Isle of Wight ferry services

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 Hovertravel fleet at Ryde.

History

Early sail crossings

Since the Isle of Wight was separated from mainland Britain, probably about 7000 years ago,[1] vessels have transported people and goods across the Solent. However the earliest record of an Isle of Wight ferry service is from 1420 when the Lord of the Manor in Ashey was responsible for boats crossing between Portsmouth and Ryde. By the 17th century a rota of Ryde fishermen were required, on penalty of fine, to make daily return crossings to Portsmouth.[2]

In 1796 a purpose built sailing boat called The Packet began a regular service between Portsmouth and Ryde and by 1811 two daily return trips were made between the Bugle Inn in Ryde and the Quebec Tavern in Portsmouth.[2] At this time, on arrival at Ryde, the boats, known as Ryde Wherries,[2] had to anchor a considerable distance away from the shore and passengers were transported by horse, cart or on men's backs across the wide and shallow sands to the town.[3] This problem was resolved in 1814 when Ryde Pier was completed.

The introduction of steam power

In 1817 the first steamship ferry, Britannia, began to operate on the Portsmouth Ryde route.[2] Although she was found to be unsuitable for her role and quickly withdrawn the first successful steam powered regular service on the route began on 5 April 1825 with the paddle steamer PS Union. Meanwhile in 1820 the paddle steamer PS Prince of Coburg had begun a service between Cowes and Southampton.[4]

The success of the paddle steamers prompted a period of company formation. In 1827 the Portsmouth and Ryde Steam Packet Company (P&RSPC) was formed and took over the running of the PS Union. This was followed in 1849 by the Portsea, Portsmouth, Gosport and Isle of Wight Steam Packet Company (PPG&IWSPC) operating on the same route. These amalgamated on 1 January 1852 as the Port of Portsmouth and Ryde United Steam Packet Company (PP&RUSPC). In 1873 the Southsea and Isle of Wight Steam Ferry Company (S&IWSFC) began operating between Clarence Pier, Southsea and Ryde but was quickly taken over by the PP&RUSPC in 1876[5]

On the Southampton – Cowes route the Isle of Wight Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (IWRMSPC) was formed in 1820 and the Isle of Wight Steam Packet Company (IWSPC) in 1826. These merged in 1861 becoming the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (IW&SERMSPC).[4] This company became commonly known as Red Funnel in 1935 and is still operating in 2015.

On the Western Solent, the first steam connection between Lymington and Yarmouth was by the Glasgow in March 1830, operated by Lymington owners and continuing also to Cowes, Southampton, Ryde and Portsmouth on various days..[2]

The era of railway ownership

By 1880 railway lines connected to both the Ryde Pier and the Portsmouth Harbour ferry terminals. It was therefore a natural progression for the railway companies to acquire the ferry routes themselves. To do this the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) and the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) jointly formed the South Western and Brighton Railway Companies Steam Packet Service (SW&BRCSPS).[6] This new company bought out the PP&RUSPC and the era of railway ownership of the Ryde Portsmouth route began.

In 1884 the Isle of Wight Marine Transit Company started a rail freight ferry link between the Hayling Island Branch line at Langstone and the Bembridge branch line at St Helens quay. To provide the link the rail ferry PS Carrier was moved from Scotland. The project was unsuccessful and despite being acquired in full by the LB&SCR in 1886 ended in 1888.[6] It remains the only rail ferry to have operated a service to the Isle of Wight.

In 1884 the Lymington service was bought by the London & South Western Railway Company.[7]

In addition to paddle steamers the SW&BRCSPS used tow boats and a tug to carry livestock and subsequently motor cars from Broad Street, Portsmouth to the slipway at George Street, Ryde.[6]

During the First World War four of the SW&BRCSPS paddle steamers were commandeered by the Royal Navy as minesweepers leaving only two behind. The PS Duchess of Richmond was lost to a mine in the Mediterranean Sea.[6]

On 1 January 1923 the SW&BRCSPS was taken over by Southern Railway which had been created in the Grouping ordered by the Railways Act 1921.[5]

