Fine Whine Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Just a quick update on Saturdays nudge, we had a recently retired chief engineer in this morning who told me the fault was most likely with the fly by wire controls not reacting to the Captains command, apparently not the first time this has happened on Armorique. Those on board told me the ship approached far too fast which backs up this theory. More worrying though was his observation that the linkspan won’t be repaired over a couple of days and could take some time. And even more worrying for us in Roscoff is yes, Irish Ferries normally operate to Roscoff from early May until mid September, but at the moment nothing at all has been published for the port on the 2019 schedule. I’ve heard through the grapevine there is an important IF corporate announcement coming in the coming days, we watch and wait.... Chris 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 10 minutes ago, Fine Whine said: More worrying though was his observation that the linkspan won’t be repaired over a couple of days and could take some time. I'm expecting a change to the sailing on Boxing Day, although being mid afternoon anyway, hopefully it won't be a drastic change, unlike tonights 14 hour mega-crossing to Roscoff! Having never done a crossing to Spain, it's going to be a little strange getting up tomorrow morning and still having another 4-5 hours before arrival! Link to post Share on other sites
Fine Whine Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 15 minutes ago, Paul said: I'm expecting a change to the sailing on Boxing Day, although being mid afternoon anyway, hopefully it won't be a drastic change, unlike tonights 14 hour mega-crossing to Roscoff! Having never done a crossing to Spain, it's going to be a little strange getting up tomorrow morning and still having another 4-5 hours before arrival! Looking at the tide times I would guess either a midday departure or early evening, say 18h00. Chris ps you're always welcome to pop in for an invigorating coffee after so long at sea Paul! Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 Ah, coffee - is that what you specialise in Chris?! 😀 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Fine Whine Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Can't be seen to be encouraging drink driving Gareth .... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Aiden Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 Hi does anyone know what is going on with the e harve routes seems that lots of sailings have been cancelled Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 On 18/12/2018 at 11:58, Fine Whine said: Looking at the tide times I would guess either a midday departure or early evening, say 18h00. Almost right! The Boxing Day sailing is at the same time of 13.25, but check in is now between 09.00 and 10.50, with boarding starting at 10.25. Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMWeaver Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Latest Sailing Updates! Link to post Share on other sites
Aiden Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 15 minutes ago, TonyMWeaver said: Latest Sailing Updates! Why have so many leharve sailing be cancelled Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 I think it concerns Etretat and might well be for the same reason they cancelled a week's worth of sailings back in November and chartered her out to the French military. I believe they are doing some engineering work in Le Havre (maybe drainage and sewerage systems or preparations for Normandie's future berthing needs) and the RORO berth must to shut down for different periods. I may be totally wrong and they simply don't have enough bookings but the fact that other sailings are operating at revised times (giving more time for the work to take place?) makes me think the former reason is more likely. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 There has been a delay overnight on the Plymouth to Roscoff service due to a combination of weather, tides and the ongoing linkspan problems. It makes me wonder if BF will bother reopening Roscoff - Plymouth in future years for the Christmas period as virtually every crossing has been delayed or disrupted (the prang last weekend was obviously a one-off) due to some very bad weather. 20/12/18 Plymouth to Roscoff 22:00 - Departure has been delayed until 08:00 on Friday morning. You are welcome to stay on board for the evening of the 20/12/2018 (check-in from 20:00 until 21:15) or you can board on the Friday morning (check-in from 06:45 until 07:15). Arrival in Roscoff will be at 15:00. Should neither of these options be suitable, please call 01752 648637 to discuss alternatives. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Fine Whine Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Stop giving them ideas Ed! It’s bad enough losing Irish services for the summer (no further news on that front yet); once they eventually get the linkspan repaired to accomadate all states of the tide then we’re back to normal again. Someone will have to sort out the link between the controls on the bridge and engine room though ...🙄 Link to post Share on other sites
