Editing Red Funnel (section)

==History==
The origins of Red Funnel date back to 1820, when the ''Isle of Wight Royal Mail Steam Packet Company'' was established by [[Cowes]] interests to operate the first [[Paddle steamer|steamer service]] from there to [[Southampton]]. In 1826, the ''Isle of Wight Steam Packet Company'' was formed in Southampton, and by the following year the two companies had started co-ordinating their operations. In 1860, the ''Southampton, Isle of Wight & Portsmouth Improved Steamboat Company'' was created to compete with the two established operators, and the threat posed caused the two older companies to merge. They subsequently acquired the assets of the Improved Steamboat Company in 1865.<ref name=rftl>{{cite web | title=Timeline | url=http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/corporate-information/company-history/timeline | publisher=Red Funnel | access-date=20 April 2010}}</ref>

Formed in 1861, and called ''The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited'', the merged company's name remains the longest{{citation needed|date=February 2022}} for a registered company in the United Kingdom.<ref name=company2404/> The trading name ''Red Funnel Steamers'' was adopted in 1935 when all the company's ships had black-topped red funnels, and later shortened to the current ''Red Funnel''.<ref name="rftl"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Advertisement |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000290/19350529/045/0002 |access-date=23 February 2022 |work=The Evening News |issue=18,066 |date=29 May 1935 |location=Portsmouth |page=2|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> The 1861 name remains the company's formal name.

The company originally operated a [[paddle steamer]] ferry service between Cowes, [[Isle of Wight]] and [[Southampton]]. During its history the company has operated other routes connecting the Isle of Wight and the English mainland, together with a sizable excursion steamer business along the [[South Coast of England]] including day trips from the Isle of Wight to France, but today services are concentrated on two routes. In 1931 it introduced its first [[Diesel engine|diesel]] ferry, the MV ''Medina''. Ferries have steadily increased in size to the current Scottish-built Raptor class operated between East Cowes and Town Quay in Southampton. Between 1969 and the 1990, the company also ran Italian-built [[hydrofoil]]s between [[Town Quay]] and Cowes. This route is now served by high-speed, passenger-only [[catamaran]]s.

In 1867 Red Funnel instituted a service crossing the [[River Medina]] between [[Cowes]] and [[East Cowes]]. This service was operated by a series of small launches over the years. The service ceased on the outbreak of war in 1939 when the vessels involved were requisitioned by the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]]. In 1868 the company took over the [[Cowes Floating Bridge]] Company and operated the floating bridge until 1901.<ref name="Adams RB">{{cite book|last1=Adams|first1=RB|title=Red Funnel and Before|date=1986|publisher=Kingfisher Publications|location=Southampton|isbn=0-946184-21-6}}</ref>

In 1885 the company bought the ''New Southampton Steam Towing Company'' and operated tugs and tenders, later under the subsidiary ''Red Funnel Towage''. In 2002 Red Funnel Towage was sold to the [[Adelaide Steamship Company]], later passing to [[Maersk#Svitzer|Svitzer Marine]].<ref name="rftl"/>

In 1946 Red Funnel acquired a controlling interest in [[Cosens & Co Ltd]], a rival pleasure steamer operator based in [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]]. This enabled the combined company to coordinate their excursions and also gave Red Funnel access to the Cosens' marine engineering and ship repair facilities. Excursions came to end in 1966 but the engineering side continued until sold off in 1990 to a management buy-out.<ref name=AdamsK>{{cite book|last1=Adams|first1=Keith|title=Red Funnel 150|date=2010|publisher=Richard Danielson|location=Isle of Man|isbn=978-0-9513155-5-2}}</ref>

In 2001 the company was sold to [[CCMP Capital|JP Morgan Partners]] by [[Associated British Ports Holdings]], which had acquired the company in 1989 as a [[White knight (business)|white knight]] to fend off a hostile takeover by [[Sally Line]]s. In 2004 the company was sold again in a management buy-out backed by the [[Bank of Scotland]] for £60&nbsp;million. On 12 April 2007, the owners of Red Funnel (who include [[HBOS]]) announced that they were considering selling Red Funnel.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/6548205.stm | title=Island ferry company may be sold | publisher=BBC | date=12 April 2007 | access-date=20 April 2010}}</ref> In June of the same year, the company was sold to the [[Prudential plc|Prudential]]'s infrastructure specialist, Infracapital, in a deal valuing the business at more than £200m.

