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Conatct Sandbanks ferry
This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road & Ferry Company
Sandbanks-Studland Chain Ferry
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road & Ferry Company which operates the Sandbanks-Studland Chain Ferry.
For full details of services see:
www.sandbanksferry.co.uk
Brief History of the Company:-
The Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company came into being in July 1923 when an Act of Parliament received the Royal Assent. The idea of operating a car ferry service was the idea of Mr. Frank Aman and his two sons, Gerard, an engineer, and Arthur, a stockbroker. They were instrumental in starting the Company and were also the largest individual shareholders who maintained their family connection until 1961. Capital for the issue of shares following the Act of Parliament and work raised the venture commenced on building the slipways and the new road from Studland. An order too was placed, for
Ferry No.1
, with J. Samuel White, a well-known firm of shipbuilders on the Isle of Wight.
Stone for the slipways and the road foundations came from quarries on the Isle of Purbeck, mostly from the cliff-face quarry at Seacombe. It was almost three years after the Act of Parliament was passed before
Ferry No.1
began the service on July 15th 1926.
Ferry No.1
was steam-driven and originally constructed to carry 15 cars; later modified to enable 18 cars to be carried. The service was popular from the start and in the first rather short summer season 100,000 passengers and 12,000 cars were ferried across the 400-yard harbour mouth.
The ferry was taken over by the military for most of the war, Studland Bay being use as a training ground. After the war the ferry was in need of an extensive refit and the road too required substantial repairs, and the service did not resume until 1946.
Ferry No.1
returned to service for another 12 years but suffered many failures. For a short while a second ferry was used during the extended refits of
Ferry No.1
.
Ferry No.2
was also steam-driven and had been purchased from the East to West Cowes service, across the river Medina on the Isle of Wight. It was a small ferry with space for only 8 cars. By the mid-1950's it was decided to replace the original steam ferry, after a bridge was considered and rejected.
Ferry No.3
was built by J.Bolson & Son Ltd at Poole, it was diesel-electric powered and carried a maximum of 28 cars. It had an overall length of 157 feet, a beam of 42 feet 6 inches and a draught, when loaded, of 3 feet 6 inches. It was equipped with three Ruston diesel engines and normally operated on two of these, although it could run on only one engine when necessary. At least one engine acted as a spare at all times, allowing repairs to be carried out in service. During the 35 years that it was in service
Ferry No.3
proved to be very reliable. Annually the ferry carried around 650,000 vehicles, up to the then 10 ton weight limit, and over 1 million people.
The connection with the Aman family ended in 1961 when the Raglan Property Company purchased the a majority in the original company. Frank Aman, had died just before the war and Gerard died soon after the end of the war. The other son, Arthur, was not in a position to oversee the running of the company on his own and so Raglan bought the entire business. Plans for a new larger ferry were delayed when the property market suffered a recession in the mid-1960's. Raglan experienced protracted financial difficulties and the profits from the ferry operation were used to prop up the property business elsewhere, as a consequence the ferry company suffered from a lack of investment. In the early 1980's Raglan's problems increased and the ferry company was sold to its present owners Fairacres Group Ltd. (Formerly Silvermist Properties [Chelmsford] Ltd.)
The present ferry
Bramble Bush Bay
, came into service in January 1994. It is the fourth to operate the service and the first to have a name. It has been named after a small local bay. The new ferry at some 242 feet overall is about 80 feet longer than
Ferry No.3
., It is wider too by 11 feet having a beam of about 53 feet 6 inches but the draught is virtually the same. It has a nominal capacity of 48 cars but can quite easily accommodate 52.
Ferries on this Page:-
Ferry No.1
- 1925-1958
Ferry No.2
- 1952-1958
Ferry No.3
- 1958-1994
Bramble Bush Bay
- 1994-
Poole Area Pages:-
Poole Header Page
Blue Line Cruises
Brownsea Island Ferries
Dorset Belles - Croson
Fairmile Classic Cruises
- Western Lady III at Swanage
R.C.Greenslade
Associated Pages:-
www.sandbanksferry.co.uk
- Official Sandbanks Ferry website
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards
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Recent Updates
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Home Page
References:-
Trip Out Guides -
Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2007 consulted
www.sandbanksferry.co.uk
- History of the Sandbanks Ferry
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Ferry No.1
(1926-1958)
Ferry No.1
was steam-driven and originally constructed to carry 15 cars; later modified to enable 18 cars to be carried. The service was popular from the start and in the first rather short summer season 100,000 passengers and 12,000 cars were ferried across the 400-yard harbour mouth. The ferry was taken over by the military for most of the war, Studland Bay being use as a training ground. After the war the ferry was in need of an extensive refit and the road too required substantial repairs, and the service did not resume until 1946.
