News 20/12/2024:
If you would like to contribute a photo, please let me know via the Contact (Link) page.
Rgds Nigel T
Seasonal Greetings
Every year we publish a thank you to those who have supported both our website and our online community
Through this website we hope we have given you a bit of an escape from the current situation hoping that we have helped people remember better times.
So in the usual manner, we would like to thank all of our website visitors and many thanks to our numerous photographic contributions, for always being there to support us with our endeavours.
It just leaves us to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and lets all hope for a better New Year.
Ray Goodfellow & Nigel Thornton.
Christmas Trees on masts were clearly in vogue in 1967
Caesarea comes astern through the Western Entrance for Dover Marine Station © John Hendy.
……Boxing Day 1979 – “the Free Enterprise I had finished service on Christmas Eve and was spending her last Christmas in the port before sailing for Tilbury to lay-up pending sale.” (and trees were still with us).
Free Enterprise I (left) and Free Enterprise III (right) © John Hendy.
The Lion and Free Enterprise I © John Hendy.
A Splash of Colour Was Added in 1982
Dover Eastern Docks 1982 © Ken Larwood.
1983…..It was back to Black & White and, just like in 1982, there was not a parking space to be had!
Dover Eastern Docks 1983 © John Hendy
1984…Was when the pictures really started to be collected…
Roy Thornton Collection (all)
1986……. Still a colourful sight!!
Roy Thornton Collection
In 1991, at Folkestone, “The Anglo Saxon” twins rested
Stena Hengist and Stena Horsa © John Hendy
1992…..All was blue!
Nigel Thornton Collection
1993……..
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
1994……..
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
1995………….
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
1996.. Was the last time we had a full harbour?
1996, © Mike Jackson (all)
1997…………..
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
1998………
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
1999…..
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
2000… A lonely “Racehorse” in the P&O Stena Line herd
2000, © Mike Jackson
2001………….
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
2003…… the “Racehorse” loneliness continued……
© Mike Jackson (left) and © Nigel Thornton (right)
In 2004 the Pride of Calais hid in the Cruise Terminal car park
Pride of Calais (2004) © Nigel Thornton
From Left to Right: Pride of Aquitaine, Pride of Kent and Pride of Canterbury © Mike Jackson
and 2005….. Was Nigel’s first real attempt at digital….
2005, © Nigel Thornton (all)
2006… Nigel tried photographing the port from different angles
2006, © Nigel Thornton (both)
… 2007 was “Gloomy”
2007, © Nigel Thornton (all)
and……Everybody went home for Christmas in 2008….
2008, © Nigel Thornton (All)
(SELENE PRAHM, CORALWATER and CLIPPER BORDEAUX)
Courtesy of A2B via Sea
…….which was followed by 2009 and….
2009, © Nigel Thornton
© Mike Jackson (all)
……2010. The seagulls decided Christmas Day, for Dover Ferry Photos, had finally become boring!
© Nigel Thornton (all)
….but no! A selection from the port in 2011!
© Nigel Thornton (all)
© Ed Connell (26/12/2011)
What would there be in 2012 ?????? Errr…these
© Nigel Thornton (all)
© Mike Jackson (all)
Well 2013, the sun (remember that?) was in the wrong place!
© Nigel Thornton (all)
© Andrew Smith
© Mike Jackson (all)
2014: Well, less ships and very quiet!
© Nigel Thornton
© Mike Jackson (all)
2015: Blue is the colour
© Mike Jackson (all)
2016: Here we are again, the annual pilgrimage, still going strong!
© Nigel Thornton (all)
2017: Mike, Ray and Julien got in on the act…….
Sincere thanks and © Mike Jackson
© Ray Goodfellow
Calais © Julien Carpentier
2018: We had Calais, Dunkerque and Dover covered…….
© Julien Carpentier (Calais 25/12/2018)
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque 25/12/2018)
© Nigel Scutt (Dover Strait Shipping)
© Nigel Thornton (Dover 25/12/2018)
2019: Before those ‘Unprecedented’ times……..
© Mike Jackson (All)
© Nigel Thornton (All)
2020: Well, …………..
…………. the Coronavirus Pandemic restrictions scuppered most of our attempts to witness a bit of history.
For the first time (in my memory at least) the port was operational with sailings to Calais and Dunkerque after France closed its borders (21/12/2020) with the UK for 48 hours.
Behind this apparent peace and tranquillity, a massive operation was taking place to repatriate the thousands of HGV and other drivers who were unable to travel.
Drivers were only allowed to travel on the condition they tested negative for Covid-19 before boarding.
Nigel T
© Mike Jackson (all) “Sincere thanks Mike!”
2021:……. So……the “mutual space charter agreement” previously (May 2021) agreed between P & O and DFDS was under investigation in December 2021. It didn’t look if they were friends at Dover. Ho, ho, ho. The newly arrived “Irish Ferries” decided to stay in Calais and the Pride of Burgundy took a well earned rest in Dunkerque (at this time who knows what her future is?).
NB to photographers: Having experienced the weather conditions in Dover, foggy, wet a bit breezy, I’m afraid I had to do a bit of Photoshop” basic enchancement”. Apologies.
© Dave Standen
© Mike Jackson
(Calais)
© Julien Carpentier (Calais) (All)
Dunkerque West & Dunkerque East
Dunkerque (West)
© Julien Carpentier (All)
Thanks to all for braving the conditions!
2022……. In Dover it was “Damp” and empty!
Dover 25/12/2022
© Mark Burton (“Thanks Mark”)
© Nigel Thornton (Miserable, anyway you looked at it!)
© Mike Jackson
Calais 25/12/2022
© Juilien Carpentier
© Juilien Carpentier
Dunkerque (West) 25/12/2022)
No photographic vantage point available
……………… and in Saint Malo it was just as quiet!
© Nicolas Lévy
December 26th 2022: First arrival (Irish Ferries – Calais/Dover) ISLE OF INISHMORE (08.35 hrs)
December 26th 2022: First departure (Irish Ferries – Calais) ISLE OF INISHMORE (09.30 hrs), (P & O – Calais) SPIRIT OF BRITAIN (09.55hrs), (DFDS – Dunkerque) DUNKERQUE SEAWAYS (10.00 hrs), (DFDS – Calais) COTE DES FLANDRES (10.40 hrs)
2023 ……… The “Annual Pilgrimage” for me was a bit of a disaster. Torn ankle ligament, “The Green Light” of death on my camera and, yes. the weather were all against me. The rest of the day, however, was SUPERB!
Dover 25/12/2023
© Paul Stokes (Sincere thanks)
© Nigel Thornton
Calais 25/12/2023 (Weather was atrocious and the pier was CLOSED)
Dunkerque West 25/12/2023 (No photo vantage points)
First Sailings
Dover Weather
……. and so to 2024. Because of fog, “Nothing to see her, sir. Please move along”
Dover (Right Click to enlarge)
Calais (Right Click to enlarge)
Dunkerque (Right Click to enlarge)
Zeebrugge (Right Click to enlarge)
1st sailings 26/12/2024 (Right Click to enlarge)
……. and when the fog lifted, there were four!
© Nigel Thornton
Courtesy of Nick Petken (Many thanks)
© Julien Carpentier
We would like to thank: A2B via Sea , Mark Burton, Julien Carpentier, Ed Connell, John Hendy, Ken Larwood, Mike Jackson, Nigel Scutt (Dover Strait Shipping), Paul Stokes and Andrew Smith for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
Hello Nigel and Ray, i like to tell you that you have a fantastic, great, wonderful website, maybe more but it seems more than enough.
To wish you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2015
Sincerely, Henk from Netherlands
Hi Henk,
Thank you very much for your kind words, I am sure I can talk on Nigel’s behalf here and say that we really appreciate them. I apologise that I haven’t been in contact recently but working in retail this time of year results in very little free time to indulge in this hobby. Thankfully Christmas will soon be over (well there is another 20 hours of work to undertake) and normal service from my perspective will be restored 🙂 I have a weeks leave booked for early January and I intend on catching up with the website and my emails then.
I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you and your family a merry Christmas and a very happy new year and I will be in contact soon.
Ray
Thank you an amazing collection of christamas port photos. Love the one of the Hengist & Horsa together for a last time days before finishing service.
Richard
Thanks for the comment.
Merry Christmas.
Rgds
Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow
Really enjoyed that. Many thanks for posting. I recently travelled with all 3 operators and while DFDS was still good, the other ‘legacy’ operator is sadly but a shadow of its former self. The image from Dover from 25/12/22 mirrors this beautifully.