HOVERCRAFT EXTENSION

British Rail recently announced 6 m pounds programme to enlarge two of its SRN-4 Hovercraft by the insertion of a new 55 ft centre section in each vessel, thus increasing the carrying capacity by 70 per cent. Since the hovercraft were put into service between Dover, Boulogne and Calais 8 years ago, the operation has secured 30 per cent of the short sea-route traffic in cargo and passengers. This programme to enlarge the hovercraft should increase capacity of the vessels from 30 to 60 vehicles and also raise the number of passenger seats from 254 to 416. This programme, coupled with the French Railways' acquisition of two new hovercraft, will provide an annual carrying capacity of 550,000 vehicles and 4 million passengers. In addition to having the advantage of additional capacity, the stretch of the N4's is seen to bring other advantages as well in that the craft can operate in rougher seas by bridging the critical wave-lengths and thus reducing cancellations through bad weather and offering significant improvement in passenger comfort. The modifications will be carried out beginning at the end of 1976 and will be completed in the second half of 1978.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Development Agency Centre

  800 rene-Leveque Boulevard West, Suite 600
  Montreal, Quebec H3B 1X9,   Canada 
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 17
• Serial:
  • Transport Development News
  • Publisher: Transportation Development Agency Centre

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Ship operations; Surface effect ships
• Old TRIS Terms: Hovercraft operations
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00142622
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Development Agency Centre
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 15 1976 12:00AM