Coffeepotdi Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Hi just want to ask the question will Southampton take up the ferries? There used to be ferries from Southampton to France but Im too young!! to remember this. Does anyone know if this would be possible again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I don't think Southampton will ever take over from Portsmouth.When we used to sail to France from Southampton, the best part of an hour seemed to be spent sailing up Southampton water and passing the Isle of Wight. Portsmouth opened up or perhaps more importantly, got it's self better "equipped" for cross channel ferries and everyone started to sail from there and Southampton was no longer used for cross channel ferries. There might well have been other reasons but for us, it was the fact that it was quicker to go from Portsmouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patter Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 i dont know if southampton will restart. but the old signs for the ferried are still there.tricia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I think that in the days that Southampton was active in the cross-channel market, access to Portsmouth was limited by restrictions imposed by the Royal Navy. Now that the RN don't have so many ships to play with, Portsmouth is much more convenient for the ferry operators. I think the last major car ferry link between Southampton and France was Stena's short lived effort to Cherbourg. Who could forget The Can Can lounge on the Stena Normandy. I think it ceased about 8 years ago, though the ship still visits Cherbourg for Irish Ferries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I wouldn't have thought Southampton would be viable for two reasons. 1. The ferries "waste" a good hour before reaching the open sea whereas you are already out past the IOW from Portsmouth and 2. The huge increase in cross channel traffic clogging up and around Southampton when Portsmouth terminal is just off the M27 and very simple to negociate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I think Southampton is a pretty busy port and with Portsmouth being left with gaps now, my guess is that Portsmouth will fight tooth and nail to get any new service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Southampton's ferry terminal is still there, and I am sure the port authority would encourage any ferry operator wanting to use it. It's also fairly well placed for the open sea. However as a popular and well-used freight, cruise etc port, it is likely that it will be expensive in terms of ports dues for any ferry operator - like Le Havre. I don't think there's a problem with capacity at Portsmouth so I don't see a pressing reason to start a new service from Southampton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 All you peeps who seem to be intimate with Southampton (as I was myself for a while).How come we never met..... maybe yous wos just lucky!What's happening with the new bit they were starting to dredge, the one that John Denham was fighting against? I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Riff-Raff Element Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 [quote]All you peeps who seem to be intimate with Southampton (as I was myself for a while). How come we never met..... maybe yous wos just lucky! What's happening with the new bit they were starting to d...[/quote]You mean the container terminal at Marchwood? I think its going ahead. I must cofess that I thought the old ferry terminal had been turned into a new shopping / "entertainment" (ie broken furniture and wall to wall vomitting every Friday night) district. I've not been to Soton for a few years, but someone was telling me that Above Bar has been tarted up no end. As I recall this would not be difficult as improvements could have been affected quite successfully with a couple of hundred tonnes of napalm. And in case anyone is getting upset I would point out that I had three of the most enjoyable years of my life in Southampton, and will always have fond memories of the place. Even if it was a bit of a cat litter. I may have run into you at some point SB, but I was probably disguised as a young professional at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Above Bar has become One Big Bar, now that the shops have all moved down to the new West Quay mall and been replaced by drinking establishments. Even dingy, traditional Tyrrells have moved down there, and been transformed into a shiny new John Lewis. It's just like every other town in Britain now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 The old cruise/ferry terminal became Ocean Village marina and 'Canute's Pavilion' upmarket shopping and restaurant mall - soon to be reduced to the vomitorium. That didn't last very long and has now been replaced by flats. The terminal that Stena used to use was down the road leading to, I think, Dock Gate 4 and the QE cruise terminal - it was still there but looking very unused and past its sell by date when I last saw it, which was probably back in April or May (for a function at the yacht club in Ocean Village). But I only really go to Southampton once or twice a year now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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