The ferry nostalgia thread

[hhvferry]

1 hour ago, LHCity said:

Railway connexion with Le Havre / Southampton after war (1963). The link between Le Havre Central Station and Southampton's Quay was rebuild after WW2 bombing

Great image and it raise lots of questions.

I'm intrigued by the railway lines along the Quai de Southampton - whereabouts did the Normannia berth? Did Thoresen take over the area previously used by the British Railways service?

Were the railway lines used regularly? The 1950s BR timetables indicate that for all sailings passengers will be transported from the port to the station by motor bus. I have a 1924 timetable on the other hand which advises, "through booked passengers to Rouen, Paris or beyond are conveyed free by tramcar from the Steamer to the Railway Station at Havre. A similar service conveys passengers arriving at Havre by the Boat Train from paris and Rouen direct alongside the steamer".

And when were the railway lines removed? In early views of the Thoresen era you can still see the rail line running behind the terminal and over the bridge towards the station - but the line doesn't appear to have lasted intact for very long.

[LHCity]

2 hours ago, Gareth said:

@LHCity Now that you’re back on the forum, just reposting this question in case you missed it.  Would be very interested in any insight you may have.

excellent question. I will inquire.

At the time, the Normandy-Ferries terminal was near the Transatlantic Station (Le Havre to New York, Montéral, South America, Antilles routes...). There were direct trains from Paris Saint Lazare to Le Havre Transatlantic Station in addition to Le Havre central station. An advantage on the Southampton quay, which had lost its rail connection in the 1960s.

[Seashore]

3 hours ago, LHCity said:

Le Havre Ferry Terminal, Then and now

Southampton's quay - Le Havre City Center :

1939 :

1944 :

1947 :

1973 :

The 1944 and 1947 photos are heartbreaking to see - people's homes, livelihoods and lives.

[LHCity]

50 minutes ago, hhvferry said:

Great image and it raise lots of questions.

I'm intrigued by the railway lines along the Quai de Southampton - whereabouts did the Normannia berth? Did Thoresen take over the area previously used by the British Railways service?

Were the railway lines used regularly? The 1950s BR timetables indicate that for all sailings passengers will be transported from the port to the station by motor bus. I have a 1924 timetable on the other hand which advises, "through booked passengers to Rouen, Paris or beyond are conveyed free by tramcar from the Steamer to the Railway Station at Havre. A similar service conveys passengers arriving at Havre by the Boat Train from paris and Rouen direct alongside the steamer".

And when were the railway lines removed? In early views of the Thoresen era you can still see the rail line running behind the terminal and over the bridge towards the station - but the line doesn't appear to have lasted intact for very long.

do you have a copy of the BR timetables or it says that passengers would be transferred by tram from the Southampton platform to Le Havre station? until 1944, there were indeed two tram lines which made their terminus quay of Southampton. Line 2 and line 3. Line "C2" still exists but is now used by bus. It terminates very precisely where the trains terminated, along the terminal.

Even today, the Le Havre urban transport network provides a free transfer between the terminal and the train station.

Concerning the railway junction of the Southampton wharf, it existed until the 1960s. This junction was rebuilt after the bombing. Thoresend has successfully taken over the British-Railways platform. this platform still exists and is used today by the fishing port.

The Southampton quay recently benefited from a very large urban project to transform it into a promenade. The tracks are always present under the road.

[neilcvx]

anybody remember the teletext quiz ? Now there was a proper quiz

https://archive.teletextarchaeologist.org/Pages/Details/26784

[AdamW]

17 hours ago, hhvferry said:

Another from the same day, of the Pride of Hampshire. Old zig zags seen following the Bilbao out of port -

 

Ah, pleased to see that the stretched Super-Vikings continue their streak of being ugly in every possible picture or video in which they feature!

As an aside, over the weekend (via video call) we worked out as a family the details of all of our holidays over the last 20 years or so, and it transpires that the Pride of Cherbourg (out) and Pride of Hampshire (return) were most likely our cross-channel travel for our first family holiday abroad in May '98, My memories, being 5 at the time, are a little hazy to say the least, but I distinctly the high-backed seats in an open area inside and the red seats on green flooring on the outside deck. The trip report from @hhvferry of Oujda confirmed that my recollections were accurate!

[Gareth]

It is hard to think of a ship conversion that so totally ruined what were previously very fine ships more than the jumboisation of Venturer and Valiant.

