Hi,
The Bolton Abbey was indeed the forerunner of the Ro Ro ferries which commenced services on the Humber in circa 1965 (North Sea Ferries MV Norwind etc) - with her sister the Melrose Abbey they covered the Hull-Rotterdam route from 1959 until 1971 when their owners -Associated Humber Lines went bust - they did carry 88 passengers in 44 twin cabins and freight and if you wanted to take your car it was lifted by crane onto the freight decks.As they could not compete with the ROrO ferries AHL failed.Affectionately known in Hull as the "Abbeys'" and considered by many a finer and more civilised way of travel across the North Sea than todays P&O cattle pens
For info she was built as was her sister to replace AHL's pre war aging fleet of steamers at Brooke Marine of Lowestoft in the days when we did build ships.