Vessels

Name Type† Operator(s)†† Route(s)††† In service Out of service Notes Image
PS Brittania PPR1817Built in Gainsborough, Lincs, in 1816. Unsuccessful experiment with steam power. Quickly withdrawn from service
PS Union PP&RSPCPR1825
PS Arrow PP&RSPCPR1825
PS Lord Yarborough PP&RSPCPR1826
PS Earl SpencerPP&RSPCPR1833
Prince Albert PPR1847
Her Majesty PPR1850
Lindsey PPR1850
Prince of Wales PPR1850
Princess Royal PPR1850
Prince Consort PPP&RUSPC, SW&BRCSPSPR18591882Built by J. Scott Russel, London
Princess of WalesPPP&RUSPC, SW&BRCSPSPR18651885Built by Lewis & Stockwell, London
Gareloch PPR1863
Chancellor PPR1863
Duke of Edinburgh PPP&RUSPC, SW&BRCSPSPR18691884Built by Money, Wigram Co, Blackwall
Princess AlicePPP&RUSPC, SW&BRCSPSPR18691882Built by Money, Wigram Co, Blackwall
Ventnor PPR1873
Shanklin PPR1873
Southsea PPR1873
Ryde PPR1873
Heather Bell PPR1876
Albert Edward PPR1878
Alexandra PPR1879
Victoria PPR1881
PS CarrierRIWMTC, LB&SCRLS18841888Built in 1858 by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Greenock. Failed rail ferry project. Sold in 1892 to Swedish company.
Duchess of Edinburgh PPR1884
Duchess of Connaught PPR1884
Duchess of Albany PPR1889
Princess Margaret PPR1893
PS Duchess of Kent PSW&BRCSPS, SRPR18971933Built by Day, Summers & Co, Southampton. Served as Royal Navy minesweeper in First World War. Replaced by PS Sandown
PS Duchess of Fife PSW&BRCSPS, SRPR18991929Built by Clydebank Engineering & Shipbuilding Co, Glasgow. Served as Royal Navy minesweeper in First World War
PS Duchess of Richmond PSW&BRCSPSPR19101915Built by D&W Henderson, Glasgow. Served as Royal Navy minesweeper in First World War. Mined and sank in Med.
PS Duchess of Norfolk PSW&BRCSPS, SRPR19111937Built by D&W Henderson, Glasgow. Served as Royal Navy minesweeper in First World War
Shanklin PPR1924
Merstone PPR1928
Portsdown PPR1928
Southsea PPR1930
Whippingham PPR1930
Sandown PPR1934
PS Ryde PPSSR, BRPR19371970Built by Denny in Dumbarton
Southsea PPR1948
Brading PPR1948
TSMV Shanklin PPR19511980Built by Denny in Dumbarton. Renamed Prince Ivanhoe and sank off Welsh coast in 1981.
Our Lady Patricia PCPR1986
Our Lady Pamela PCPR1986
Fastcat Shanklin PCPR2000
HSC Fastcat Ryde PCWLPR2000
HSC Fastcat Ryde in 2002
MV Fishbourne (1927)VPPF19271961Built by Denny in Dumbarton[8]
MV Wooton VPPF19281961Built by Denny in Dumbarton[8]
Hilsea VPPF1931
MV Lymington VPPF1938Built by Denny in Dumbarton
Farringford VPPF1948
Freshwater VPPF1959
Camber Queen VPPF1961
MV Fishbourne (1961)VPPF19611983Built by Philip & Son in Dartmouth[8]
MV Cuthred VPPF19691984Built by Richards Shipbuilders in Lowestoft
MV Caedmon VPPF(1973) / LY(2009)19732009Built by Robb Caledon in Dundee
MV Caedmon
MV Cenwulf VPPF(1973) / LY(2009)19732009Built by Robb Caledon in Dundee
MV Cenwulf
MV Cenred VPPF(1974) / LY(2009)19742009Built by Robb Caledon in Dundee
MV Cenred
MV St CatherineVPWLPF19832010
MV St Catherine in 2008
MV St HelenVPPF1983
MV St Helen in 2008
MV St CeciliaVPPF1987
MV St Cecilia in 2008
MV St FaithVPPF1990
MV St ClareVPWLPF2001
MV St Clare in 2003
PS GemPIWSPC, RFSC18401883Built by J. White, Cowes. Scrapped in 1889.
PS RubyPIWRMSPC, RFSC18411872Built by Day, Summers & Co. Northam for the South Western & Isle of Wight Steam Navigation Co as 'The Pride of the Waters'
PS PearlPIWRMSPC, RFSC18441867Built by Day, Summers & Co. Northam. Scrapped in 1875
PS Queen (I)PIWRMSPC, RFSC18481876Built by Day, Summers & Co. Northam.
PS Prince of CoburgPIWSPCSC1820Built in Gainsborough, Lincs, in 1817
Earl of MalmsburyPIWSPCSC
George IVPIWSPCSC
PS Medina (I)PIWRMSPC, RFSC18521882Built by J. White, Cowes as The Times
PS EmeraldPIWSPC, RFSC18571871Built by Day, Summers & Co. Northam.
PS SaphirePIWSPC, RFSC18601873Built by CA Day. Northam.
MV Carisbrooke CastleVPRFSC19591974Built by J Thornycroft & Co. Ltd in Woolston. Sold to operator in Naples[9]
MV Osborne CastleVPRFSC19621978Built by J Thornycroft & Co. Ltd in Woolston.sold to a Canadian ferry company.
MV Cowes CastleVPRFSC19651994Built by J Thornycroft & Co. Ltd in Woolston.sold to Jadrolinija for service in Croatia.
MV Norris CastleVPRFSC19681994Built by J Thornycroft & Co. Ltd in Woolston.sold to Jadrolinija for service in Croatia.
MV Netley CastleVPRFSC19741997Built by Ryton Marine Ltd in Wallsend. Sold to operator in Croatia[9]
MV Red EagleVPRFSC1996
MV Red Eagle in 2005
MV Red FalconVPRFSC1994
MV Red Falcon in 2009
MV Red OspreyVPRFSC1994
MV Red Osprey in 2009
Red Jet 1PCRFSC19912009
Red Jet 2PCRFSC19922009
Red Jet 3PCRFSC1998
MV Red Jet 4PCRFSC2003
MV Red Jet 4 in 2006
Red Jet 5PCRFSC2009
MV Wight LightVPWLLY2009
MV Wight Light in 2008
MV Wight SkyVPWLLY2009
MV Wight Sky in 2009
MV Wight SunVPWLLY2009
Freedom 90HHTSR1990
Island ExpressHHTSR2002
Solent ExpressHHTSR2007The Solent Express was used on Kirkcaldy to Portobello hovercraft passenger trials in 2007.
Solent Express in 2007


