A model at the Science Museum in London

Saint-Malo is a port city in Brittany, in France's northwest. Tall granite walls surround the old town, which was once a stronghold for privateers (pirates approved by the king). The Saint-Malo Cathedral, in the center of the old town, is built in Romanesque and Gothic styles and features stained-glass windows depicting city history.

There's a ferry, due into Poole around 21:30 through the summer months which I've been stalking for a good couple of years now. The nuisance of being down in Dorset only once or twice a month, the intersection of good light/darkness with it's scheduled arrival time, the wild dither either side of its arrival time and, of course, the interference of other plans have all made photographing it streaking across the horizon something of a challenge.

In recent months, however, I've seen a few successes, of which this is the first one I'm happy to post - even if the ferry isn't really a feature in the final shot.

The foreground is a "pillbox" machine gun post, marking Redend Point on Studland beach, lit with handheld flash and LED (see below). Bournemouth's light pollution ends up in lots of my Purbeck images as a stand in for natural sunset and I have to say I will miss it when they switch all the ghastly sodium vapour bulbs for clean white LED's in the near future.

As well as sharing a quick shot from my chasing of the ferry, this is a quick note to confirm that I'm alive despite recent inactivity on Flickr.

I'm juggling some ambitious travel plans for the month ahead with changing jobs and some other projects - all keeping me away from Flickr. I'll be catching up over the next couple of days then back late August with posts of my own - though hopefully I'll be around off and on keeping in touch with contacts.

Hope you're all fantastically well!

Info for Strobist:

The "pillbox" was zapped with a handheld Canon 600EX-RT over the course of the exposure, at 1/16 power - twice from camera left, hard along the cliff, four times from camera right, just on the edge of the sea, then eight times through the back window of the installation. The leaves in the tree above were then lit with ten seconds of sweeping light from a Lenser MT7.

Oh - and if you or your company are looking for a sales/marketing manager in the software as a service space... don't be shy - give me a shout on LinkedIn!

Now live on Facebook;

www.facebook.com/Flatworldsedge

4-Ship PA28 Loose formation (Iphone)

So after what seems like weeks of stormy & wet weather here in the UK, briefly (& I mean briefly) the sun cam out, so did most of Portsmouth, lots of people out with their cameras, so here's my offering.

BR Standard 2-6-4T Class 4MT 80079 awaits departure for Folkestone East in Folkestone Harbour Station with one of 'The Harbour Master' shuttles to celebrate the Channel tunnel opening - on 7th May 1994

At the rear of the train BR Standard 4MT No 80080 banked the nine coach working up the steep bank. It was an extraordinary sight and sound.

(Copyright Robin Stewart-Smith - All Rights Reserved)

The Bridge of Irish Ferries 'Oscar Wilde' (ex P&O 'Spirit of Britain') at A&P Falmouth, Cornwall.

G-ASDC ATL-98 Carvair British Air Ferries. Originally delivered as a DC-4 to the USAF in November 1943. Operated by Seaboard & Western and Interocean Airways before being converted to a Carvair. After being used for crosschannel traffic by BAF sold to Australian airline Air Express in 1978. Furtheron to Falcon Airways, Pacific Air Express, Great Southern Airways and finally with Great Arctic Airways. Sadly crashed at Chandalar River, Alaska, in June 1997 (scan from my collection - not taken by myself).

Last Summer's escape to France.

I still feel the sadness that it has all come to this, a loss of freedoms and easy access to friends all over Europe. Mind you, I will now have a lot more money to spend elsewhere outside the European Union.

The last of P&O's 'European' class of Freight Ferry to remain in near 'as-built' condition, seen crossing the Channel towards Dover. Towed to Turkey Jan 2022, future unknown.

IMO 9007283

Built 1991 Schichau Seebeckwerft, Germany

22,986 grt

15Jul2011

Winter morning sunlight:the colour version of ferries leaving and arriving back at Portsmouth - very jealous of those people going to France and sympathise with those who are coming back.

Aerial view of Portsmouth in Hampshire.

