Hovertravel

Hovertravel
Industry Passenger transportation
Founded 1965
Headquarters Southsea, United Kingdom
Area served
 Solent
Parent Bland Group
Website www.hovertravel.co.uk
Solent Flyer at Ryde hovercraft terminal (2018)
Freedom 90 at Ryde (2008)

Hovertravel is a ferry company operating from Southsea, Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK. It is the only passenger hovercraft company currently operating in Britain since Hoverspeed stopped using its craft in favour of catamarans. Hovertravel is now the world's oldest hovercraft operator,[1] and this service is believed to be unique in western Europe.[2] The service commenced operations in 1965 and currently operates two hovercraft on a single route between Ryde and Southsea, although it formerly operated also between Ryde and Gosport, and Cowes and Southampton.[3]

The 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.[4]

1972 accident

On 4 March 1972, Hovertravel's SR-N6 012 capsized off Southsea, with a loss of five lives, including one person missing, presumed drowned. This was the world's first fatal accident involving a commercially operated hovercraft, and the first fatal accident involving a hovercraft in the United Kingdom.[5]

The craft was en route from Ryde to Southsea when it was hit by an unusually large wave. The hovercraft capsized about a quarter-of-a-mile (400 metres) offshore.[6] After all visible survivors had been rescued, the hovercraft was towed ashore at Southsea.[7]

Service suspension

Hovertravel suspends the timetable when the wind reaches gale force 8 and above. The service was suspended on 18 November 2011 after an incident on 30 October 2011 in which the hovercraft Solent Express suffered a propeller failure.[8] Services resumed with one craft on the afternoon of 21 November 2011.
The service was again suspended after a second incident on 27 June 2015, when, during the 21:45 crossing, Freedom 90 experienced a major fault with the port propeller, with the loss of all four propeller blades and one of the three rudder blades.

Fleet

Solent Express leaving Ryde
    Model Number Name In Service Out Service
    SRN6 012 1972
    SRN6 GH2014 Sea Hawk 1977 1983
    SRN6 025 1968 1980
    SRN6 026/GH2012 1966 1981
    SRN6 130/GH2013 1965 1980
    SRN6 GH2035 Freedom 1974 1982
    AP1-88 GH2087 Tenacity 1983 1990
    AP1-88 GH2088 Resolution 1983 1987
    AP1-88 GH2083 Perseverance 1985 1988
    AP1-88 GH2107 Double-O-Seven 1989 2003
    AP1-88 GH2114 Freedom 90 1990 2018
    AP1-88 GH2108 Courier 1990 2000
    AP1-88 GH2124 Idun Viking 1997 2002
    AP1-88 GH2132 Island Express 2002 2017
    BHT130 GH2142 Solent Express 2007 2011
    Griffon 12000TD GH2160 Solent Flyer 2016 Present
    Griffon 12000TD GH2161 Island Flyer 2016 Present

    In October 2017, the two Griffon craft were taken out of service owing to a number of technical problems including engine failures. The two AP1-88s were taken out of reserve to operate the service in their places.[9] The Griffon craft returned later that month.[10]

    Scotland

    Hovertravel's hovercraft have occasionally been chartered to operate temporary services across the Firth of Tay between Carnoustie and St Andrews in connection with major golf tournaments (due to Carnoustie's relative lack of hotel accommodation). Also, the Solent Express was chartered to operate an experimental service across the Firth of Forth (marketed as "Forthfast") between Portobello (Edinburgh) and Kirkcaldy 16–28 July 2007.[11]

    References

    1. ↑ "BBC – Hovercraft on the Isle of Wight". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
    2. ↑ Magazine, Justin Parkinson BBC News. "What happened to passenger hovercraft?". BBC News. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
    3. ↑ "About Hovertravel". Retrieved 2016-07-10.
    4. ↑ "Hovertravel – Homepage". www.hovertravel.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2008.
    5. ↑ "HOVERCRAFT ACCIDENT". Hansard 6 March 1972. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
    6. ↑ "Hovercraft Casualty". Hansard 20 December 1972. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
    7. ↑ "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.
    8. ↑ "Hovertravel operations suspended". Maritime and Coastguard Agency. 18 November 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
    9. ↑ "Southsea to Ryde hovercraft taken out of service". BBC News. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
    10. ↑ "Southsea to Ryde hovercraft back in use after breakdowns". BBC News. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
    11. ↑ "Stagecoach – Fife – forthfast". www.stagecoachbus.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2008.
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