Angleterre-Lorraine-Alsace (ALA)British Railways Board (BRB)British Transport Commission (BTC)Maritime FeaturesPort of DoverSealinkSociété Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF)Southern RailwaySouthern Region

The Dover Train Ferry Dock 1936-1988

Introduction

Between 1884 and 1914 several attempts were made to get a train ferry service between Britain and France. Among these was the rejected 1930 Channel Tunnel Project. As a result Sir Herbert Walker, General Manager of the Southern Railway, was authorised by his Directors to plan a cross-channel train ferry service.

Sir Herbert spent a good deal of time formulating his plans, and Dunkirk was chosen as the French terminal. In England the choice fell, after some deliberation, on Dover rather than Richborough, where constant dredging would have been necessary to keep the waterways navigable.


Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

In 1933 Southern Railway undertook to order three new train ferries and to construct a ferry dock at Dover. It was agreed that a site, lying between the South Pier and the base of the Admiralty Pier, would be suitable. Tenders for the engineering works were invited in the summer and orders for the ferries were place in June with Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Walker-on-Tyne.

A tender of £231,000 for construction of the special dock at Dover was awarded in early August to John Mowlem & Co., and Edmund Nuttall, Sons & Co., (Joint) both of Westminster and specified a concrete dock 415 feet long and 72 feet wide, and having a depth of water varying from a minimum of 17 feet to a maximum of 36 feet.


Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

These dimensions would give a maximum 30 minutes delay for berthing. Gates of the “box” type permitted the entry of ships, and to assist berthing a 362-foot long pile and concrete jetty was built outside the dock. An electrically operated lifting bridge or 60 feet long link span long and wide enough to hold two lines of track was also to be built.


Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Provision was made for locking the vessels to the link bridge with a steel pin located at the stern of each vessel and for pumping water into the dock bringing the vessel up to a level where the train could be shipped.

Nigel Thornton CollectionNigel Thornton CollectionNigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

Construction

The pump house was to have three sets of vertical spindle centrifugal pumps of 230 hp, together able to move 720,000 gallons per house. The permanent lock gates presented a problem, nothing like them having been attempted before. Divers laid more foundations, and the twin 30-ton lock gates built and installed in a pontoon. They were hinged at the bottom to fall to a horizontal when opened, to rest on the dock floor. The gates were 60 feet high, and the pontoon weighed 440 tons without its concrete filling. It was, however, successfully sunk, only one-tenth of an inch out of true.


Roy Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Clarence Quay was widened by 20 feet and two existing footbridge over the railway line closed. A new overhead walkway for passengers was constructed from the Dover Marine Station to the train ferry dock.


Roy Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Work began in 1933 with the building of a sheet metal cofferdam to be backed with an earth embankment, but during storms of the following winter, this was washed away. An alternative scheme was tried using 10-ton concrete blocks to form a permanent wall on foundations laid on the seabed.


Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection

 Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

© H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells  © H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells

© H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells  © H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells

© H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells  © H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells

© H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells  © H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells

© H Crouch (Courtesy of Rosemary Wells)

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

© John Hendy © John Hendy © John Hendy

© John Hendy

The summer of 1936 saw the work completed. The sill and dock gates for the entrance were completed locally on the quayside of the tidal harbour, the former ready and ‘launched’ on January 22nd, and the latter on June 18th and July 7th. At about the same time the machinery and pumping apparatus were completed and the link span bridge erected. On September 28th 1936 the HAMPTON FERRY was first of the trio to pass through into the new dock and overnight October 13th – 14th 1936 the inaugural passenger party travels from Paris to London in two trains of six sleeping cars.

 1930’s

The Berth in Operation (Pre War)

The HAMPTON FERRY made the first sailing from the dock on October 3rd 1936. This was followed by TWICKENHAM FERRY on October 6th and later, on November 14th, by SHEPPERTON FERRY.


Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Together with sleeping car and goods wagons each ferry had an upper garage deck which could accommodate 25 cars, although cars could not be driven on or off the vessels until a concrete side ramp was finished in June 1937.


© Bob Richards  © Bob Richards

© Bob Richards

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection

🆕Nigel Thornton Collection (as noted)

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

World War II

Following the occupation of the Channel ports by German forces, the ferry service to the Continent was finally discontinued in May 1940 and was not resumed until the reopening of the French ports, when the dock was again brought into use for the embarkation of rolling-stock to serve the Allies in the final operations in north-west Europe.

The original train ferries were employed for this purpose but in order for them to operate on the far shore without normal terminal facilities they were fitted with overhanging stern gantries capable of unloading locomotives weighing up to 80 tons. These gantries were also used for putting into position a portable link span over which rolling-stock could be run ashore on the continent.


“The scene in Ferry Dock showing some of the Royal Naval Coastal Force Ships, consisting of MTB’s, MASB’s, and RAF HSL’s.”

 

© IWM (A 7443)(Left) © IWM (A 7444)(Right)(11/02/1942)

Nigel Thornton Collection  Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection (both)

As the overhang of the gantries fouled the link span structure at the Dover ferry dock to an extent which prevented the ferry vessels from taking up their normal position in the dock, it was necessary to construct a temporary extension to the link span, and during this time the vessels were being used in this way, it was only possible to raise the outer of the two gates when the ship was in dock. This, in turn, involved regular use of the outer strut gates every time it was necessary to maintain the level of the water in the dock above that of the tide.

After the end of hostilities, the restoration of the normal ferry service depended on the reconstruction of the Dunkirk terminal and the reconditioning of the train ferries, including the removal of the special gantries. Until this could be done, a reduced service, chiefly for military traffic, was maintained, and it was decided to take advantage of the fact that this was not run to a timetable to achieve the maximum possible reconditioning of the dock, including the repainting of the gates, before a timetabled service could be reintroduced.

For the careening of the gates the only suitable equipment conveniently available was the patent slipway, belong to the Dover Harbour Board and situated in the Wellington Dock…….In the event the inner gate was removed, repainted and returned between March and June 1946,and the outer gate between April and June 1947”

“Maintenance Operations 1946-47 on the Box Gates….” The Institute of Civil Engineers, Maritime and Waterways Engineering Division (Session 1948-49)


The Institute of Civil Engineers  The Institute of Civil Engineers

The Institute of Civil Engineers  The Institute of Civil Engineers

The Institute of Civil Engineers

© The Institute of Civil Engineers (all)

The Berth in Operation (Post War)

Vessel Operations – Vortigern

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)  Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)  Nigel Thornton Collection (all)

Nigel Thornton Collection (all)  Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection   Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

Vessel Operations – St Eloi & Cambridge Ferry

© Ken Larwood  © Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood  © Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood   © Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood   © Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood   © Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood

The End

With ships becoming much larger only vessels built up to and before the early 1970’s could fit into the original train ferry dock. The new generation of ships that were then being developed were twice the size in terms of size and capacity and they could make up to five round trips of the busy Dover Straits each day. The train ferries that were in service at this time could only manage three round trips at best, this in part due to the time taken to adjust the water level within the train ferry dock to the sea level outside within the harbour.

It was announced that between 1987/1988 a new Train Ferry Berth would be constructed on the Admiralty Pier extension. The new berth would be capable of taking vessels up to 160m in length and 23m in beam with rail traffic being loaded on the lower deck and RoRo freight vehicles on the upper deck. The estimated cost at 1986 prices was £8.9 million.

Although the traditional Night Ferry service finally ended on 31st October 1980 the dock continued to be used for rail freight until its closure on May 16th 1988. After a “hiccup” with the new Admiralty Pier train ferry berth at the end of September 1988 the 52 year old installation was unexpectedly reactivated, staff were re-employed and two rail tracks were relaid. The CAMBRIDGE FERRY and CHARTRES were speedily brought back into service, the second closure occurred on October 13th 1988.