[The Ferry Man]

2 minutes ago, Gareth said:

It is hard to think of a ship conversion that so totally ruined what were previously very fine ships more than the jumboisation of Venturer and Valiant.

The Belgium RMT Twins?

[Timmy]

19 hours ago, Seashore said:

Would have thought either Normandie or Duc de Normandie would have gone on the berth 4 vacated by Bretagne, the incoming Pride of Hampshire on berth 3 vacated by Pride of Bilbao (she'd need a double deck linkspan) and the Pride of Le Havre would have gone on berth 2 where she's treading water in that video. Or at least that's how I remember it.

The Bilbao is coming off Berth 2, the Le Havre is pulling up next to the Bilbao to crab on to the berth once it's clear. I assume she has done that so she doesn't get held up by the Bretagne swinging.  Only the Super Vikings used Berth 3 until it was rebuilt for the 'new' Pride of Cherbourg.

[hhvferry]

3 hours ago, Gareth said:

It is hard to think of a ship conversion that so totally ruined what were previously very fine ships more than the jumboisation of Venturer and Valiant.

[Solo]

Makes the PA's funnel look beautiful. LOL

[Khaines]

Probably where Richard Branson got his inspiration for ship design with Scarlet Lady...😉

Edited May 1, 2020 by Khaines

[Gardian]

[Gardian]

Managed to sort out how to re-size ........... eventually !!

Rest to follow.

 

[Gardian]

This is 1980 p1

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Gardian
Left out text

[Gardian]

[LHCity]

19 hours ago, hhvferry said:

 

Frankenstein !!!

[hhvferry]

6 minutes ago, LHCity said:

Frankenstein !!!

[AdamW]

20 hours ago, hhvferry said:

Purely on looks - if ever there was a definition of top heavy, this has to be it.

[Paully]

1 hour ago, hhvferry said:

Imagine trying to evacuate something like that and those bigger, in the middle of a sea with a force 8 raging...Its the stuff of nightmares but the food is good and the entertainment is brilliant🙄.........If only the public knew

[The Ferry Man]

A bit before Barfleur...

 

 

[hhvferry]

On 30/04/2020 at 13:47, LHCity said:

do you have a copy of the BR timetables or it says that passengers would be transferred by tram from the Southampton platform to Le Havre station? until 1944, there were indeed two tram lines which made their terminus quay of Southampton. Line 2 and line 3. Line "C2" still exists but is now used by bus. It terminates very precisely where the trains terminated, along the terminal.

Here you go - an altogether very efficient setup. The ships are advertised as being the Hantonia and Normannia (the latter the predecessor to the one which closed the route and became a car ferry). Leaving London at 2130, you can be in Paris 1154 the following morning with just over half an hour between boat train arriving in Southampton and the ship leaving. I wonder how long taking an equivalent journey today would take.

[quibby]

6 hours ago, Gardian said:

This is 1980 p1

 

Thank you! This is very interesting - 4 services to Roscoff on a Friday! In 1980 I know that Portsmouth to St Malo was served by Goelo and Prince of Brittany and Santander/Cork by Armorique. Did that leave Penn Ar Bed and Cournailles on the Roscoff route?

[LHCity]

27 minutes ago, hhvferry said:

Here you go - an altogether very efficient setup. The ships are advertised as being the Hantonia and Normannia (the latter the predecessor to the one which closed the route and became a car ferry). Leaving London at 2130, you can be in Paris 1154 the following morning with just over half an hour between boat train arriving in Southampton and the ship leaving. I wonder how long taking an equivalent journey today would take.

 

Thanks a lot !

This is the Tram's Network in 1935. Tram 3 from Southampton's Quay to Le Havre Railway Station : http://avenio.lehavre.fr/4DCGI/Web_DFPict/034/1Fi233/ILUMP20227

Other picture of "Railway / CrossChanel link" in 1963 :

Quai de l'Ile, Le Havre 1963

Quai de l'Ile, Le Havre 1963

Normania - 1925 - Southampton's Quay in Le Havre :

 

[LHCity]

VIKING III and SS FRANCE => 1974. The End of the French Line

 

 

Transfered Passenger from New York, to Le Havre.

English Press : http://data.over-blog-kiwi.com/0/99/79/44/20170212/ob_25238c_paquebot-france-1974-09-13-article-d.pdf