Ferry No.1
returned to service for another 12 years but suffered many failures. For a short while a second ferry was used during the extended refits of
Ferry No.1
.
Ferry No.2
was also steam-driven and had been purchased from the East to West Cowes service, across the river Medina on the Isle of Wight. It was a small ferry with space for only 8 cars. By the mid-1950's it was decided to replace the original steam ferry, after a bridge was considered and rejected.
Ferry No.1
seen from Sandbanks
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Ferry No.1
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Postcard of
Ferry No.1
at Sandbanks
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Thunder & Clayden 'Sun Ray' postcard of
Ferry No.1
at Sandbanks
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Thunder & Clayden 'Sun Ray' postcard of
Ferry No.1
at Sandbanks
Variation on the card above
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Ferry No.1
with Brownsea Island launches
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Ferry No.1
at Sandbanks Pier
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Ferry No.1
in an aerial view of Sandbanks
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Ferry No.1
in an aerial view of Sandbanks
Ferry No.2
(1952-1958)
For a short while a second ferry was used during the extended refits of
Ferry No.1
.
Ferry No.2
was also steam-driven and had been purchased from the East to West Cowes service, across the river Medina on the Isle of Wight. It was a small ferry with space for only 8 cars. By the mid-1950's it was decided to replace the original steam ferry, after a bridge was considered and rejected.
The ferry had been built by Whites of East Cowes in 1925 as
Bridge No.2
, and was the last steam bridge built for the East to West Cowes service. She was over 100 feet long and could carry up to eight cars. During the Second World War she spent some time on the
Sandbanks Ferry
.
Bridge No.2
was sold for use at
Sandbanks
as spare ferry in 1952 when
Bridge No.4
arrived. Conveniently she retained the number 2 with her new owners.
Ferry No.2 at Sandbanks - the only image I have found at Sandbanks so far
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Postcard of the Cowes floating
Bridge No.2
of 1925
It moved to Sandbanks in 1952, after doing some wartime service there
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Ferry No.3
(1958-1994)
Ferry No.3
was built by J.Bolson & Son Ltd at Poole, it was diesel-electric powered and carried a maximum of 28 cars. It had an overall length of 157 feet, a beam of 42 feet 6 inches and a draught, when loaded, of 3 feet 6 inches. It was equipped with three Ruston diesel engines and normally operated on two of these, although it could run on only one engine when necessary. At least one engine acted as a spare at all times, allowing repairs to be carried out in service. During the 35 years that it was in service
Ferry No.3
proved to be very reliable. Annually the ferry carried around 650,000 vehicles, up to the then 10 ton weight limit, and over 1 million people.
Ferry No.3
and the Haven Hotel at Sandbanks
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Ferry No.3
at Sandbanks with Brownsea Island launches
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Ferry No.3
at Sandbanks with Brownsea Island launch
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Ferry No.3
approaching Sandbanks
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Ferry No.3
and the Haven Hotel at Sandbanks
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Ferry No.3
leaving for Sandbanks
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Ferry No.3
and the Haven Hotel at Sandbanks
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Ferry No.3
at Sandbanks, with
Swanage Belle
of
Crosons
John Hinde classic sized postcard
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Ferry No.3
at Sandbanks, with
Swanage Belle
of
Crosons
Later John Hinde continental sized postcard with different margins
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Bramble Bush Bay
(1994- )
The present ferry
Bramble Bush Bay
, came into service in January 1994. It is the fourth to operate the service and the first to have a name. It has been named after a small local bay. The new ferry at some 242 feet overall is about 80 feet longer than
Ferry No.3
., It is wider too by 11 feet having a beam of about 53 feet 6 inches but the draught is virtually the same. It has a nominal capacity of 48 cars but can quite easily accommodate 52.
Salmon Postcard of
Bramble Bush Bay
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John Hinde Postcard of
Bramble Bush Bay
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Atmosphere Postcard of
Bramble Bush Bay
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Delpool aerial view postcard of
Bramble Bush Bay
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Delpool aerial view postcard of
Bramble Bush Bay
and
Barfleur
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Sandbanks Pier and ferry
Bramble Bush Bay
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd April 2006
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Sandbanks Pier and ferries
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd April 2006
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Sandbanks to Studland chain ferry
Bramble Bush Bay
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd April 2006