Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Griffon 8000 series are a bit bigger than an SRN6; the 12000s are even bigger still - roughly equivalent to the older AP1-88.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Commuter Ferries
- Thread starter markymark2000
- Start date
- Status
Griffon 8000 series are a bit bigger than an SRN6; the 12000s are even bigger still - roughly equivalent to the older AP1-88.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
DarloRich
Veteran Member
The only one i have used is the Shields ferry
Even with the faffing about the Shields ferry is a lot quicker than getting other public transport. It might not beat the A19 tyne tunnel in the car mind.
Even with the faffing about the Shields ferry is a lot quicker than getting other public transport. It might not beat the A19 tyne tunnel in the car mind.
markymark2000
On Moderation
It all depends on the ferry and how quick the ramps are. Thames Clipper can spend 30 seconds at a pier because they don't fully dock and then the ramp is a small pull down with passengers waiting at the gate to board.
Mersey Ferries however have the electric ramp at Pier Head which takes 3 years to lower and then the passengers need to be let out of the waiting area.
Mersey Ferries however have the electric ramp at Pier Head which takes 3 years to lower and then the passengers need to be let out of the waiting area.
Midnight Sun
Member
- Joined
- 16 Sep 2018
- Messages
- 310
The Wick ferry has never serve Christchurch Quay which is 1/2 mile down stream of the ferry. It is known as the Wick Ferry as it links the two parts of Wick lane together. Before the ferry this was a deep ford. The Mudeford-Hengistbury ferry (£4 return, 5mins) is still in service as is a new service from the Town Quay in Christchurch to Mudeford (£9 return, 40 mins).
Chris M
Member
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Venice yet, but then that is a rather unique situation.
In the UK there are ferries on Lake Windermere that I think take commuter traffic, certainly the car ferry will.
A service from Minehead to Cardiff or Swansea would seem to tick a lot of boxes, but I don't know how big a vessel you would need to cross the estuary in most weathers and whether that would be viable for docking at either end. There would also be essentially no custom for commuters at first as there is no viable route at the moment so startup costs would be enormous. Plenty of scope for summer tourst traffic though I'd have thought - especially if in connected with the West Somerset Railway.
In the UK there are ferries on Lake Windermere that I think take commuter traffic, certainly the car ferry will.
A service from Minehead to Cardiff or Swansea would seem to tick a lot of boxes, but I don't know how big a vessel you would need to cross the estuary in most weathers and whether that would be viable for docking at either end. There would also be essentially no custom for commuters at first as there is no viable route at the moment so startup costs would be enormous. Plenty of scope for summer tourst traffic though I'd have thought - especially if in connected with the West Somerset Railway.
Busaholic
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Jun 2014
- Messages
- 14,078
Is there not still a paddle steamer service? Used to be worked by 'Balmoral' or 'Waverley' iirc. No cars, of course.
markymark2000
On Moderation
I would make it Penarth to Weston personally on the basis of distance. You shouldn't need a big vessel as there was a ferry called Lewis Alexander which was quite small 45 seater vessel. There would be a longish period of losses while it built up the customer base but I do think if it was a decent speed and competative with trains, it could work. Into Cardiff might be more of a struggle with the bay area and it would take a long time to get in. That said, it would provide better custom than Penarth so not sure, it would be a difficult balance.
The only thing in Minehead is Butlins so unless you are running a service for that purpose, it might be a bit useless.
No, ceased in 2019 https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/travel/waverley-paddle-steamer-wont-any-16352886
edwin_m
Veteran Member
For the past several decades Waverley has toured the coastline each year (apart from a few when major repairs were needed) running trips from a range of places. As far as I'm aware she's never run a regular ferry service since her original duties on the Clyde.
Weston Pier is ridiculously tidal, so isn't suitable for a regular service. Balmoral ran (and hopefully will run again ) from Penarth to Clevedon, which are both quite deep, but the service was a couple of times a week.
The closest the Bristol channel has come to a regular service was Severn Link about 10 years ago, who planned to use two ex-Ryde fast cats from Swansea to Ilfracombe. This route has an excellent time advantage over road or rail, but it never got off the ground.
The closest the Bristol channel has come to a regular service was Severn Link about 10 years ago, who planned to use two ex-Ryde fast cats from Swansea to Ilfracombe. This route has an excellent time advantage over road or rail, but it never got off the ground.
markymark2000
On Moderation
Tidal is an issue but further along the coast, there isn't much for people so the usage could be very limited. Ifracombe is a bit like Minehead, almost nothing there.
Penarth to Clevedon could work. My issue is by the time you get to Penarth and from Clevedon, is there that much difference in the journey time?
I think there's a reason neither of these routes has really been run since the 60's!
daodao
Established Member
There are (or were) occasional summer trips from Penarth on MS Balmoral. I recall one summer Sunday in the 1990s doing a round trip Penarth-Watchet-Minehead-Penarth, with the middle segment by steam train on the WSR. It was sunny but there was a heavy swell.
