Wightlink
Encyclopedia
Wightlink is a ferry
company operating routes between Hampshire
and the Isle of Wight
in southern England
.
Their core routes are car ferries from Lymington
to Yarmouth
(30 minutes) and Portsmouth
to Fishbourne
(40 minutes). A fast passenger-only catamaran
operates between Portsmouth
Harbour and Ryde Pier Head
(taking 18 minutes), and directly links into the Island Line
rail line.
for more than 160 years. In the early nineteenth century, ferries ran to the island from Lymington
and Portsmouth
. Later, steam ferries operated a circular route around Lymington, Yarmouth
, Cowes
, Ryde
and Portsmouth. When the rail companies became involved they concentrated on two direct routes, Lymington - Yarmouth and Portsmouth - Ryde. Ownership of the ferries eventually passed from the British Railways Board
to Sealink UK Limited
.
In 1984 Sealink UK Limited was denationalised and the operating name became Sealink British Ferries, which was subsequently bought by the Bermuda
based Sea Containers Ltd
. When Stena Line
bought Sealink British Ferries in 1990, the Isle of Wight ferries remained with Sea Containers, as ‘Wightlink’. In June 1995 Wightlink was the subject of a management buy-in. In 2005 it was bought by the Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund for an estimated £240,000,000.
In 2004, Wightlink renewed its sponsorship of the Wightlink Raiders
ice hockey team,
In October 2006 Wightlink announced its intention to build two new ferries for the Yarmouth to Lymington route. These ships are slightly bigger than their predecessors, with extra vehicle space, but will only accommodate 360 passengers compared to 500 on the older vessels. Wightlink later announced that a third new ferry would enter service in spring 2009. A dispute with some Lymington residents led to delay and threatened the viability of the route. In November 2008, the service was reduced so only 2 ships were required, allowing for the delay in the introduction of the new vessels. Sea trials were not complete by November 2008 and introduction became pressing with the expiry of safety certificates on the previous fleet. Wightlink proposed interim arrangements enabling them restricted use of the new ferries until the trials can be completed in full.
In March 2008 Wightlink revealed that an order has been placed with FBMA Marine to construct 2 new passenger catamarans for the Portsmouth to Ryde service, to replace the three craft currently employed. They entered service in 2009.
From May 2008 Wightlink introduced a fuel surcharge on all crossings, linked to the price of Brent Crude
oil. However in November 2008 the surcharge dropped to zero following the sharp reduction in crude prices during the credit crunch and as of November 2009 is still at zero.
Wightlink are spending £17.5M on improving their Portsmouth-Fishbourne route. They are remodelling the terminal facilities at both Fishbourne and Portsmouth to provide for new ferry loading arrangements which will be brought into use in the summer of 2009. Their flagship will have its upper car deck adjusted so vehicles access it directly from on-shore ramps. Two of the older ferries are being stretched in length by 12 metres, with upper car decks similar to St Clares being added, replacing movable mezzanine decks. Of the remaining two ferries, has been sold and will be used mainly for freight.
head to Portsmouth route:
Wight Ryder I and Wight Ryder II entered service in September 2009.
The introduction of the Wight class ferries was a much discussed affair, with some Lymington residents claiming that the increased size of the ferries posed a risk, both in environmental terms and to users of pleasure craft on the Lymington river.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
company operating routes between Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
in southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Their core routes are car ferries from Lymington
Lymington
Lymington is a port on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It is to the east of the South East Dorset conurbation, and faces Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight which is connected to it by a car ferry, operated by Wightlink. The town...
to Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth is a port and civil parish in the western part of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of mainland England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river...
(30 minutes) and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Fishbourne
Fishbourne, Isle of Wight
for disambiguation.Fishbourne is a small village between Wootton and Ryde, on the Isle of Wight.The name "Fishbourne" might mean "stream of fish" or "fish spring."...
(40 minutes). A fast passenger-only catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
operates between Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
Harbour and Ryde Pier Head
Ryde Pier
Ryde Pier is an early 19th century pier serving the town of Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England.- Before the pier :Before the pier was built, passengers to Ryde had the uncomfortable experience of coming ashore on the back of a porter and then, depending on the state of the...
(taking 18 minutes), and directly links into the Island Line
Island Line, Isle of Wight
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
rail line.
History
Wightlink and its forerunners have provided ferry services to and from the Isle of WightIsle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
for more than 160 years. In the early nineteenth century, ferries ran to the island from Lymington
Lymington
Lymington is a port on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It is to the east of the South East Dorset conurbation, and faces Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight which is connected to it by a car ferry, operated by Wightlink. The town...
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. Later, steam ferries operated a circular route around Lymington, Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth is a port and civil parish in the western part of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of mainland England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river...
, Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
, Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
and Portsmouth. When the rail companies became involved they concentrated on two direct routes, Lymington - Yarmouth and Portsmouth - Ryde. Ownership of the ferries eventually passed from the British Railways Board
British Railways Board
The British Railways Board was a nationalised industry in the United Kingdom that existed from 1962 to 2001. From its foundation until 1997, it was responsible for most railway services in Great Britain, trading under the brand names British Railways and, from 1965, British Rail...
to Sealink UK Limited
Sealink
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland....
.
In 1984 Sealink UK Limited was denationalised and the operating name became Sealink British Ferries, which was subsequently bought by the Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
based Sea Containers Ltd
Sea Containers Ltd
Sea Containers Ltd. is a Bermuda-registered company which operates two main business areas: transport and container leasing.In March 2006 the company sold its share of Orient-Express Hotels...
. When Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
bought Sealink British Ferries in 1990, the Isle of Wight ferries remained with Sea Containers, as ‘Wightlink’. In June 1995 Wightlink was the subject of a management buy-in. In 2005 it was bought by the Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund for an estimated £240,000,000.
In 2004, Wightlink renewed its sponsorship of the Wightlink Raiders
Wightlink Raiders
The Wightlink Raiders are an ice hockey team based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, England. They are sponsored by Wightlink and play in the third-tier English National Ice Hockey League...
ice hockey team,
In October 2006 Wightlink announced its intention to build two new ferries for the Yarmouth to Lymington route. These ships are slightly bigger than their predecessors, with extra vehicle space, but will only accommodate 360 passengers compared to 500 on the older vessels. Wightlink later announced that a third new ferry would enter service in spring 2009. A dispute with some Lymington residents led to delay and threatened the viability of the route. In November 2008, the service was reduced so only 2 ships were required, allowing for the delay in the introduction of the new vessels. Sea trials were not complete by November 2008 and introduction became pressing with the expiry of safety certificates on the previous fleet. Wightlink proposed interim arrangements enabling them restricted use of the new ferries until the trials can be completed in full.
From May 2008 Wightlink introduced a fuel surcharge on all crossings, linked to the price of Brent Crude
Brent Crude
Brent Crude is the biggest of the many major classifications of crude oil consisting of Brent Crude, Brent Sweet Light Crude, Oseberg, Ekofisk, and Forties . Brent Crude is sourced from the North Sea. The Brent Crude oil marker is also known as Brent Blend, London Brent and Brent petroleum...
oil. However in November 2008 the surcharge dropped to zero following the sharp reduction in crude prices during the credit crunch and as of November 2009 is still at zero.
Wightlink are spending £17.5M on improving their Portsmouth-Fishbourne route. They are remodelling the terminal facilities at both Fishbourne and Portsmouth to provide for new ferry loading arrangements which will be brought into use in the summer of 2009. Their flagship will have its upper car deck adjusted so vehicles access it directly from on-shore ramps. Two of the older ferries are being stretched in length by 12 metres, with upper car decks similar to St Clares being added, replacing movable mezzanine decks. Of the remaining two ferries, has been sold and will be used mainly for freight.
Current fleet
Ryde
The following passenger-only catamarans operate on the Ryde PierRyde Pier
Ryde Pier is an early 19th century pier serving the town of Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England.- Before the pier :Before the pier was built, passengers to Ryde had the uncomfortable experience of coming ashore on the back of a porter and then, depending on the state of the...
head to Portsmouth route:
- HSC Wight Ryder IHSC Wight Ryder IHSC Wight Ryder I is the first of Wightlink's new purpose built high-speed passenger catamarans to operate the Ryde to Portsmouth ferry route. It was introduced along with sister ship HSC Wight Ryder II. Both vessels left their construction site in the Philippines in June 2009, and began service in...
- HSC Wight Ryder II
Wight Ryder I and Wight Ryder II entered service in September 2009.
Yarmouth
The following car ferries are used on the Yarmouth to Lymington route:The introduction of the Wight class ferries was a much discussed affair, with some Lymington residents claiming that the increased size of the ferries posed a risk, both in environmental terms and to users of pleasure craft on the Lymington river.
Historic fleet
The following ferries have operated historically on routes run by Wightlink or previous companies that have been absorbed by Wightlink.Lymington-Yarmouth
|
|
1959-1983 1973-2009 1974-2009 1983-2009
|
Portsmouth-Ryde
|
|
PS Duchess of Norfolk Duchess of Norfolk was a 381 GRT paddle steamer which was built in 1911 for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and London and South Western Railway, who operated a joint service to the Isle of Wight. She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for use as minesweeper HMS Duchess of Norfolk... 1911-1937 PS Ryde PS Ryde is a paddle steamer commissioned and run by Southern Railway as a passenger ferry between mainland England and the Isle of Wight from 1937 to 1969. She saw wartime service and later became a nightclub. After many years abandoned at moorings on the River Medina, scrapping started but was... 1937-1969 1948-1986 1948-1988 1951-1980 HSC Our Lady Patricia HSC Our Lady Patricia was a high speed catamaran ferry which operated between the Isle of Wight and mainland England. She operated on the Wightlink Ryde Pier to Portsmouth route from 1986 to 2006 when she was sold. She was scrapped at Marchwood in 2006.... 1986-2008 HSC Our Lady Pamela HSC Our Lady Pamela was a high speed catamaran ferry which operated between the Isle of Wight and mainland England. She had operated on the Wightlink Ryde Pier to Portsmouth route since 1986 under Sealink along with her now scrapped sister ship HSC Our Lady Patricia... 1986-2008 HSC FastCat Shanklin HSC FastCat Shanklin is a high speed catamaran ferry which operated between the Isle of Wight and mainland England. She operated on the Wightlink Ryde Pier to Portsmouth route from 2000 to 2009 along with her sister ship HSC FastCat Ryde. Prior to working for Wightlink, the ship worked in Singapore... 1996-2009 HSC FastCat Ryde HSC FastCat Ryde is a high speed catamaran ferry which operates between the Isle of Wight and mainland England. The vessel was originally built in Singapore for service in the Philippines as Water Jet 1... 1996-2010 |
Portsmouth-Fishbourne
| 1927-1961 1928-1961 1930-1961 1961-1983 | 1961-1984 1969-1986 1973-1983 1983-2010 |
Figures
Every year, Wightlink carries:- 5 ½ million passengers
- over 1.2 million cars
- almost 200,000 coaches and freight vehicles
- Annual revenue £51 million
External links
- Wightlink website - wightlink.co.uk