View allAll Photos Tagged CrossChannel"
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'.
BR Sealink Passenger Car Ferry (RoPax) at sea, taken between 1969 and 1973, when 'Sealink' was written on the shell plating.
A significant milestone in the Sealink ferry evolution, could operate as car or train ferry, and was diesel powered.
IMO 6910960
Built 1969 Swan Hunter
4516grt
Scrapped 2005 after 36 years
J. Arthur Dixon Postcard in collection
The newly delivered passenger ro-ro car ferry (RoPax) 'Prince Laurent', very early in her career, arriving at Ostend.
The second of 2 sister ships for RMT, the first being 'Prins Philippe'.
Sold to Greek owners in 1992 and belived to be still in service.
IMO 7346221
Built 1974 Boelwerf, Temse, Belgium
5,052 grt
Scanned Kodak Instamatic Slide
1974
P&O Ferry manoeuvring in Dover harbour.
IMO 9015254
Built 1993 Schichau Seebeckwerft, Germany
28,138 grt
15Jul2011
A classic LL Postcard view taken at Dover.
'Onward' was a turbine steamer built for the South Eastern & Chatham Railway (SECR) for cross-channel services.
She became 'HMT Onward', a transport ship during WWI, used to ferry troops across the channel. Hit by a thermite bomb in 1918 at Dover, she was scuttled/sunk to extinguish the flames.
Later raised and repaired, she joined the Isle of Man Steam Packet fleet as 'Mona's Isle' in 1920.
In WW2 she evacuated troops from Dunkirk and became the Armed Boarding Vessel 'HMS Mona's Isle'
Built 1905 Denny, Dumbarton
1,671 gt
Scrapped 1948
The view must have been taken between about May 1905 and May 1907.
LL (Leon et Levy) Postcard sent 1907
A classic BR Sealink Car (and Train) Ferry, captured at sea (at distance).
IMO 6910960
Built 1969, Swan Hunter, UK
4,516 grt
Scrapped 2005
Scanned negative
Early 1970s
Elegant Belgian Marine/RMT Car Ferry arriving at Ostend during the summer of 1974.
Sold for further service in Greek waters in 1983, therefore spending more of her career there than in Belgian waters.
IMO 6813320
Built 1969 Boelwerf, Temse, Belgium
3,397 grt
Scrapped 2003
Scanned Instamatic Slide
1974
Originally (1859 - 1939) the Lord Warden Hotel. All sorts of famous folk stayed here on their way to and from Europe via Dover. Used by the Navy 1939 - 1944. One of the few 19th Century buildings left in what was once Dover's Pier District.
A foward view of the classic BR Sealink Turbine Steamer 'Dover' at rest in Folkestone.
In 1977 became 'Earl Siward', then 'Sol Express' and then the Nightclub ship 'Tuzedo Royale' at Newcastle for 20 years. Fire in 2017 while laid up.
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
I am 90% sure of the identity of the ship, though comments welcome, name is unreadable.
Belgian Marine Administration/RMT Passenger and Car Ferry alongside at Ostend, seen here with main deck portholes, before them becoming windows.
Sold for Mediterranean service in 1985.
IMO 5192963
Built 1962 J. Boel et Fils, Temse, Belgium
3,057 grt
Scrapped 2004
Scanned Instamatic Slide
1974
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
The classic Folkestone view with a classic British Transport Commission passenger ferry. Later part of British Railways and Sealink.
During 1958/9 the ship's funnel was fitted with a 'Fireman's Helmet' spark arrestor, changing her profile.
IMO 5217543
Built 1949 Denny, Dumbarton
3,777 grt
Scrapped 1975
Shoesmith and Etheridge Postcard in collection
On display at the Hovercraft Museum, Gosport, Hampshire.
Modelled with the French design of Joupe skirt. it could carry 418 passengers and 65 cars.
This model depicts the craft "Ingénieur Jean Bertin" in its Seaspeed livery.
Built in 1977 and transferred to Hoverspeed in 1983.
The N500 Naviplane was a French hovercraft built by SEDAM for the cross channel route. Intended to have a large passenger and crew capacity, it was for a while the largest hovercraft. Only two were built.
The first was destroyed by a fire before entering service, the second proved unreliable and was broken up in 1985 at the end of its service.
The BR Sealink sister ships Hengist and Horsa were long associated with the Folkestone-Boulogne route across the channel.
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.
D V Bennett Postcard in collection
Car Ferry operated by the now defunct SeaFrance, currently operating as 'CĂ´tes des Dunes' for DFDS, seen approaching Dover.
IMO 9232527
Built 2001 Aker Finnyards, Finland
33,796 grt
13Jun2010
The BR Sealink sister ships Hengist and Horsa were long associated with the Folkestone-Boulogne route across the channel.
Hengist was sold to Greek owners in 1992 and operated for a variety of owners in Greek waters.
IMO 7205063
Built 1972 Arsenal de Brest, France
5,122 grt
Sank 2017, Scrapped 2017
D V Bennett Postcard in collection
27/07/23. Dover, Kent.
Built: 1997
Builder: Van der Giessen de Noord, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Netherlands.
Flag: Limassol, Cyprus.
Gross tonnage: 34,031 tons
Ship collection: www.flickr.com/photos/hhhumber/collections/72157630071766...
Stena-Sealink Passenger Car Ferry (RoPax) seen arriving at Dover. Formerly DSB's 'Peder Paars'.
