I remember in 1935 as a child my DAD was first mate on the T..S S Ford when the got so pleased if they had 3 coaches on board Very few people ventured abroad in those days The Ship did one trip a day .
A veritable feast of activity to behold if you are a ferry enthusiast. I remember summer evening visits to Langdon Cliffs as a boy, surveying the continuous stream of traffic in and out of the harbour in the 1980s. I would estimate that this was made in 1980/81 as one of Sealink's turbine steamers was still in operation on the Calais service, with the St Christopher yet to be delivered. Some unusual sights are a HoverLloyd hovercraft at the Seaspeed hoverport before the two companies merged into Hoverspeed and the French flagged Sealink vessel, Chartres, bow in at Eastern Docks Berth 6, alongside a Townsend Thoresen Spirit Class vessel. Five routes to the continent and four operators. What we see today is much diminished. The ships may be bigger now but the local fleet is a fraction of what it was four decades ago. Far less interesting times. The cine film has badly deteriorated in this clip, but it still gives a flavour of what a hive of ferry activity Dover once was - and what kindled my interest!
Thanks for sharing a very interesting video clip i used to work for Sealink shorebased at Folkestone
Beautiful old memories. Thanks for sharing. I was very young and happy
I remember in 1935 as a child my DAD was first mate on the T..S S Ford when the got so pleased if they had 3 coaches on board Very few people ventured abroad in those days The Ship did one trip a day .
A veritable feast of activity to behold if you are a ferry enthusiast. I remember summer evening visits to Langdon Cliffs as a boy, surveying the continuous stream of traffic in and out of the harbour in the 1980s.
I would estimate that this was made in 1980/81 as one of Sealink's turbine steamers was still in operation on the Calais service, with the St Christopher yet to be delivered. Some unusual sights are a HoverLloyd hovercraft at the Seaspeed hoverport before the two companies merged into Hoverspeed and the French flagged Sealink vessel, Chartres, bow in at Eastern Docks Berth 6, alongside a Townsend Thoresen Spirit Class vessel.
Five routes to the continent and four operators. What we see today is much diminished. The ships may be bigger now but the local fleet is a fraction of what it was four decades ago. Far less interesting times.
The cine film has badly deteriorated in this clip, but it still gives a flavour of what a hive of ferry activity Dover once was - and what kindled my interest!
What year is this film from?
Early 80s
Not that old.. Early 80s