GOING 'GREEK'
The later lives of Arromanches & Lisieux
By Derek Longly
The 'Leto' formerly Arromanches at Myconos
From collection of Derek Longly photo attributed to A Duncan
The 'Apollon' formerly Lisieux probably at Piraeus
From collection of Derek Longly photo attributed to A Duncan
When their service at Newhaven was no longer required in the mid 1960's both the Arromanches and Lisieux went on to other routes. The Arromanches went directly to Greece but the Lisieux spent some time undertaking runs to the Channel Islands for the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, possibly under charter, a rather surprising service for the prestigious 'French Line' to take on.
Eventually the Lisieux also sailed off to Greece and there she joined her former SNCF fleet mate by entering the service of Nomikos Lines.
This old established company had placed the former Arromanches on their run from Piraeus to the islands of Syros, Tinos and Myconos, a very popular run with both local people and tourists alike.
Re-named Leto the one time Dieppe based ship was little changed externally, apart from an extension to her after superstructure, but looked very smart in her new colours becoming highly successful on her new route, she I believe being the first day ship so employed.
The Lisieux also was little changed when she joined Nomikos Lines, apart from her new name of Apollon and her new livery, and again she too looked very smart in these colours. Like the Leto she sailed on the Piraeus to Myconos route where, according to Lefteris Bogiatzopoulos from Syra in Greece, she became equally successful and was considered a significant ship on the run.
A picture I have seen of Apollon at Tinos shows a huge crowd of prospective passengers surrounding her berth whilst large numbers can be seen already aboard her, indicating her popularity.
The Leto unfortunately met a sad end when in 1970 she ran aground at Tinos to become a complete total loss.
Apollon, however, went on to join another Greek company - Agapitos Lines - in 1977 and was eventually broken up, according to reports in either 1980 or 1982.
Nomikos Lines later went out of the passenger ship business, although it still remains in existence as Nomikos Shipping Co but no longer runs ships.
More photos of the pair here:
http://www.ournewhaven.org.uk/page_id__2120.aspx
Andy-Editor