Did anyone ride a Hovercraft?

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 9:07 am

I was looking at some old pictures and came across a photo I took of the Hoverlloyd Ramsgate to Calais Hovercraft that I went over to France on a day trip in the 70's. It carried a number of cars as well as a load of passengers. It was an experience, very smooth but you could not see anything due to the spray. I think the raising fuel costs made it uneconomical and the craft disappeared. It was certainly an experience and I am glad I did it. I think there was also a service to the Isle of Wight?

Has anyone else had the experience?

DWD

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 10:25 am

Me.
Went to the IOW on it. As you say it could carry cars too, all I remember was that it was very quick, and absolutely huge. My father filmed it coming in. (That is film, not video, as at the time video did not exist, and we have "lost" all the films)

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 10:53 am

I found this wonderful home movie SE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utov5TTpmG0

DWD

oz0707 · Post by **oz0707** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 11:49 am

Not a hi vis in sight great

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 11:54 am

I seem to have a vague recollection that one of the hovercraft had "crows feet" (as my father called them) painted on a hovercraft. It was the old logo of British rail. (maybe that was the channel crossing one, not sure) Why British rail IDK

I recall we were sitting on an English beach and not far away one came up across the sea, and up the beach not far from us. (Well, it seemed not far at the time)

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 12:45 pm

Yes, that was the British Rail Hoverspeed service to the IoW

DWD

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 4:33 pm

oh, at least it was real then, for 3 seconds I was wondering did I imagine it.

Bob225 · Post by **Bob225** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 7:09 pm

Does a piloting, a signal seater across a field and water count, turn and lean 20m before you need to, drop the throttle, and it would nose dive then throw you out (single prop with no lift engine), been in the paddocks a few times at national races - that was nearly 20 years ago, now I feel old

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 8:45 pm

Never went cross-channel on the big SRN4 that carried cars, but used the passenger-only SRN6 service, which is still running, from Southsea (Portsmouth) to Ryde (IOW) on numerous occasions. It only takes 10 minutes to cross, large car park at the terminal.

Living only 25 mins. from Portsmouth on the motorway, it was dead easy, like catching a bus, to pop over somewhere different for lunch or evening meal. Exciting on a windy day, went most of the way sideways!

hovertravel.co.uk

: hovercraft-across-sea.jpg (36.93 KiB) Viewed 715 times

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 10:09 pm

As a kid I made an Airfix kit of the early SRN1 https://yesterdaystoys.co.uk/product/ai ... t-1973-79/ We have watched a number of Youtube videos on the various Hovercraft services. Great nostalgic memories.

DWD

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Thu Apr 20, 2023 8:56 am

Been on the IOW hovercraft about 20 years ago, still running I think.

I remember watching the channel hovercraft as a kid, but we went over on the Seacat or under the tunnel

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:10 am

I cannot remember if I went twice over from Ramsgate on the Hovercraft as we used Sally Lines from Ramsgate a number of times. Both ceased operations now. I have used the Chunnel a few times but it is not the same. I do not think I would drive abroad these days.

DWD