Hythe Ferry - Hythe Pier & Tramway

Passenger Ship Website - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Simplon Postcards Home - Recent Updates - Search - Copyright Information - Contact Simplon - Contact Hythe Ferry
This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation


Hythe Pier & Tramway


This one of a series of pages devoted to postcards and photographs of the ferries between Hythe and Southampton, plus the Hythe Pier Tramway. This page covers the pier and related publicity, Hythe-Southampton Ferries covers the vessels used on the service. For details of sailings see www.hytheferry.co.uk

Maps dating back to 1575 have shown the existence a Hythe ferry, although the local boatmen would have been carrying passengers and goods to and from Southampton for many years before this. Steamer services from Southampton to the Isle of Wight began in 1820, and the wooden steamship Emerald began a service to Hythe in 1830, also serving Cowes. Emerald was the first excursion steamer at Southampton, running one hour trips on occasion, and also the first advertised tug available for towing. The profit from the Cowes run and these other activities resulted in the withdrawal of the Hythe service in 1832. Services restarted with the iron Forester in 1835. Other ships followed, including Gipsy, Prince Alfred, Lady Elizabeth, Louisa and Frederica, the latter pair being owned by Frederick Fry. Few profits were made, partly due to problems with tides, services at this time running from the Hard. The solution was to build a pier.

Initial plans for a 2000 foot pier at Hythe were lodged in 1870, but Parliamentary permission was not granted until 1878. The company had the lengthy title of Hythe Pier and Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Ltd, not becoming the Hythe Pier Company until 1923. Construction began in 1879, and the pier was opened in 1881. Ferries used after the opening of the pier included the Louisa and Frederica, previously owned by Frederick Fry. The first Hotspur was built in 1889, an 80 ft paddle steamer with a single cylinder oscillating engine. She was followed by the similar Hampton in 1894, which had a two cylinder compound engine. Both ships could carry around 200 passengers. Ferry services were later run by the General Estates Company, formed in 1900. This was owned by the Percy family, a famous member of which, immortalised by Shakespeare, had been known as 'Harry Hotspur'. The use of this name in 1889 indicated early involvement of the Percy family. Hotspur (1) and Hampton were joined by the 40 ft motor launch Hamble, carrying 60 passengers, in 1915.

The second Hotspur, a twin screw 80 ft motor vessel, in 1927, and she was certified for 300 passengers. Hotspur (2) was built by Samuel White at Cowes. The original machinery installation was not successful, and was replaced with a steam engine in 1932. Hotspur (2) survived with the company until 1947, when the Hotspur IV was delivered. She was then used as an excursion steamer at Yarmouth until 1961, after which she was used as a moored club in London as the Yard Arm Club, Emma Hamilton and Hispaniola, being removed in the mid-1970s. Hotspur II followed in 1932, built by the Rowhedge Ironworks. She was 56 ft long, carrying 300 passengers, and ran until 1978, when she was sold to Clyde owners as the Kenilworth. Hotspur III was similar to Hotspur II, again a product of the Rowhedge Ironworks. They also built the Hotspur IV in 1946, which was larger at 64 ft long and 350 passengers (now 300). Hotspur II and Hotspur III were re-engined with Gardner diesels, similar to those in Hotspur IV, in 1949. All three ships were re-engined again between 1968 and 1971 with more powerful Kelvin diesels, increasing the speed of Hotspur IV from 8.5 to 9.5 knots.

The Southsea Queen from the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company was bought in 1978 and renamed Hythe Hotspur. She was used mainly on excursions, but could act as relief ferry. Hotspur III was broken up in 1981. The waterbus style New Forester was delivered in August 1982. She used the 1971 Kelvin diesels from Hotspur III. Ownership of the ferries, previously General Estates, changed a number of times from 1980, first to Southern Coastcraft, then Waterfront Ferry, and finally White Horse Ferries. Hythe Hotspur was sold in 1995, passing to Harveys of Poole, followed by New Forester in 1999, which went to the River Dart. White Horse Ferries moved their Great Expectations from their Tilbury-Gravesend service to join the Hotspur IV, and these two ferries still maintain services in 2006. In 2006, the Town Quay terminal temporarily moved to the Red Funnel fast ferry berth, since the previous berth needed work (under way in 2007).