A classic BR Sealink Car (and train) Ferry, sitting in the sun in Dover Harbour, where it has been for quite a while, judging by the marine growth on the hull.

The name is obscured due to repainting forward hull strakes.

IMO 6910960

Built 1969, Swan Hunter, UK

4,516 grt

Scrapped 2005

Scanned negative

1974

LD Lines Passenger Ro-Ro/Freight Ferry arriving at Dover. Formerly 'Brave Merchant', currently 'Aquarius Brasil'. Only worked from Dover in 2010.

IMO 9147306

Built 1999 Astilleros Espanoles S.A. (AESA), Spain

22,359 grt

13Jun2010

A good-looking Stena Line car ferry operating 'The Londoner' service from Tilbury to Calais in 1965, a service only operating for a few months.

IMO 6516544

Built 1965 Ateliers et Chantiers de la Seine-Maritime, France

2,607 grt

Caught fire and sank Venezuela 1980.

Stena Line Ltd Postcard in collection

Not a great image of a freight ferry operating the Dover-Dunkirk train ferry route at this time, Anderida had 2 sets of railway tracks laid on her vehicle deck.

Seen here departing from Dunkirk. She provided useful service for BR Sealink until sold in 1981 for service in Greece, later New Zealand, back to Greece, Canada, Greece and now seemingly off Cameroon, at anchor, 50 years old.

IMO 7222229

Built 1972 Trosvik Verksted, Norway

4,529 grt

Scanned from an Instamatic Print

1974

SeaFrance freight/train ferry approaching Calais. Train ferry operations ceased due to the tunnel but she continued as a freight ferry.

Currently operating between Spain and Morocco as 'Al Andalus Express'

IMO 8512152

Built 1987 Normed Dunkerque, France

13,727 grt

18Jul2011

The classic BR Sealink Turbine Steamer 'Dover' at rest in its namesake. Later became 'Earl Siward', 'Sol Express' and then the Nightclub ship 'Tuzedo Royale' at Newcastle for 20 years. Fire in 2017 while laid up.

IMO 6510784

Built 1965 Swan Hunter, UK

5,888 grt

Scanned Slide

Mid-1970s, 1973-1975

BR Sealink Passenger Car Rail Ferry (RoPax) manoeuvring in Dover Western Docks on a gloomy day in 1974.

Dover Castle can be seen beyond.

IMO 6910960

Built 1969 Swan Hunter

4,516 grt

Scrapped 2005 after 36 years

Scanned Instamatic Slide

1974

A66

The BR Sealink sister ships Hengist and Horsa were long associated with the Folkestone-Boulogne route across the channel.

Here we see Horsa departing from Folkestone in 1975, when 3 years old, escorted by its squadron of seagulls. The Sealink design evolution from previous ferries is clear.

It's a great pity Folkestone is no longer used as a Cross-Channel port, it might alleviate some of the pressures on Dover.

Horsa was sold to Greek owners in 1992 and operated until 2012/3. In 2014 ship was arrested - financial difficulties and non-payment of crew for 6 months.

IMO 7205075

Built 1972 Arsenal de Brest, France

5,109 grt

Believed to be scrapped.

Scanned Instamatic Slide

1975

Portsmouth

The BR Sealink sister ships Hengist and Horsa were long associated with the Folkestone-Boulogne route across the channel.

Here we see Horsa approaching Folkestone in 1975, when 3 years old. The Sealink design evolution from previous ferries is clear.

It's a great pity Folkestone is no longer used as a Cross-Channel port, it might alleviate some of the pressures on Dover.

Horsa was sold to Greek owners in 1992 and operated until 2012/3. In 2014 ship was arrested - financial difficulties and non-payment of crew for 6 months.

IMO 7205075

Built 1972 Arsenal de Brest, France

5,109 grt

Believed to be scrapped.

Scanned Instamatic Slide

1975

The classic view of a classic ferry, seen departing from the much-missed Folkestone. I previously uploaded my own version of this, taken with an Instamatic, but thankfully a better camera was on hand (thanks to Dad).

