Coaches by hovercraft
Page 41
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I was intrigued with your recent article entitled, "The day we went to Calais" (CM, March 5th) in that you feel there is scope for the operation of short return trips to Northern France for coaches using hovercraft services.
Since 1969 my company has been operating such trips most successfully in conjunction with Seaspeed using 49-seat 36ft vehicles. In 1971 we anticipate increasing the seats available on some of these excursions by utilizing 53-seat 39ft AEC Reliance coaches on the Dover to Boulogne crossing.
The durations of the crossings to Boulogne and Calais are actually 35 and 30 minutes respectively and not as stated in the article. Furthermore, as you will realize from the foregoing, there is little difficulty in conveying vehicles in excess of 16ft in length, although there are limits as to the positions on the car deck where heavy vehicles can be positioned.
J. M. BODGER Traffic Manager, East Kent Road Car Co. ltd.
[On CM's trip we were limited to 16ft by British Railways, perhaps because this length of commercial vehicle could have a similar laden weight to that of a 39ft passenger vehicle. Mr Bodger's times are those quoted for summer crossings. The times quoted in the article were given to lain She rriff by British Railways for February. In fact they bore no relation to the actual times on this trip—Ed.]