Hovertravel is a ferry company operating from Southsea, Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK. It is the largest passenger hovercraft company currently operating in the world since the demise of Hoverspeed.
Hovertravel is now the world's oldest hovercraft operator,[1] and this service is believed to be unique in western Europe.[2] Hovertravel describes itself as "the world's only year-round passenger hovercraft service"[3] (although there is a regular winter-only operator in Estonia[4]). The operator's principal service operates between Southsea Common on the English mainland and Ryde Transport Interchange on the Isle of Wight: the crossing time of less than 10 minutes makes it the fastest route across The Solent from land to land.[5] This service commenced operations in 1965, Hovertravel currently operates two 12000TD hovercraft on a single route between Ryde and Southsea. Additionally, Hovertravel has frequently operated other routes throughout the United Kingdom, typically as charter services.
History
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, British inventor Sir Christopher Cockerell had, in cooperation with British aerospace manufacturer Saunders-Roe, developed a pioneering new form of transportation, embodied in the form of the experimental SR.N1 vehicle, which became widely known as the hovercraft.[6] British manufacturer Saunders-Roe proceeded with work on various hovercraft designs, successfully developing multiple commercially viable vehicles in the mid-1960s. These included the SR.N4, a large cross-Channelferry capable of seating up to 418 passengers along with 60 cars, and the SR.N5, the first commercially-active hovercraft.[7]
Hovertravel first commenced operations during July 1965, initially leasing a pair of SR.N6 hovercraft, a stretched model of the SR.N5 capable of seating up to 38 passengers, from the British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC).[8] An initial service between Ryde, Southsea and Stokes Bay, Gosport, was established. At its onset, it was planned to run a seasonal summer service to provide a unique experience orientated towards tourists visiting the region; despite this intention, a high level of regular travellers and commuters used the service to the extent that a year-round service became viable.[8]
Early on, Hovertravel faced direct competition from another hovercraft operator, the British Rail-owned Seaspeed with its rival Cowes-Southampton route. Eventually, Hovertravel took over running of the route on behalf of Seaspeed; however, in 1980, the decision was taken to discontinue the Cowes-Southampton service due to rising costs and increased competition from Red Funnel's hydrofoils, instead concentrating its resources on the Ryde-Southsea service, which was viewed as being more viable.[8]
In addition to its scheduled services, Hovertravel was also quick to enter the charter market.[8] Its hovercraft proved to be of particular value to hydrocarbon exploration and seismographic surveys, which would see Hovertravel craft deployed to barren deserts, frozen arctic conditions, and previously unexplored areas of the world. During 1968, one such expedition by a single SR.N6 successfully traversed the perilous Orinoco river during an exploratory mission deep into the Amazon rainforest.[8] While the SR.N6 had helped to prove the value of hovercraft, it was not without its flaws; due to its dependency on aviation-derived technologies, Hovertravel's fleet became increasingly expensive to maintain over time, while its high noise output was not an attractive feature either.[8]
AP1-88 Double-O-Seven arriving at Southsea after crossing from the Isle of Wight
As a result of high oil prices following the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis, the economics of the first generation of commercial hovercraft was badly hit, undermining operators' profitability and provoking customer requests for vehicles with greater fuel efficiency.[9] The BHC achieved several advances throughout the 1970s, improving its skirt technology to increase durability and require less power, while propulsion changes helped to drive down operating costs and thereby improve the hovercraft's commercial viability.[9] While early craft had been powered by gas turbine engines, which were frequently similar to the turboshaft engines used on helicopters; advances in diesel engines enabled their application to a new generation of hovercraft.[10][11] Hovertravel elected to procure the newly developed British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88, a medium-size diesel-powered hovercraft.[8]
Prior to the delivery of Hovertravel's first AP1-88 hovercraft in 1983, extensive trials were performed of the vehicle to evaluate it.[8] It was found to be considerably more economic to operate and to purchase, costing half the price of the older SR.N6 in both respects.[12][10] The quieter and more economical AP1-88 was credited by Hovertravel as having revitalised the industry; the type soon entirely replaced the SR.N6 and form the bulk of the company's hovercraft fleet into the 21st century.[8]