The very last time it was used was during the overhaul of NORD PAS-de-CALAIS  (between December 28th – 30th 1988) after which it was finally closed and the tracks were lifted. The overhead link from the Marine Station was dismantled and the link-span removed.


© Ian Lilford  © Ian Lilford

© Ian Lilford  © Ian Lilford

© Ian Lilford

Brett Hall Aggregates

Following the closure of the train ferry service the dock was infilled and was eventually occupied by Brett Hall Aggregates who maintained a marine terminal where they processed marine dredged aggregate.

© Ray Goodfellow

The Western Docks today showing the Aggregate Yard © Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

The entrance to the old train ferry dock © Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

South Pier Boarding Station (HM Customs) © Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow

Sand Fulmar discharging aggregate on the Dunkerque Jetty, the site of the former train ferry dock © Ray Goodfellow

Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR)

The Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) was announced
Dover, bringing new investment into the area. With UK Government planning approval
and supported by a mix of private finance and European Union grant funding, DWDR
will deliver:
• A transformed waterfront to ultimately attract a host of shops, bars, cafes and
restaurants with Dover’s unique backdrop of the harbour, cliffs and castle;
• Relocation and further development of the cargo business with a new cargo terminal
and distribution centre;
• Creation of greater space within the Eastern Docks for ferry traffic; and
• Much needed quality employment opportunities for local people.

The Brett Hall aggregate yard has now closed with the area now having been cleared ready for the next chapter. This area of the Port will soon see further extensive development as a part of the Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) project.


© Ray Goodfellow

October 2016 © Ray Goodfellow

August 2017: Work Continues with the “Dover Western Docks Revival”.

© Mike Jackson

© Mike Jackson

  

© Port of Dover

 ………..and now (2021)

 


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: The Port of Dover, Colin Clifton, Ian Lilford, Ken Larwood, Mike Jackson and Bob Richards for their assistance in producing this feature.


Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group) all photographs featured are from the Roy Thornton Collection unless otherwise stated.

21 Comments

  1. I was sorry to see it go and i was part of the crew that demolished it. sorry i have no photo,s of it but it was an amazing feat of engineering. I also was part of the team that built the sand and gravel plant that still stands there today

    1. Hi Jim,

      Thank you for taking the time to comment and for sharing your memory of the train ferry dock.

      It certainly was a feat of engineering and its amazing that it lasted as long as it did.

      Best Wishes

      Ray

  2. Wonderful pictures. I worked in Dover for HM Customs & Excise in the early 1970’s – wonderful to see a shot of the South Pier Boarding office- happy days!

  3. I was a loco fireman at dover and was rostered at the ferry sidings many times, I was at dover 1956 to 1966, a very interesting area at the time, sadly all gone even tracks to the marine station have gone also, happy times and good memories, I now reside in Australia, regards to all

  4. I was attached to the Southern Region District Engineer’s office at Ashford for several years between September 1961 and November 1967. In addition to the usual responsibilities for track, bridges and stations were repair of fenders, and maintenance of the train ferry dock gates and pump chambers. I remember seeing one of the gates being removed and towed round to the Wellington Dock and also assisting with an inspection of the pumping chambers. Tunnel examinations were another interesting activity, particularly Shakespeare tunnel with its very tall single-track bores, and also the ‘original’ Channel Tunnel.

  5. I worked on the repair and maintenance of the pumps and gate valves at the train ferry dock when I was an apprentice marine engineer at the Packet Yard 1966-1971 and then sailed on the Shepperton Ferry 1971 as 4th Engineer,Vortigern 1976 2nd Engineer and Cambridge Ferry 1985 Chief Engineer all operating out of the train ferry dock.

  6. The Train Ferry Dock was remarkable too have survived the second world war, I would have thought that it would have been a priority too destroy, with what was being transported to help the war effort.