The tidal nature of the Bristol Channel/Mor Hafren and potential for rough seas makes any regular service out of the question.
I recently experienced the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry. It's definitely an experience in faded grandeur. You can peer into the derelict terminal at Tilbury - it's quite a sorry sight now. The landing at Gravesend does give the best possible approach to the town, though (even if the pier is mostly occupied by a closed bar/restaurant). Very choppy crossing in the tiny little vessel!
Interestingly the ocean liner terminal at Tilbury is far from derelict - it is most of the way through a multi million restoration. Unfortunately there are a couple of small buildings at the east end that are all you can see from the ferry which haven't yet been touched and are in terrible condition.
The old railway station in particular now looks fantastic inside - a nice touch is they have deliberately restored it to a faded grandeur look, complete with old posters etc. It's getting to be quite a busy cruise terminal now.
The ferry itself is definitely faded grandeur, compared to the large boats that used to run it before the Dartford crossings were built, and there really is nothing anywhere near on the Tilbury side, which makes it's use limited
deanmachine
Member
You can't beat the Shields Ferry times in a bus at least, running the Ferry Replacement service, from point to point, the fastest I did it was about 13 minutes (southbound only as it's a faster route), the ferry is timetabled for 7 minutes, and considering the bus is an express service with no stops between the termini, you could only beat it in a car by speeding.
Friends of mine take their kids to/from school, crossing between Dartmouth and Kingswear return 4 times a day. There are two road and a passenger ferry in Dartmouth, and Dartmouth station was an official BR railway station despite never having a railway line (I believe Hull had one as well)
There's also a ferry from Dartmouth Castle to town which is faster than walking, although that's summer only.
Ploughman
Established Member
They tried a Hovercraft service between Southport and Blackpool back in the 70's. Lasted about a year.
Ploughman
Established Member
Not seen the Windermere Chain ferry listed yet.
The North Briton
Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2009
- Messages
- 202
I used this service a few years ago and was staggered by the one off cost of a single crossing: around five times the cost of a comparable crossing in the Netherlands (Maassluis to Rozenburg). Not surprised the restaurant has closed, as this was equally overpriced and underdelivered!
philthetube
Established Member
- Joined
- 5 Jan 2016
- Messages
- 3,762
And a mile walk along the pier to reach civilisation, never happening.
randyrippley
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Feb 2016
- Messages
- 5,132
that's easy, reinstate the pier tramway
The rails were still in place a couple of weeks ago - or as far as the "sea-front" road anyway.
philthetube
Established Member
- Joined
- 5 Jan 2016
- Messages
- 3,762
Maybe extend the pier another couple of miles as well, to ensure thee is always water at low tide,
Hang on, why not just build a bridge.
Hang on, why not just build a bridge.
Whisky Papa
Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2019
- Messages
- 394
Prague. The DPP website lists eight ferry routes, although I can't find a current map with them marked on. They are all direct crossings of the Vltava river rather than providing links along it, mostly in the outer districts where bridges are somewhat lacking. They are included in the local fare tariff and I assume must be vital links for at least some workers.
Here in London docklands the Woolwich Ferry recently had the vessels replaced, at considerable cost, on the grounds that it was a "vital link".
Since this started off, maybe 18 months ago, it has not run for more than half the time. The old vessels were retired but the new ones were late, then they didn't work properly, then new features of the landing stages didn't work properly with them - and then the crews went on multiple strikes because of their loss of earnings through all this. It still seems to be going on. You certainly couldn't rely on it for getting to work.
"Vital link" seems nowadays to be a political/positioning statement of justification, rather than any genuine assessment.
Sorry to hear about this, as a former Woolwich resident. As far as I can recall, the 1960s boats came in with little problem, although at first they had to use the old side-loading pontoons before the end-loading ramps became operational. The combination of the new ramps and boats certainly speeded things up, and the only problem I can remember was the occasional fog when the foot-tunnel came into its own.
Busaholic
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Jun 2014
- Messages
- 14,078
I don't remember any problems with the new boats in the 1960s either, and I was a regular user then. The fog brought its own thrills for a teenager, but not so good for the elderly, asthmatics, etc. Remember those fog horns? We could easily hear them in Eltham.
It seems that the contractors are on the way out...
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/london/s...khan-to-re-nationalise-the-woolwich-ferry-af/
Busaholic
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Jun 2014
- Messages
- 14,078
LBC should understand the difference between nationalisation and local government control. The Woolwich Ferry was never nationalised, and if it had been would probably have lost the 'Free' element that's always made it so distinctive and, imo, admirable.
paul1609
Established Member
Down in Pompey under normal circumstances we still have Footex Hovercraft. On evening matches the hoverbus waits at the end of Frogmore Rd for final time for a connecting flight back to the Island. https://www.hovertravel.co.uk/special-offers/portsmouth-fc-match-day-flyer/
- Status