IMO 7205063

Built 1972 DCNS Arsenal de la Marine, Brest, France

5,122 grt

Sank in Piraeus harbour 2016, scrapped 2017

Scanned Slide

c1975

A lot to be seen in this view of Dieppe port and port railway station.

The Gare Maritime was built by the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest in 1874, which operated it until 1909 when taken over by Chemins de Fer de l'Etat.

This postcard shows it in CF de l'Ouest days, and a boat train has just arrived, the locomotive uncoupled off the front.

Everybody is walking everywhere, in contrast to today's general restricted access.

The Gare Maritime was destroyed during WW2.

The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) operated the profitable Newhaven-Dieppe service in conjunction with the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest.

Alongside can be seen the turbine passenger ferry 'Brighton' owned by the LBSCR.

Became troopship and hospital ship in WWI later returned to LBSCR and thereafter Southern Railway.

Built 1903 Denny, Dumbarton

1,384 grt

Wrecked 1933

ND Phot Postcard sent 1906

London St-Pancras International 15/10/2018 13h24

A TMST (TransMancheSuperTrain) set of Eurostar in old livery at St-Pancras. Not yet painted in the current colors and livery (and then renamed Eurostar e300). My first photo upon arrival of my 3 day stay in London.

Eurostar TMST

The British Rail Class 373 or TGV TMST train is a French designed and built electric multiple unit that is used for Eurostar high speed rail services from London to France and Belgium through the Channel Tunnel. Part of the TGV family, it has a smaller cross-section to fit the smaller loading gauge in Britain, was originally able to operate on the UK third rail network and it has extensive fireproofing in case of fire in the tunnel. It is both the second longest—387 metres—and second fastest train in regular UK passenger service, operating at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. It is beaten in both aspects by the Class 374 (E320) which is 400 metres long and has a top speed of 320 kilometres per hour, although it can only travel at 300 kilometres per hour on HS1 in the UK, most LGVs in France and HSL 1 in Belgium.

Known as the TransManche Super Train (TMST) or Cross-channel Super Train before entering service in 1993, the train is designated Class 373 under the British TOPS classification system and series 373000 TGV in France. It was built by the French company GEC-Alsthom at its sites in La Rochelle (France), Belfort (France) and Washwood Heath (Britain) and by Brugeoise et Nivelles (BN, now part of Bombardier Transportation) in Bruges (Belgium).

Since the introduction of the new Class 374 e320 units from Siemens in 2014, refurbished versions of the Class 373 or TGV-TMST sets have been officially dubbed as e300 by Eurostar to distinguish them from the new Velaro fleet.

FACTS & FIGURES

In service: 14 November 1994 – present

Manufacturer: GEC-Alsthom, BN

Numbers built: 31 sets (Three Capitals) - 7 sets (North of London)

Number scrapped: 15 sets (2019)

Successor: E320 (Eurostar) - TGV Duplex (SNCF)

Capacity: 750 seats (TMST) - 758 seats (e320)

Operators: Eurostar - IZY

Depot: Temple Mills

More information: Wikipedia - TMST

BR Sealink Passenger Car Ferry (RoPax) departing from Folkestone, during the transition time between BR Sealink and Sea Containers Sealink British Ferries. Double arrows removed from funnel. Also used as a train ferry.

IMO 6910960

Built 1969 Swan Hunter

4,516 grt

Scrapped 2005 after 36 years

Scanned negative

1984

IMO 7204291

Built 1972

4,981 grt

Scanned Instamatic Print

c1975

SeaFrance freight/train ferry approaching Calais. Train ferry operations ceased due to the tunnel but she continued as a freight ferry.

Currently operating between Spain and Morocco as 'Al Andalus Express'

IMO 8512152

Built 1987 Normed Dunkerque, France

13,727 grt

18Jul2011

The BR Sealink sister ships Hengist and Horsa were long associated with the Folkestone-Boulogne route across the channel.

Here we see Horsa approaching Folkestone in 1975, when 3 years old. The Sealink design evolution from previous ferries is clear.

