(Image: Alex-397; the abandoned Pegwell Bay hoverport in Kent)
Back in the 1970s, Pegwell Bay hoverport was a hive of activity. Situated just outside Ramsgate, Kent, it was from here that shipping company Hoverlloyd operated a cross-Channel hovercraft service to Calais in a bid to compete with arch rival Seaspeed, which was owned by British Rail. But as these photographs show, the site, which was once at the forefront of Britain’s transportation service, is now a forgotten wasteland of cracked, weed-infested concrete.
(Image: Alex-397)
In 1964, the Swedish Lloyd shipping company joined forces with Swedish American Line to launch a British company called Cross-Channel Hover Services Ltd. The name was changed to Hoverlloyd in 1966, at which time operations were launched between Ramsgate Harbour and Calais, France.
(Image: Alex-397; the last surviving structure at Pegwell Bay hoverport)
Initially, a number of small, passenger-only SR.N6 hovercraft were purchased for service on the route. But in 1969, delivery began of four larger SR.N4 vessels. Named “Sure”, “Swift”, “Sir Christopher” and “The Prince of Wales”, the all had been delivered by 1977. Each one was capable of carrying 254 passengers and 30 vehicles, and necessitated a modern, purpose-built hoverport on the shores of Pegwell Bay.
Related: The Hovercraft Graveyard in Belapur, India
(Image: Alex-397)
Hoverlloyd shared a similar facility at Calais with its rival, Seaspeed, which operated the Dover route. The SR.N4 craft could cross the English Channel in as little as 22 minutes, giving them a distinct advantage over traditional, lumbering ferries. Their turnaround time was also fast, though they were prone to delay during bad weather.
(Image: Alex-397)
Despite their speed and efficiency, the Bristol Proteus gas turbine engines that powered the SR.N4s were thirsty beasts. The 1970s oil crisis and the closure of the British Hovercraft Corporation, meant that fuel and maintenance costs rose sharply, making the large hovercraft increasingly uneconomical to run.
(Image: Alex-397)
In 1983, “Sure” was withdrawn from service and used as a source of spare parts to keep the remaining SR.N4 craft running. Seaspeed had also had problems with its single French-built N500 Naviplane during this time. By 1983, after years of design flaws plaguing the craft, the Naviplane had also been retired. It was later scrapped.
(Image: Alex-397)
The only solution to the declining fortunes of cross-Channel hovercraft operators was rationalisation. In 1981, Hoverlloyd and Seaspeed merged to form Hoverspeed, which continued operating until 2005. But the writing was on the wall for the old Pegwell Bay hoverport, which was abandoned in 1982 when its surviving SR.N4s moved to Dover.
(Image: Alex-397; abandoned Pegwell Bay hoverport slipway)
Two former Seaspeed SR.N4 were stored for years at the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. It was announced last year that one of the craft, Princess Anne, would be restored to her former glory. But sadly, none of the ex-Hoverlloyd craft survive today. After their retirement, Sure, Swift, Sir Christopher and The Prince of Wales were broken up for scrap.
(Image: Alex-397)
Cross-Channel hovercraft services continued from Dover until 2000, when the era of innovative air-cushion vehicles on the waterway came to a close. Back at Pegwell Bay, the once grand hoverport is now a forgotten wasteland. Images of its sleak, modernist terminal now look decidedly retro. The entire site, which stood on the cusp of a bold new form of passenger transport that captured the public imagination, now resembles a dystopian ruin.
(Image: Alex-397)
Nevertheless, what’s left of the abandoned Pegwell Bay hoverport is steeped in maritime transportation history from an era that, though popular and fast, never quite had its day.
Related: 11 Abandoned Ferries, Ocean Liners, Cruise Ships & Hovercraft
The post Abandoned Pegwell Bay Hoverport: A Forgotten Wasteland appeared first on Urban Ghosts Media.