Hythe Scene in May 2017 | |
History | |
---|---|
Name |
|
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Port of registry | 2017–present: Southampton, United Kingdom |
Route | Hythe Pier↔Southampton |
Launched | 1992 |
Identification |
|
Status | In service |
General characteristics | |
Type | Ferry |
Length | 21 metres (68 ft 11 in) [1] |
Beam | 4 metres (13 ft 1 in) |
MV Hythe Scene (formerly MV Great Expectations) is a catamaran ferry operating on the Hythe ferry service. This service connects the town of Hythe and the city of Southampton, across Southampton Water in England. [2]
Great Expectations was originally introduced in 1992 and was used on the Gravesend to Tilbury ferry service across the River Thames between Kent and Essex, which was at that time operated by White Horse Ferries Ltd. She was named after the Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations , in which the countryside of Kent and the marshes on the lower regions of the Thames feature heavily. [3]
In 1995, White Horse moved Great Expectations from the Thames to be the front-line vessel on their Hythe service. [2] [3]
In 2008, White Horse Ferries spent £50,000 on upgrading the then 16-year-old Great Expectations, including improvements to her main drive shafts. [4]
In 2012, Great Expectations received a new green and white with a black hull livery.
On 21 April 2017, Great Expectations was purchased by the Blue Funnel Group as part of a takeover of Hythe ferry service. [5] [6] Following a refit and repainting in blue, she returned to service on 26 May 2017 under the new name, Hythe Scene. [7]
In March 2023 the ferry was used in a training exercise conducted by the home office and the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. [8]
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross on the south bank of the River Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Rochester, it is the administrative centre of the borough of Gravesham. Gravesend marks the eastern limit of the Greater London Built-up Area, as defined by the UK Office for National Statistics. It had a population of 58,102 in 2021.
Tilbury is a port town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. The present town was established as separate settlement in the late 19th century, on land that was mainly part of Chadwell St Mary. It contains a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry. Tilbury is part of the Port of London with a major deep-water port which contributes to the local economy. Situated 24 miles (38.5 km) east of central London and 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Southend-on-Sea, it is the southernmost point in Essex.
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Rowhedge Ironworks was a shipyard situated on the River Colne, and in the village of Rowhedge, in the English county of Essex. It existed from 1904 to 1964, and built a number of coastal vessels, including VIC type Clyde puffers and ferries for the Hythe Ferry in Southampton. The yard also specialised in building small craft for overseas buyers, often in kit form for assembly abroad, including vessels for use on Lake Titicaca and the River Nile.
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The General Estates Company is a privately held company registered in the United Kingdom and incorporated in October 1900. Its current businesses include the provision of mobile home parks, and ownership and operation of toll bridges.