It's a great pity Folkestone is no longer used as a Cross-Channel port, it might alleviate some of the pressures on Dover.

Horsa was sold to Greek owners in 1992 and operated until 2012/3. In 2014 ship was arrested - financial difficulties and non-payment of crew for 6 months.

IMO 7205075

Built 1972 Arsenal de Brest, France

5,109 grt

Believed to be scrapped.

Scanned Instamatic Slide

1975

Stena Line (formerly Stena-Sealink) Passenger Car Ferry (RoPax) seen off the French coast, her first year in Stena Line colours.

Formerly DSB's 'Peder Paars', later become 'Color Viking', still in service but future uncertain.

IMO 8317942

Built 1985 Nakskov Skibsværft, Denmark

19,763 grt

Scanned slide

1996

Built for the Monarch Steamship co .Another Subsidiary of the European Ferries Group like Townsend Thoresen. She had a revised funnel logo after 1984 so this is taken between 1977 and 1984

cross-channel ferry

The Port of Dover is the cross-channel port situated in Dover, Kent, south-east England. It is the nearest English port to France, at just 34 kilometres (21 mi) away, and is one of the world's busiest passenger ports, with 11.7 million passengers, 2.6 million lorries, 2.2 million cars and motorcycles and 80,000 coaches passing through it in 2017, with an annual turnover of £58.5 million a year. The Channel Tunnel in nearby Cheriton now takes an estimated 20 million passengers and 1.6 million trucks.

The port has been owned and operated by the Dover Harbour Board, a statutory corporation, since it was formed by Royal Charter in 1606 by King James I. Most of the board members are appointees of the Department for Transport. The port has its own private police force,

andrevandecappellephotography.com/

Ribble Duple Tiger no52 operating on National Express cross channel service 960 from Galway to Leeds via Dublin, prepares to leave Galway railway station in 1985. Behind is Bombardier double deck KD196, Limerick bound

Irish Ferries latest recruit 'Oscar Wilde' (ex P&O 'Spirit of Britain') in Falmouth Dry dock with makeover nearly complete.

SeaFrance freight/train ferry approaching Calais. Train ferry operations ceased due to the tunnel but she continued as a freight ferry.

Currently operating between Spain and Morocco as 'Al Andalus Express'

IMO 8512152

Built 1987 Normed Dunkerque, France

13,727 grt

18Jul2011

andrevandecappellephotography.com/

Back in 1991 we chose to cross the English Channel using the Hoverspeed Hovercraft service between Dover, England and Calais in France. These gargantuan machines were quite spectacular. When the skirt deflated, the hatch at the front was opened and you could drive your car in. The roar of the engines was ear shattering and the ride was bumpy, nauseous but quick and probably the best alternative to taking the painstakingly slow ferry.

Here's the Princess Margaret landing at (I think) Calais Hoverport. The service was discontinued several years ago.

My Canon AV-1 camera, Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 lens

All rights reserved

The classic BR Sealink Turbine Steamer 'Dover' at rest in Folkestone.

Later became 'Earl Siward', 'Sol Express' and then the Nightclub ship 'Tuzedo Royale' at Newcastle for 20 years. Fire in 2017 while laid up.

A good view of the stern/docking bridge.

I always thought this ship was a good example of the design evolution of British Railways Car Ferries.

IMO 6510784

Built 1965 Swan Hunter, Wallsend

5,888 grt

Scrapped 2018/19

Scanned Instamatic Slide

1975

Taken on my fathers Pentax camera as I didn't have a zoom lense for my Praktica at the time. Sealink Ferry "Hengist" is seen manoeuvreing within the harbour breakwater at Dover Eastern Docks with a cross channel sailing from Calais or Boulogne. 'Hengist' (GRT 5,590t) was built in 1972 and passed from British Rail ownership to P&O Sea Containers on privatisation in 1984 and then to Stena Sealink before Stena Line sold it March 1993 to a Greek shipping company. The ferry now operates on routes in the Aegean sea from Piraeus in Greece and carries the new name 'Panagia Ekatondapaliani'.