Contact:- www.hytheferry.co.uk

Hythe Pier Pages:-
Hythe Pier & Tramway - this page
Hythe Publicity Material - this page
Hythe Ferries - opens new page
www.hytheferry.co.uk - official company website

Associated Pages:-
Blue Funnel Cruises
Hovertravel
Portsmouth Harbour Ferries
Portsmouth Harbour Tours
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
www.hytheferry.co.uk - official company website

Search This Website:-
powered by FreeFind

References:-
The Hythe-Southampton Ferry - W.M.Stears & B.Moody - Eltrac 1962
Trip Out Guides - Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted





Hythe Pier & Tramway

Initial plans for a 2000 foot pier at Hythe were lodged in 1870, but Parliamentary permission was not granted until 1878. The company had the lengthy title of Hythe Pier and Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Ltd, not becoming the Hythe Pier Company until 1923. Construction began in 1879, and the pier was opened in 1881. The original Act made provision for the construction of a tramway along the pier, although one was not originally laid. Tracks were laid later, and were certianly in use by 1914. Hand propelled vehicles were used at this time. The rails at this stage were sunk to be level with the decking.

The 2ft gauge electric railway opened in 1922, electrified at 200 volts DC using a third rail. Three Brush 4-wheeled locomotives were acquired which had previously been used at the Avonmouth Mustard Gas Factory. One was dismantled for spares but the other two remain in service. Four vehicles of two types were acquired. There were two bogie trailers, each with three 6-passenger compartments, plus two bogie control trailers, each with two compartments, seating six and eight passengers. The passenger trailers were built by the Drewry Car Company, and originally had green lower panels and varnished above. There were also two 4-wheeled luggage wagons and a 4-wheeled tank wagon for carrying fuel for the ferries. All photos that I have seen show trains made up of three trailers, often including both control trailers (these are lower than the bogie trailers so easily identified). The train livery later became blue and white, and then red and white in White Horse Ferries ownership, before reverting to green livery in 2004.


Postcard of the pier, before railway tracks added.



F.G.O.Stuart postcard 69937 of the pier, with no tracks visible.
Early steamer on the slip at the end of the quay.
Click to open larger image in new window



Postcard of the pier, before railway tracks added.
A hand cart is being pulled along the pier



Postcard of the pier entrance.



Pre-WW1 postcard showing the pier trolley.



Postcard of the pier, with pier train - 1920/30s from the ship.



Dearden & Wade postcard of the pier tramway.
Two control trailers form part of the train.
Click to open larger image in new window



Harvey Barton postcard E11E of the pier tramway.



District View Publishing Company postcard BT4115 of the pier tramway.
Click to open larger image in new window



Harvey Barton postcard E11A of the pier tramway.
Two control trailers form part of the train. Photo: R.W.Board
Click to open larger image in new window



Postcard of the pier tramway.



The pier tramway in 1997, when the train was newly repainted in red & white.
Two control trailers form part of the train.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.



Two control trailers form part of the train.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997.



Photo: © Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window



Photo: © Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window



Photo: © Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window



Salmon multi-view postcard of the pier tramway in 2004, with the train partially repainted from red/white to green livery
Click to open larger image in new week



The pier tramway in 2004, with the train part way through being repainted dark green.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st May 2004.






Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th April 2005.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th April 2005.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th April 2005.



Tank wagon used to transport the diesel fuel for the ferries to the end of the pier.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th April 2005.




Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2005.



Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2005.



Hythe Pier seen from a Red Funnel ferry.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2005.








Publicity Material


Interesting 1953 flyer for combined coach and cruise trips from London by Venture Coaches.
Click on images to see larger versions in a new window









Portsmouth Harbour Ferries - Portsmouth Harbour Tours
UK Excursion Ships - Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards
Top of Page - Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards Home Page









©1999-2007 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved


Free Web Counter Times viewed since 29/04/2007: