11-03-2007

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This page has photos of ferries of all shapes and sizes away from the Western Channel, starting with one of Sea France Rodin when nearly new in December 2001 taken by my friend Stephanie Dinez.

Moving almost to the opposite end of Britain, the Corran ferry across Loch Linnhe, near Fort William.  These two views show the, to me odd, arrangement of an angled ramp

Another ferry across Loch Linnhe is that between Camusnagaul and Fort William.  It's in effect a floating school bus and is seen here tied up at Fort William.

Caledonian MacBrayne's Lord of the Isles berthed at Oban.

Two views of the Cal Mac ferry Jupiter sailing from Dunoon to Gourock, in the right hand one a rival Western ferries vessel can also be seen.

The smallest ferry you're likely to see!  There are rowing boat ferries across the harbour at Weymouth two of which are featured in these photos.

Once a Furness Railway ferry, now a pleasure steamer, on Lake Windermere, the Swan arrives at the pier at Bowness on Windermere.

Two views of another ferry on Windermere, the car ferry across near the middle of the lake.

Heading back south to Cornwall, two views of the St. Mawes ferry at Falmouth.  The vessel is the Adrian Gilbert which used to be with British Railways operating between Kingswear and Dartmouth.

Another passenger ferry from Falmouth is across the inlet to Flushing, seen here alongside the pier at Falmouth.

The Higher Ferry across the Dart at Dartmouth, a chain ferry it is propelled by paddle wheels.  The first view shows her as she had just finished loading.

A photo of her underway, the paddle wheels create a lot of splashing!

Further down the harbour is another car ferry, the Lower Ferry.  At busy times their are two ferries in use, possible as this one isn't guided by chains but by tugs.

In this photo you can see the tug alongside the ferry "barge", when leaving they go astern then cast off, swing round and tie up again so part of the crossing the ferry is effectively drifting!

Another, closer, view of one of the ferries with Dartmouth Castle in the background - a short crossing with some lovely views!

The other ferry across Dartmouth Harbour is this passenger only service - though both the others can and do take foot passengers - which plies between pontoons at the railway stations of Kingswear and Dartmouth - the latter station never had a train service, just the formerly railway operated ferry.