Hovercraft departing from Dover

Hoverspeed's SR.N4 "The Princess Margaret" departing from the Western Docks in Dover. Filmed in July 2000, just 3 month before these great machines were taken out of service. Sorry for the bad audio quality.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• hovercraft
• dover
• hoverspeed

[mapsyschool]

How long have they been out of service now?

[Albion1983]

@mapsyschool Nearly 11 years. They were taken out of service in October 2000.

[Wavetalon]

What happens if the engine dies lol, does the boat float?

[Albion1983]

Yes, it does. But you have to be a really big pessimist to expect all four engines to fail at the same time.

[DaJohann]

probably one of the coolest things mankind has ever build... :)

[username12339]

@DaJohann Yea definitely, these and zeppelins hah

[leez8]

@Wavetalon what meaning for LOL i don know???

[looks911]

@Wavetalon It does yes the deck keeps it floaing.

[Arabhacks]

Yes, a hovercraft can indeed float, there is an inner floatation skirt, what the thing sits on when the engines are not running.

The reason they were taken out of service is that they were no longer profitable, nor any other sort of ferry, replaced by the chunnel.

I have a home built hovercraft that is based on a tractor innertube that is covered in fabric and a large lawnmower engine.

It is a lot of fun to zip over the water, or grass, or roadway.

Something you can also do.

[jptanguero]

@bus131 - It was the ending of Duty Free that was the final nail in the coffin - they were still profitable even after they had to compete against the channel tunnel. They were also still the fastest across the channel. Another great British piece of Engineering sacrificed to the money gods, curse them.

[stantheman808]

So cool

[pope640]

I'd buy that for a dollar

[Skippy585]

Sounds a bit loud lol. About like the convair 580.