By the turn of the century, Hovertravel was reportedly transporting almost 1 million passengers per year across its fleet, while its services were sometimes running at an interval of every 15 minutes at particularly busy points of the day. In order to cope of demand, the company sought a suitable replacement for its aging AP1-88s.[8] While a single BHT-130 hovercraft was operated for four years, it proved to be uneconomical on the relatively short Isle of Wight route, being better suited to longer routes, such as around Edinburgh. Another type of hovercraft was therefore sought to serve the Isle of Wight service.[8]
Hovertravel's close relationship with hovercraft manufacturer Griffon Hoverwork has facilitated its preferences and requirements to shape the development of new hovercraft. During 2010s, while defining what would become the 12000TD hovercraft, Griffon Hoverwork drew on passenger-orientated analysis supplied by Hovertravel.[13] Hovertravel would later acquire this vehicle, on which the passenger experience was enhanced over earlier vehicles in multiple ways, including the incorporation of noise-minimisation measures, increased external visibility, and accessibility accommodation.[13] Production of this new twin-diesel engine hovercraft, designated 12000TD, commenced in 2015, with deliveries starting during the following year. The type has been hailed as Hovertravel's quietest and most economically viable hovercraft to date.[8]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, two of the company's hovercraft were modified to take stretchers, and a temporary landing point was opened in Southampton to allow patients to be transferred to its hospital.[14]
Services
Solent Flyer at the Ryde hovercraft terminal, 2018Freedom 90 at Ryde, 2008
For several decades, Hovertravel had operated a hovercraft ferry route between the mainland of the United Kingdom (UK) from Southsea across the Solent to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. During low tide, the hovercraft travels over sand flat at a distance of a mile to reach Ryde's hover port. By 2008, this service was the last regular route served by hovercraft anywhere in the UK.[15] That same year, Southsea Terminal was refurbished to extend its lifetime and improve its facilities; alterations included a new wall separating the hoverport and the esplanade, as well as new lighting, toilet blocks, and a clean up of the site.[16]
During October 2017, both of the Griffon Hoverwork 12000TD hovercraft were temporarily taken out of service due to several technical and reliability issues, including instances of engine failure. A pair of AP1-88s were taken out of reserve to operate the service in their place.[17] The 12000TD returned to regular service three weeks later.[18]
Hovertravel has occasionally been chartered to operate temporary hovercraft services across the Firth of Tay between Carnoustie and St Andrews, typically in connection with major golf tournaments, demand being amplified by insufficient hotel accommodation available at Carnoustie. Additionally, between 16 July and 28 July 2007, the Solent Express was chartered to operate an experimental service across the Firth of Forth (marketed as "Forthfast") between Portobello, Edinburgh, and Kirkcaldy in conjunction with Scottish transport firm Stagecoach Group.[19]
1972 accident
On 4 March 1972, Hovertravel's SR-N6 012 capsized off Southsea, with a loss of five lives, including a single missing person who was presumed drowned. The craft had been en route from Ryde to Southsea with 26 people on board, including the crew; it had been about a quarter of a mile (400 metres) offshore when it was hit by an unusually large wave, causing the vehicle to capsize.[20] All visible survivors were rescued from the sea, while the hovercraft itself was towed ashore at Southsea.[21] The captain of the SR.N6 was praised for his prompt efforts to rescue the people on board.[22] This incident was the world's first fatal accident involving a commercially operated hovercraft, and the first fatal accident involving a hovercraft in the United Kingdom.[23]
Fleet
Solent Express leaving Ryde
Presently, Hovertravel operates a pair of 12000TDs, produced by sister company Griffon Hoverwork, called Solent Flyer and Island Flyer. Each craft is outfitted with 78 seats, access to the passenger cabin is provided via two doorways located on the bow of the vehicle. The pilot operates the craft from a central wheelhouse. Powered by a pair of diesel engines, the 12000TD can travel at speeds of up to 40 knots (74km/h; 46mph) while hovering around 1.5 metres (4ft 11in) above the surface.[citation needed]
A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and various other surfaces.
The SR.N4 hovercraft was a combined passenger and vehicle-carrying class of hovercraft. The type has the distinction of being the largest civil hovercraft to have ever been put into service.
