SRN-6

biplaneflyer · Post by **biplaneflyer** » 20 Sep 2006, 22:50

Well its British and classic and kind of flies!
Over at Hama's site:-

http://f1.aaa.livedoor.jp/~rjnnhama/craft.htm

Post by **Garry Russell** » 20 Sep 2006, 22:54

Cheers for that HU

Funny enough one of those was in British United in the '60's

Dark Blue Stripe British Unirted Airway tiles in Red and flags on the white tails

Don't know why but there was obviously a connection somehere :think:

Garry

igorski · Post by **igorski** » 20 Sep 2006, 23:56

Perhaps this is some clue.. I'm, not sure.

http://www.mikekemble.com/mside/merseyside/HVC%2001.jpg

Post by **Garry Russell** » 21 Sep 2006, 00:21

Interesting Andy

That's a different one to the one I was thinking which was down in the Solent.

When the hovercraft came about it was thought to be the next great thing so I suppose they wanted to be there at the beginning as it was going to challenge their air routes.

Apart form the huge car carriers doing their bit to kill off the vehicle air ferry......it never really caught on, so they just quietly left it I suppose.

The fact they were in these two places at least seem to mean they were serious at the time.

Garry

igorski · Post by **igorski** » 21 Sep 2006, 00:24

Im not sure of any details.. hovercraft havnt been my thing really

If we can find any pictures of the BUA one then I might do my first hover-repaint!! :dance:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 21 Sep 2006, 00:26

I've only seen one pic .years ago and in those days of poor colour reproduction it may have even been retouched.

Still as you say if a pic turns up........

Garry

Post by **DaveB** » 21 Sep 2006, 01:01

Hi Garry (oh.. and thanks for the HU Bpf

)

I've been on the SRN6's that used to be down at Southsea a few times in my youth. At that time, I'm pretty sure they were run by BR (Sealink) although the passage of time may find fault with my recall :roll: They were an alternate.. 'High Speed' way of getting from the mainland to the IoW though getting from Portsmouth Harbour station to Southsea for the crossing was far from quick! :shock:

I like Hama's models and it's nice to see another in his collection

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Seaking · Post by **Seaking** » 21 Sep 2006, 01:10

Ahhhhh the SRN6, last 2.5 years of my RN time was at the RNHTU at Lee on Solent and we had those, as well as the BH7 and the VT2

I'll have to download that one and have a go for sure.

It seems way out today, back in the 70's the RN was training Iran and other countries pilots on the BH7 hovercraft, some of these ended up with large guns aboard in various navy's, long time ago now.

How the time flies !!

Post by **Garry Russell** » 21 Sep 2006, 07:28

Hi Dave

I remember seeing those Southsea ones.

I don't think the BUA ever went into service down there..........they were being trialed. This is before there wer any services.

This is the really early days as well. It may not have been one of these but it looked like it to me.

There couldn't have been much involvement by them else there would be more recorded.

Garry

PeteP · Post by **PeteP** » 21 Sep 2006, 12:51

DaveB wrote:I've been on the SRN6's that used to be down at Southsea a few times in my youth. At that time, I'm pretty sure they were run by BR (Sealink) although the passage of time may find fault with my recall :roll:

Your recall is not at all bad, Dave, but you've rolled two different and competing services into one. The company operating from Southsea (to Ryde Esplanade) was (and still is for that matter) Hovertravel: the company operated by BR ran from Portsmouth Harbour to West Cowes under the name "Seaspeed", both companies operating SR-N6s. Hovertravel also operated from Stokes Bay (Gosport) to Ryde in the mid-60s and ran a summer Saturday service from Southsea to Sandown. This latter service was a good illustration of the Hovercraft's flexibility as it operated to a temporarily roped-off bit of unprepared beach at Sandown, bringing one of the Southsea Terminal staff (often me

) with it to help the local agent with the baggage and passenger handling. Seaspeed also ran for a few years between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier but this was with a rigid sidewall craft.
Pete