The Last Surviving Giant Passenger Hovercraft

I was laughing so much at the Concorde joke that I nearly missed the callback to the callback 😂

I worked for Hoverspeed for the summer season in 1982 when I was 18, the last year it flew from Ramsgate. I loved the job there, marshalling the cars on to the hovercraft. The last thing to go on to the 'craft before it set off, was a large suitcase-like box containing passenger manifests and vehicle numbers, etc., and one of us would be asked to hand it to the Car Deck crew before the door was raised. Occasionally, the Car Deck crew liked to have a laugh, and would "kidnap" the person handing over the box, and I was their victim on a couple of occasions. Instead of just taking the box from me, they'd ask me to pop in to the passenger area and hand it to one of the stewardesses, and then I'd get back to the car deck just in time to see the door seal shut! I was then whisked off for a round trip to Calais! The upside of this was that I'd then be able to get the daily Crew allowance of Duty Free (200 ciggies, plus a half bottle of spirits costing £2.50). On a couple of occasions, when travelling for Duty Free on the staff discount, I had the opportunity to make the trip on the Flight Deck, which was a fantastic experience, one I'll never forget; I was seated on the "Jump Seat" between the pilot and co-pilot, and given my own headset so that I could ask questions during the flight - fascinating and practically the only place where you can get a clear view of where we were going.

Living in Belgium as a kid in the 70’s, my parents would pack me and my brother up in the car and we would make the trip from Calais to Ramsgate with Hoverloyd most christmases. Absolutely loved it!! If the weather was bad though (and when isn’t it in the channel in winter!!) crossing times were so much slower as the hovercraft couldn’t cut through the waves like a traditional ferry. Thanks for the trip down memory lane Tim.

Thanks for helping my local museum out. They need support go visit everyone.

Good news! The Ryde to Southsea hovercraft isn’t the only one in the world anymore! The former hovercraft route in Japan from Oita City to Oita Airport has been re-established! And the ramp up to the airport terminal makes a 90 degree turn. So if you want to see hovercrafts drifting around a corner in ways only the Japanese can, it’s once again possible.

Ahh the memory of the vibration, the regal rise up into the air as we set off and WOW! the acceleration and sheer thrill of the speed bombing across the channel. Yes, it was an amazing experience and I was lucky enough to go there and back twice.

children growing up in the US during the 60s and 70s were fascinated by these hovercraft

Your musical easter eggs are brilliant and delightful - hearing "No Air" brought a smile to my face.

I've lived most of my life in East Kent, and helped build Dover Hoverport back in the late 70s. (Now demolished.) We workers were allowed a look around the giant French craft Jean Bertin when it was making test flights. Every seat had a sick bag. 🤮 I never made a crossing on one. Later in life, I helped build the Channel Tunnel, which killed the hovercraft and the Seacat. (Known locally as the Sick-cat or the Vomit Comet.) It was fast, but rolled on a mill-pond. In between the two, I worked on the cross channel ferries. As you can probably tell, a lot of local jobs are tied to Europe, and always have been.

Thanks Tim. Brought back happy memories of a cross channel trip. I can still hear the sound of other passengers being very ill.

In 1979, I toured England with a band. Afterwards, I rode the HOVERLLOYD hovercraft to Calais France. It was quite an experience that I will never forget. I treasure my photo standing in front of that beast. I was sorry to hear it came to an end. Everything that has a beginning, had an end. Thank you my British cousins for a wonderful tour and trip. Cheers

Tim consistently excels in delivering exceptional content. From the soundtrack "UFO" to the witty humor, it's always top-notch. Plus, there's usually something new to learn. I salute my fellow transport nerd!

I flew on that exact hovercraft several times as a kid. Nothing could prepare you for how loud, uncomfortable, shaky and AWESOME it was. It's difficult for me to get my head around the fact that there's a whole generation who have never seen a hovercraft and in some cases never even heard of them. For my generation it was as normal as the channel tunnel is now.

Thanks for the "Not actual footage" footnote, I was wondering which brand of bus catapult the company was using.

I am not from the south of England, but I travelled south to travel on these to Boulogne, and then connected into the fantastic SNCF Yellow Grey Turbotrains onto Paris, The Hovercraft were noisy, (as were the Turbo Trains were too for that matter) and the spray meant the view was restricted depending on how the hovercraft turned, I still have a blue ticket wallet that Hoverspeed gave you for tickets and documents for your crossing I remember these with great fondness, along with the 2 x Jetfoils that went from Dover to Oostende ( as long as the sea was not too rough, then you were simply moved on to the normal ferry) This is a great video Tim Thank You, I really enjoyed it and evoked many happy memories.

"My hovercraft is full of eels" - John Cleese

How many eels could be fit in that big hovercraft?

The Gerry Anderson music is well-welcomed!

Always appreciate your tasteful use of Gerry Anderson music

In the 1980s I managed to get a cockpit trip back from France, which was fascinating! The only access is up a vertical ladder from the car deck and through a trapdoor, so I had to go up before they left port, and of course stayed there until they arrived back in England. Three crew - pilot, co-pilot, and radar operator/navigator. I first asked on the outward journey, but couldn't go up as they'd already set off, but got my timing right on the way back. The hovercraft museum is wonderful by the way, worth every penny.