Fine Whine Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Just now, Fine Whine said: Stop giving them ideas Ed! It’s bad enough losing Irish services for the summer (no further news on that front yet); once they eventually get the linkspan repaired to accomadate all states of the tide then we’re back to normal again. Someone will have to sort out the link between the controls on the bridge and engine room though ...🙄 Chris Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 15 minutes ago, Fine Whine said: Stop giving them ideas Ed! It’s bad enough losing Irish services for the summer (no further news on that front yet); once they eventually get the linkspan repaired to accomadate all states of the tide then we’re back to normal again. Someone will have to sort out the link between the controls on the bridge and engine room though ...🙄 Sorry! I just think that they might be better off running both PA and Arm from St Malo, with the former to Portsmouth as usual and the latter to Plymouth (with Poole or Portsmouth as the backup solution in bad weather), so as to offer both a day time and night time crossing in each direction every day, thereby giving people the option. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 At least they have done everything they can to keep the sailings running, even with the linkspan issue. Yes, it's been an inconvenience, but compared with what is happening st Gatwick at the moment, we can't complain too much 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Paul said: At least they have done everything they can to keep the sailings running, even with the linkspan issue. Yes, it's been an inconvenience, but compared with what is happening st Gatwick at the moment, we can't complain too much Agreed. I just wonder whether the passengers would have preferred a diversion via St Malo to avoid the accumulated delays even if it means driving a little further on the other side. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Solo Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 2 hours ago, Cabin-boy said: There has been a delay overnight on the Plymouth to Roscoff service due to a combination of weather, tides and the ongoing linkspan problems. It makes me wonder if BF will bother reopening Roscoff - Plymouth in future years for the Christmas period as virtually every crossing has been delayed or disrupted (the prang last weekend was obviously a one-off) due to some very bad weather. 20/12/18 Plymouth to Roscoff 22:00 - Departure has been delayed until 08:00 on Friday morning. You are welcome to stay on board for the evening of the 20/12/2018 (check-in from 20:00 until 21:15) or you can board on the Friday morning (check-in from 06:45 until 07:15). Arrival in Roscoff will be at 15:00. Should neither of these options be suitable, please call 01752 648637 to discuss alternatives. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. Ed. It shows there must be enough demand that they reopen the route before Christmas with the problems that we all know about at this time of year. Back in the seventies there was reliable service all winter, we were sending lorry loads of mackeral from our small village every night, occasionally the drivers would say they were going to Poole but most of the time it was Plymouth. Link to post Share on other sites
scarlton Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 I think the weather is causing minimal delays. Most of the time it only affects departure, and usually the arrival remains the same (with the exception of last night of course). Operating to St Malo is an interesting idea, no idea what the demand would be though. A rotation to St Malo once a week would be a good way to diversify the appeal of Plymouth perhaps? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 Yes. Plymouth-St Malo was always an occasional (once or twice a week) service even back in the days when it was a regular route in the published timetables. It disaappeared for a long time, but in recent years has reappeared, mainly for BF convenience, as a positioning voyage when needing to get a ferry between the two main routes. Ad hoc services like that are never going to attract large amounts of custom, but I’d have thought there would be interest in an occasional service if it were to become available on a regular basis in its own right, with the route properly marketed. Link to post Share on other sites
George A'Court Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 I noticed a couple of days ago that the whole list of Le Havre cancelled sailings has been removed from the sailing update, is the reason known or is it likely to reappear early in the new year. Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 It must likely suggests that they have managed to contact all the affected passengers, switched them to alternative crossings. Therefore they have now removed the information and amended the timetable to reflect the new schedule. Ed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Macc2010 Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Does anyone know why The PA has raced across the channel at some 23 knots all the way and has just arrived in St Malo at 02.45am? Take it they wont be chucking passengers at this time of the morning. Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I was on her yesterday coming across to Portsmouth and we arrived on time after passing very close to the Isle of Wight coast. We were off and out of the port within 15 of the doors opening. They were loading a lot of containers in St Malo yesterday morning. Perhaps they need to do so again today for the new year cruise to Honfleur and decided to take advantage of the opportunity early this morning seeing as she's leaving again at 9am. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Solo Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 7 hours ago, Macc2010 said: Does anyone know why The PA has raced across the channel at some 23 knots all the way and has just arrived in St Malo at 02.45am? Take it they wont be chucking passengers at this time of the morning. Surely docking at that time will wake half the passengers with the increased vibrations etc. Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 1 minute ago, Solo said: Surely docking at that time will wake half the passengers with the increased vibrations etc. Happens every day on Harwich-Hook. Stena Britannica docks in Harwich at about 4am. Freight is unloaded but passengers sleep on and are not disembarked until after breakfast. Link to post Share on other sites
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