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Before the Euro Tunnel this was my favoured fastest way of crossing the channel when driving a car to France and beyond. However even on a calm crossing when the 'flight attendants' served drinks I found it almost impossible to drink from a glass without using a straw.

What a racket, the deck head panels used to vibrate I thought they were going to come down on my head early 80's Dover-Boulogne.

Very noisy things indeed, one trip was too rough to return on the Hovercraft, so they put us in a Ferry instead, The Herald of Free Enterprise, no less ……..lucky it was not this time it chose to capsize

"fond" memories of the Hoverspeed SRN4. We used to cross to the UK fairly regularly back in the day, I think the hovercraft was definitely the most spectacular way to cross albeit the worst for seasickness. That said the old Stena HSS Catamaran was pretty notorious too! Both did give you the idea of being an extra on a Bond film though.

mab01uk wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 8:10 pm

Before the Euro Tunnel this was my favoured fastest way of crossing the channel when driving a car to France and beyond. However even on a calm crossing when the 'flight attendants' served drinks I found it almost impossible to drink from a glass without using a straw.

Lovely period pic - looks like a Ferrari 330GTC behind the Elf.

WMU 211G wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 10:36 am

mab01uk wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 8:10 pm

Before the Euro Tunnel this was my favoured fastest way of crossing the channel when driving a car to France and beyond. However even on a calm crossing when the 'flight attendants' served drinks I found it almost impossible to drink from a glass without using a straw.

Lovely period pic - looks like a Ferrari 330GTC behind the Elf.

Do you think the Riley and the 1100 were in a 'who can carry the most on the roof rack' challenge - Ferrari looks so purposeful and fit for speed...great image

Looking at the rear arch the 1100 has a boot full of duty free too! Although maybe not, it would have been 2 bottles in those days!

And who can forget the image of Michael Caine earnestly waving on 'the Italian Job' vehicles aboard the ferry - glamorous stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDxCcHsrJqk

The Hovercraft Museum:-
https://www.hovercraft-museum.org/collections/

InnoCooperExport wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 10:19 am "fond" memories of the Hoverspeed SRN4. We used to cross to the UK fairly regularly back in the day, I think the hovercraft was definitely the most spectacular way to cross albeit the worst for seasickness. That said the old Stena HSS Catamaran was pretty notorious too! Both did give you the idea of being an extra on a Bond film though.

If you have ever checked your Garmin while traveling -------------------------->THEY ARE FAST At least on the Irish crossing they are

Ronnie wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:44 pm

InnoCooperExport wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 10:19 am "fond" memories of the Hoverspeed SRN4. We used to cross to the UK fairly regularly back in the day, I think the hovercraft was definitely the most spectacular way to cross albeit the worst for seasickness. That said the old Stena HSS Catamaran was pretty notorious too! Both did give you the idea of being an extra on a Bond film though.

If you have ever checked your Garmin while traveling -------------------------->THEY ARE FAST At least on the Irish crossing they are

"The journey time from Dover to Boulogne was roughly 35 minutes, with six trips per day being conducted at peak times. The fastest ever crossing of the English Channel by a commercial car-carrying hovercraft was 22 minutes, achieved on 14 September 1995 by the SR.N4 Mk.III GH-2007 Princess Anne on its 10:00 a.m. service." The Euro Tunnel takes 35 mins and the Channel Ferries take 1h 30 min Dover - Calais.


1989

Cross-Channel hovercraft Princess Margaret scrapped (2018).
The Princess Margaret, one of the last remaining cross-Channel hovercraft, has been dismantled and scrapped.
"The Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-the-Solent said it had used "vital" parts in the ongoing restoration of the second giant craft, the Princess Anne.
In January 2016 they were both on the verge of being destroyed, but the museum later secured a lease through Homes England for the Princess Anne.
They have been kept on the former HMS Daedalus naval base site since 2000. More than 21,000 people signed a petition to save the hovercraft after the Homes and Communities Agency - which has since been replaced by Homes England - announced it wanted to develop the land they are stored on for homes in January 2016.
The museum submitted a proposal and secured a lease for the former Hoverspeed craft to renovate it as a public exhibit because its condition was better than the Princess Margaret.
In a statement, the museum said: "Although we are sad to see the Princess Margaret go, we now move forward and plan to accelerate our restoration work on the Princess Anne."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-h ... e-44236076


I also remember wanting the Airfix Kit....

Modern 'period picture' of 33 EJB on display at Waterloo Station this week.

Morris Cowley, 1963...

1071 on the Cooper Car Co stand at Olympia Racing Car Show 1964.

WMU 211G wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2024 2:43 pm Morris Cowley, 1963...

BMC COWLEY 1963on.jpg

60 years later @ MINI Plant Oxford, 2023...

Pete wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2024 8:46 pm 1071 on the Cooper Car Co stand at Olympia Racing Car Show 1964.

Lovely period photo!

Top Gear 'Mini Cooper Monte Carlo Rally Feature' (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7VNF7F2ow4

Minis in for some work at Henlys in Hereford

Pete wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2024 8:46 pm 1071 on the Cooper Car Co stand at Olympia Racing Car Show 1964.

Is it me? Position of oil cooler and strengthening bracket - any opinions?