larry, I'm a newbie myself- been lurkingon the site for a while. Funnily just returned through Rosslare on my way back to UK this week. Judging by the view from your house I think you live very close to two of my cousins, one works on the trawlers at Rosslare and the other one is married to a trawlerman based at Rosslare, great pictures. I've always found ebay useful.

[larry]

excellent stuff, ive been living hear in and around 6-7 years in an old coastguard station, lots of history in the house here

[harryerskine]

Hello Larry, I am researching coastguard stations and would be very pleased if you could send me a photograph of the station you live in in Rosslare. I believe there was an earlier station built in 1870, has this been demolished? Any info gratefully received. With best wishes. denismayne@tiscali.co.uk

[larry]

hi there, i believe the other one is the one up near the rnli hut, still there but it was extended slightly upward to make the interior taller if memory serves me correctly, i may not be thinking of the correct one though, ill get you a picture of this house today, its in a block of four, number one was the police station 2/3/4 were the coastguard stations and at the back of the garden there was a boat house, do you have much info on these houses? id love to know more myself

[HSS]

What a great place to live. The closest I got to a view like that was from Howth over Dublin Bay, were you can watch all the ships come & go.

[cosseric.coss]

where can I get the movie "Baltic Storm", I have searched all over the internet, loads of movie stores and I cant't find it anywhere?

[lynx1]

it is on amazon uk for 87p