References

  1. ↑ "Geology – The Official Isle of Wight Tourism Website". Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Archer, Lynette; Woodford, John (2003). Ryde Postcards. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing Limited. p. 11. ISBN 0-7524-2954-X.
  3. ↑ 4.0 4.1 O'Brien, Capt F T O. Early Solent Steamers: A History of Local Steam Navigation.
  4. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Brown, Alan (1985). Shanklin Ill Fated Prince. Troon: Waverley Excursions Ltd. ISBN 0-9505177-1-2.
  5. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Jordan, S (1998). Ferry Services of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway. Usk: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-521-7.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, Capt F T O. Early Solent Steamers: A History of Local Steam Navigation.
  7. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Faulkner, John. The Fishbourne Car Ferry. Colourpoint Books. ISBN 978-1-904242-87-1.
  8. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Red Funnel: Vessel Archive 1951–1980". Red Funnel. Retrieved 11 May 2009.


Bibliography

Adams, R B (1986). Red Funnel and Before. Southampton, Hampshire: Kingfisher Railway Productions. ISBN 0-946184-21-6.

Haws, Duncan (1993). Britain's Railway Steamers: Western & Southern Companies + French & Stena. Hereford: TCL Publications. ISBN 0-946378-21-5.

O'Brien, Capt F T O (1973). Early Solent Steamers: A History of Local Steam Navigation. Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5654-2.(covers period up to the 1860s)

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