In 2014, plans came to light for the relocation of Red Funnel's Southampton terminal, as part of the redevelopment of the derelict [[Royal Pier, Southampton|Royal Pier]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Funnel's Southampton terminals to move in Royal Pier development |url=https://onthewight.com/red-funnel-terminal-move/ |website=Isle of Wight News |publisher=OnTheWight |access-date=16 November 2020 |date=20 March 2014}}</ref> The plans would include relocating the vehicle and foot passenger terminals to a new site at Trafalgar Dry Dock, also known as Pier 50.<ref>{{cite web |title=Southampton's multi-million pound ferry terminal plans to be pushed through |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/15490096.southamptons-multi-million-pound-red-funnel-terminal-plans-to-be-pushed-through/ |website=Daily Echo |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=en |date=24 August 2017}}</ref> Plans were approved in 2016,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Franklin |first1=James |title=Southampton's Royal Pier plans a step closer after ferry boost |url=https://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/news/business/14216608.southamptons-royal-pier-plans-a-step-closer-as-red-funnel-allowed-to-move-ferry-terminal/ |website=Romsey Advertiser |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=en |date=20 January 2016}}</ref> and Red Funnel was supposed to relocate at the end of 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Green Light for new Ferry Terminal {{!}} Media & PR |url=https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/en/corporate-info/media-pr/press-release-library/new-southampton-ferry-terminal-given-green-light/ |website=www.redfunnel.co.uk |publisher=Red Funnel |access-date=16 November 2020 |date=25 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Red Funnel: New Southampton terminal gets green light |url=https://onthewight.com/red-funnel-royal-pier-southampton-green-light/ |website=Isle of Wight News |publisher=OnTheWight |access-date=16 November 2020 |date=20 January 2016}}</ref> However, Southampton City Council terminated the deal to relocate the Royal Pier in August 2019,<ref>{{cite web |title=Southampton City Council ends £450m waterfront development deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-49361641 |website=BBC News |access-date=16 November 2020 |date=23 August 2019}}</ref> with the impact on the project to relocate the Red Funnel terminals unclear.<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Funnel relocation to Pier 50 in the balance after Royal Pier plans scrapped |url=https://onthewight.com/red-funnel-relocation-to-pier-50-in-the-balance-after-royal-pier-plans-scrapped/ |website=Isle of Wight News |publisher=OnTheWight |access-date=16 November 2020 |date=30 August 2019}}</ref>

In 2017 the company was sold to a consortium, including West Midlands Pension Fund and the [[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Red Funnel ferry operator sold to pension funds group|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-40475139|work=BBC News|access-date=3 July 2017}}</ref><ref>Red Funnel New Owner ''[[Ships Monthly]]'' September 2017 page 7</ref> In the same year, construction work began on renovating and enlarging the terminal at East Cowes,<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Funnel reveals East Cowes terminal masterplan |url=https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/16105299.red-funnel-reveals-east-cowes-terminal-masterplan/ |website=Isle of Wight County Press |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=en |date=8 December 2017}}</ref> the first phase of which was completed in August 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=PHASE 1 OF RED FUNNEL'S NEW EAST COWES TERMINAL COMPLETED |url=https://www.islandecho.co.uk/phase-1-of-red-funnels-new-east-cowes-terminal-completed/ |website=Island Echo |access-date=16 November 2020 |date=15 August 2018}}</ref>

In July 2022, [[Unite the Union|Unite]] members at Red Funnel went on strike over pay, causing the company to have to run a reduced timetable.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Darren Toogood |title=RED FUNNEL STRIKE CONTINUES WITH 3 DAYS OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION THIS WEEK |url=https://www.islandecho.co.uk/red-funnel-strike-continues-with-3-days-of-industrial-action-this-week/ |website=Island Echo |access-date=12 September 2022 |date=1 August 2022}}</ref> According to Red Funnel, this was the first strike at the firm since 1966.<ref>{{cite news |title=Almost nothing seems to be working in Britain. It could get worse |url=https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/08/09/almost-nothing-seems-to-be-working-in-britain-it-could-get-worse |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |access-date=12 September 2022 |date=9 August 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The strikes were suspended in August 2022 after the company proposed a new pay agreement.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Toogood |first=Darren |date=2022-08-22 |title=STRIKE ACTION HALTED AS RED FUNNEL REACH AGREEMENT WITH UNITE THE UNION |url=https://www.islandecho.co.uk/strike-action-halted-as-red-funnel-reach-agreement-with-unite-the-union/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=Island Echo}}</ref>

On 7 September 2023, Red Funnel announced the acquisition of Blue Funnel Ferries which operates the [[Hythe Ferry]] service. Blue Funnel Ferries will be renamed the Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Limited.<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Funnel Acquires Hythe Ferry To Protect Historic Solent Crossing |url=https://www.islandecho.co.uk/red-funnel-acquires-hythe-ferry-to-protect-historic-solent-crossing/ |website=Island Echo |access-date=7 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07 |title=Red Funnel acquire Blue Funnel Ferries |url=https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/corporate-finance/red-funnel-acquire-blue-funnel-ferries/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=The Business Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===The House Flag===
[[File:Red Funnel flag.svg|thumb|Red Funnel's house flag]]
Red Funnel's house flag was adopted in 1861. The design was inspired by the names of the company's early paddle-steamers, ''Sapphire'', ''Emerald'', ''Ruby'' and ''Pearl''. A simple rhyme was the guide to flying it correctly:<ref name="Adams RB"/><ref name="Red Funnel">{{cite web |url=http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/corporate-information/history/ |title=Red Funnel Company History |author=Red Funnel |access-date=23 August 2010}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|
"Blue to mast, green to fly,<br/>
Red on deck, white to sky."|}}