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight which runs along the island's east coast and links Ryde Pier Head with Shanklin. Trains connect at Ryde Pier Head with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour, and these ferries in turn connect with the rest of the National Rail network via the Portsmouth Direct Line. The line also connects to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, a heritage railway, at Smallbrook Junction. For much of its length the line runs alongside the A3055, criss-crossing this road by means of the Ryde Tunnel and bridges at Rowborough, Morton Common, Lake Hill and Littlestairs.
Wightlink is a ferry company operating routes across The Solent between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the south of England. It operates car ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth, and Portsmouth and Fishbourne and a fast passenger-only catamaran between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier. It is jointly owned by Basalt Infrastructure Partners and Fiera Infrastructure.
Red Funnel, the trading name of the Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, is a ferry company that carries passengers, vehicles and freight on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight. High-speed foot passenger catamarans, known as Red Jets, run between Southampton and Cowes, while vehicle ferries run between Southampton and East Cowes. It also runs the ferry between Southampton and Hythe.
British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC) was a British hovercraft manufacturer that designed and produced multiple types of vehicles for both commercial and civil purposes.
Ryde Transport Interchange or Gateway serves the town of Ryde, Isle of Wight, England.
Griffon Hoverwork Ltd (GHL) is a British hovercraft designer and manufacturer.
Seaspeed was a British hovercraft operator which ran services in the Solent and English Channel between 1965 and 1981, when it merged with a rival to form Hoverspeed.
Hoverlloyd operated a cross-Channel hovercraft service between Ramsgate, England and Calais, France.
TSMV Shanklin was a passenger ferry that operated between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight between 1951 and 1980. Renamed Prince Ivanhoe she went on to become a pleasure cruiser in the Bristol Channel but in 1981 sank off the Welsh coast on her first season.
There are currently three different ferry companies that operate vessels carrying passengers and, on certain routes, vehicles across the Solent, the stretch of sea that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England. These are Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel.
The Saunders-Roe SR.N6 hovercraft was essentially a larger version of the earlier SR.N5 series. It incorporated several features that resulted in the type becoming one of the most produced and commercially successful hovercraft designs in the world.
The British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88 is a medium-size hovercraft. In a civil configuration, the hovercraft can seat a maximum of 101 passengers, while as a troop carrier, it can transport up to 90 troops. When operated as a military logistics vehicle, the AP1-88 can carry a pair of Land Rovers, a Bv202 tracked vehicle and trailer unit or up to roughly 10 tons (10,000 kg) of cargo.
The Griffon 2000 series is a light-weight hovercraft built in the United Kingdom by Griffon Hoverwork and used principally by military and rescue organisations.
The Saunders-Roe SR.N5 was a medium-sized hovercraft which first flew in 1964. It has the distinction of being the first production-built hovercraft in the world.
The British Hovercraft Corporation BH.7 is a medium size hovercraft. It was the first quantity-production hovercraft to be specifically developed for military applications.
The Griffon Hoverwork BHT130 is a large hovercraft, designed by Hoverwork and fitted out in St Helens. The type was found to be too large for the cross-Solent route and was withdrawn after 4 years in service (2007-2011), although other BHT variants are found currently in service around the world in various commercial and civil roles and designated as BHT 130 / 150 / 180.
CCGS Penac was a Canadian Coast Guard AP1-88/100 air cushioned vehicle (ACV) or hovercraft and was based at CCG Hovercraft Base Richmond, British Columbia. The primary missions of Penac was search and rescue off the British Columbia Coast. The vessel was initially constructed in 1984 by the British Hovercraft Corporation for use as a passenger vessel in Copenhagen, Denmark as Lommen with Scandinavian Airlines and renamed Liv Viking just before the service began. Sold in 1997 after a bridge eliminated the vessel's need, the hovercraft was sold to Hovertravel for service on the Solent. However, the ACV never entered service and was acquired by the Canadian Coast Guard in 2004. Renamed Penac, the hovercraft remained in service until 2017.
Oita Hovercraft is a hovercraft service operating a 33-kilometre route between the city centre of Oita city and Oita airport scheduled to resume in 2024. The route is expected to become one of the two regular hovercraft services in the world, the other being the service between the Isle of Wight and Southsea in England.
↑ "1972, The Hovercraft". Thirty Two Years in the Ambulance Service. Portsmouth and Hampshire (UK). Archived from the original on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
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