Hovertravel

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SR-N6 pictures - AP1-88 pictures

Unlike most other hovercraft operators, Hovertravel was not a subsidiary of a bigger company but was a company created by local people 14th June 1965.

Hovertravel started their cross Solent services, Ryde to Southsea and Ryde to Stokes Bay (near Gosport) in July 1965 using SR-N6 craft. Although in the first year the service operated year round, in 1966 they ceased at the end of the summer to resume the following April.

Pictured right is a SR-N6 craft at the Ryde terminal. See other SR-N6 pictures

The Ryde to Stokes Bay service closed in 1968 while the Ryde to Southsea service continues today (2004) using AP1-88 craft.

Two SR-N6 craft were operated by Hoverwork at Expo 67 across the St Lawrence River, Canada - over 110,000 passengers were carried - one pilot was Capt Barry Goldsmith of Binstead. Following Expo 67, one craft was chartered by the Canadian Federal Department of Transport for trials at Fort Churchill, Manitoba over snow, ice and tundra at temperatures down to 40 degrees below freezing (pilot in charge was Capt. A. Smith of Ventnor).

On October 8th 1968 Hovertravel carried their one millionth passenger.

In 1969, Red Funnel used a HM-2 Hovercraft hired from Hovertravel on their Cowes/Southampton.

1969 also saw Hoverwork use two SR-N6 craft to carryout seismographic survey.

4th March 1972 saw Hovertravel SR-N6 012 overturn off of the Southsea terminal with a loss of 5 lives.

May 1st 1976 saw the Seaspeed Cowes to Southampton route transferred to the new ownership of Solent Seaspeed - a joint Hovertravel and BHC company.

The AP1-88 hovercraft, which entered service in July 1983, was the result of a joint Hovertravel/BHC/NRDC contract in 1981, designed by BHC, the aluminium hull was produced by Fairey Allday at their Gosport boat yard and was fitted out at Hoverwork's St Helen's Duver works.

See other AP1-88 pictures.

The early years of the twenty-first century saw Hoverwork design a replacement for the AP1-88 on the cross Solent route - known as the BHT130, the first of these 130 seater craft was constructed at the St Helens Duver works in 2005/2007 and entered trials in March 2007 - see some pictures.

The early years of the twenty-first century saw Hoverwork design a replacement for the AP1-88 on the cross Solent route - known as the BHT130, the first of these 70 tonne, 130 seater craft was constructed at the St Helens Duver works in 2005/2007, began trials in March 2007 and entered cross-Solent service on 14th June 2007, 40 years to the day after the launch of the SR-N1 at Saunders Roe Cowes.

Hovertravel's 'sister company', Hoverwork has been involved with pilot and servicing training as well as hovercraft charter work. A number of modified hovercraft have been produced by their staff to meet specific requirements.

See the Hovertravel and Hoverwork websites.

Cushioncraft - HDL/NPL - Hovermarine - Saunders-Roe/BHC - Vickers - Vosper Thornycroft
Hovertravel - Seaspeed

Other hovercraft websites:

• Hovercraft Museum - UK
• Griffon Hovercraft - one of the last UK manufacturers
• Paper Hovercraft - Hovercraft Art by Michael Gardner
• Saunders Roe/BHC Archives (photos etc)