IMO 8317942
Built 1985 Nakskov Skibsværft
19763grt
Scanned negative
28Oct1994
The last of P&O's 'European' class of Freight Ferry to remain in near 'as-built' condition, seen after departure from Dover. Towed to Turkey Jan 2022, future unknown.
IMO 9007283
Built 1991 Schichau Seebeckwerft, Germany
22,986 grt
18Jul2011
Arriving at the eastern entrance to Dover harbour, a view which has changed dramatically in the intervening years.
The French President of the time was Vincent Auriol.
Arromanches was a Newhaven-Dieppe ship borrowed for the occasion. She had been started in 1939 as 'Newhaven' but renamed 'Vichy' during the German occupation, remaining unfinished during the war years, finally completed for SNCM, Dieppe.
IMO 5025330
Built (completed) 1947 Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee, Le Havre
2,790 grt
Skyfotos Postcard in collection
A classic Belgian Marine Administration RMT passenger ferry departing from Ostend.
Converted into a Passenger Terminal in 1983 for Dover and later Ramsgate.
Regrettably I managed to clip off the stern!
IMO 5292452
Built 1958 Cockerill, Belgium
3975grt
Scrapped 1997
Scanned Instamatic Slide
1974
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
SeaFrance freight/train ferry seen mid-channel, heading for Dover. 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
15Jul2011
Elegant Belgian Marine/RMT Car Ferry arriving at Ostend during the summer of 1974.
Sold for further service in Greek waters in 1983, therefore spending more of her career there than in Belgian waters.
IMO 6813320
Built 1969 Boelwerf, Temse, Belgium
3,397 grt
Scrapped 2003
Scanned Instamatic Slide
1974
A good looking Channel Islands passenger ferry that worked Weymouth - Jersey - Guernsey until 1976 when she moved to Dover, seen here backing astern into her berth at the Western Docks.
Also to be seen are a Seaspeed
SRN4 Hovercraft and the train ferry 'St Eloi'.
IMO 5057187
Built 1960 J. Samuel White, Cowes
4,174 grt
Scrapped 1986
One of the huge number of Photo Precision postcards of the 1960s to 1980s. It might be argued that quantity, rather than quality, ruled, but they certainly produced a lot, with some interesting views.
Photo Precision Postcard in collection
Seen departing from Newhaven in 1933.
Built for the French partners in the LBSCR Newhaven-Dieppe route, served 1921 - 1945
Built 1921 (delayed by war)
1,903 grt
Scrapped 1945
PWJ Postcard in collection
IMO 5284728
A classic Belgian passenger ferry built 1948 Cockerill at Hoboken for RMT's Ostend-Dover route, scrapped 1973.
3701grt
Postcard
The BR Sealink sister ships Hengist and Horsa were long associated with the Folkestone - Boulogne route across the channel.
Horsa is seen approaching the berth at Folkestone in her original Sealink colour scheme.
She 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.
Dennis Postcard sent 1981
The third of 3 sister ships for the British Railways Board, the others being Hengist and Horsa.
The funnel therefore carries the flag of the British/French joint agreement between BRB and SNCF, and she was placed on the Newhaven-Dieppe route.
Senlac, like her sisters, proved very popular, however the BRB withdrew from the agreement in 1982, leaving the service to SNCF, and Senlac was put up for sale, resulting in the crew occupying the ship at Newhaven. She eventually became an SNCF ship until 1987, when she headed for a new life in Greek Waters as 'Apollo Express'. Further owners and names followed until scrapped in 2010.
IMO 7235915
Built 1972 Arsenal de Brest
5,590 grt
Scrapped 2010
Dennis Postcard in collection
Car Ferry operated by the now defunct SeaFrance, currently operating as 'CĂ´tes des Dunes' for DFDS, seen departing from Dover.
IMO 9232527
Built 2001 Aker Finnyards, Finland
33,796 grt
13Jun2010
P&O Ferry passing through the breakwaters at Dover.
IMO 9015254
Built 1993 Schichau Seebeckwerft, Germany
28,138 grt
15Jul2011
Built as a train ferry for SNCF, later going to SeaFrance before MyFerryLink (Eurotunnel). Refitted to operate between Spain and Morocco.
A classic Folkestone view of Maid of Orleans.
During 1958/9 the ship's funnel was fitted with a 'Fireman's Helmet' spark arrestor, changing her profile. It received the BR double arrow logo as early as 1964, and 'Sealink' on the hull in about 1970, suggesting this is a late 1960's view
IMO 5217543
Built 1949 Denny, Dumbarton
3,777 grt
Scrapped 1975
Dennis Postcard in collection
The third of 3 sister ships for the British Railways Board, the others being Hengist and Horsa.
The funnel therefore carries the flag of the British/French joint agreement between BRB and SNCF, and she was placed on the Newhaven-Dieppe route.
Senlac, like her sisters, proved very popular, however the BRB withdrew from the agreement in 1982, leaving the service to SNCF, and Senlac was put up for sale, resulting in the crew occupying the ship at Newhaven. She eventually became an SNCF ship until 1987, when she headed for a new life in Greek Waters as 'Apollo Express'. Further owners and names followed until scrapped in 2010.
IMO 7235915
Built 1972 Arsenal de Brest
5,590 grt
Scrapped 2010
One of the huge number of Photo Precision postcards of the 1960s to 1980s. It might be argued that quantity, rather than quality, ruled, but they certainly produced a lot, with some interesting views.
Photo Precision Postcard in collection