More and More Ferries for the Continent
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—but is saturation point approaching ?
BY NORMAN P. TILSLEY
FORTUNATELY for the increasing number of British operators who wish to send vehicles across the North Sea or English Channel to Scandinavia or Europe, ferry facilities are increasing at an almost confusing rate. Indeed, so thick and fast are the developments in this field that concern is being expressed in some quarters that within a year or so saturation point will be reached, with resultant cut-throat competition which could lead to a Towering in quality and safety.
The aim of most of these companies is to provide a frequent, no-booking service for motorists; but already the stage may have been reached where the ferries are becoming too numerous to obtain the capacity bookings necessary for such a short holiday season.
The past week has seen the surprise announcement of a roll-on/roll-off service between Tilbury (birthplace and nursery of the company that pioneered roll-on/roll-off in this country. the Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.) and Calais by the Siena Line of Gothenburg, and also a service between Immingham and Gothenburg and Amsterdam by two Swedish shipping companies, Trans-Oil and the Rex Line. Whilst the lastmentioned service is not scheduled to start until next spring. the Tilhury-Calais service will start—subject w immigration and Customs approval—next month.
Starting this summer, too, is the new service to be offered by the Transport Ferry Service (Atlantic Steam Navigation Co.) between Felixstowe and Rotterdam. Although no official programme has been issued so far, this company has already announced that there will be three sailings per week initially—the service being particularly designed to carry traffic from the Midlands and the North East, connecting, in effect, the A45 trunk road with the Continent.
Apart from these imminent new developments in the ferry field, existing operators-British and French Railways, rhoresen Car Ferries Ltd. and Townsend Car Ferries Ltd.—are introducing new roll-on/roll-off or " drivethrough" vessels to ply between the Channel ports. Furthermore, North Sea Ferries Ltd. proposes to operate daily two ferries between Hull and Rotterdam starting in_ late October or early November, while a Norwegian engineer is currently floating a company to operate a French-built ferry (possibly two) between Aberdeen and Granvin and Arendal, in Norway.
Another interesting future development, made known this week, is the possibility of a roll-on/roll-off service between Southampton and Rouen, in France. Mann ,Ind Son Ltd., who operate services out of Harwich to Scandinavia and Europe using Wallenius of Stockholm ships,last week got the go-ahead from the authorities in Southampton for this-offering hauliers a service to the interi„:' of France and, at the same time, coil.petition to Thoresen.
To keep them going during the :can winter .months, most of these shippin„. companies are going all out . to attract freight and commercial vehicle .traffic. And this is where hauliers cannot help but benefit. Gimmicks are already being employed by some shipping companies to attract motorists. •Soon these will be extended to include commercial-vehicle operators, But whether this is a good or a bad thing remains to be seen.
ALBION ENGINE CHANGE
TN future the Leyland 0.400 dieSel engine 1will be fitted in Albion Super Six tractive units in place of the Les land 0.370 power unit. This gives the vehicle 125 b.h.p. net against 110 b.h.p. net, but there is no change in the gross train weight rating of the model. With fifth wheel, this is 17 tons 18 cwt., whilst ulth Scammell automatic coupling the figure is 17 tons 15 ewt.
Drivers' Quiz: The 1965 Drivers Quiz championship of the London and Home Counties' division of the Traders Road Transport Association was won by a team from the Chilton area with 145 points. The winning team comprised drivers P. Lipop and D. Gurney (Schweppes (Home) Ltd.), R. Martin and V. Root (G. M. (terrards (Fruiterers) Lid.). A Portsmouth and District team was runner-up with 143 points.