  7. Nigel
    I’m writing an article to be published in our magazine (Honourable Company of Master Mariners) about Railway Ferries and my time with Sealink. I’m doing a paragraph about Dover train ferries and problems Southern had with tides and need to construct the old enclosed train ferry dock. I think the paragraph would benefit with a photo and am asking nif I can use of your photos of the old dock.

  8. Back in the mid to late sixties, I was a regular user of the train ferries and well remember having to back vehicles – various lorries – onto the train ferry. I have many memories of those times- e.g.I must be one of very few drivers to have had a collision with a ferry and come off best!
    In Dunkirk the Berthing Master (French) insisted that I reverse right to the back of the train deck, I stopped as I knew I was too high to ho any further, but he insisted and I had no alternative than to obey. He was amongst the first to get soaked when the back of the van I was driving hit the fire sprinkler system. I could go on..

    1. Roger,

      Thanks for the comment.

      Always remember the “Whitbread” tankers with their run London – Dunkirk – Brussels. Was amazed that the French and Belgians loved Whitbread Tankard.

      Rgds
      Nigel T

  9. I was the last person ever employed by sealink at the train ferry dock. I was aged 21 at the time and came from a railway apprentiship at Chart Leacon via a short time at Clapham Junction.
    I can honestly say that it was the best and most unique job I have ever had, and bearing in mind that I am nearly 60 and have been fortunate to have some great times since, all of my career being spent on the railways, I hold a fond reflection for my former colleagues at the time. Sadly I have no photoes of my time there. The cost of taking photos and the danger of them not turning out is am sure something that all of us appreciate, especially at the age of 21 when a pint of beer was of more importance. I am glad that I came accross this site and am able to share some of what happened back in the day. There is lots more that I could say, and if anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to try and help. Best regards, Dave.

    1. Hi Dave,

      Thank you for posting your insight and your memories with us and thank you for the kind words about the website, we both greatly appreciate them.

      Best Wishes

      Ray

  10. I worked on the Shepperton Ferry (“the Sheppy”) in the Summer of 1969, after finishing my teacher’s training course in Brighton. By that time, the Hampton Ferry was laying by, and the Sheppy was taking the Night Train to Paris, and trucks but no cars, and the occasional lorry. I seem to recall she was only licensed for 5 passengers, who were all drivers of the very few motor vehicles taken on board. The Eastern Docks were very active by then, and the Channel Tunnel still a dream. I recall one trip to Dunkirk when there was a hefty storm and we took 6 (or so) hours to cross instead of the usual four and a half. The truck wheels were adrift from the rails as we tipped to and fro in the storm, and we lost a lot of crockery. A good job the trucks were chained down! I felt very sad when the Ferry Dock finally closed, even though I had worked on it for such a short period. Later, in 2016, it was really unpleasant to visit and see the infilled dock covered in aggregate, I was not allowed in to have a look, either!
    Great memories of the Sheppy, and the other ships I worked on – the Dover and the Maid of Kent.

  11. And I’d like to add my thanks to everyone who took photos, and for the efforts of everyone involved in creating this great record of an extraordinary slice of Dover’s maritime history.

  12. In 1987-88 I was second engineer (and occasionally Chief engineer) on the Cambridge Ferry, which was carrying freight trains to and from Dunkirk. I have tried and failed to discover whether or not this ship made the final commercial voyage out of the old Ferry dock. Does anyone Know?
    One interesting departure was when a new engineer (who had a Chief’s ticket!) started the engines without first starting the controllable pitch propeller pumps. This meant that the propellers immediately went into ahead pitch and the ship lunged forward, breaking the mooring ropes until it was stopped by the dock gate which was still closed. Fortunately, neither the ship nor the gate suffered any serious damage. After he had finished his shift, the new engineer departed and was never seen again!

    1. I do remember the Cambridge ferry being berthed in the train ferry dock on one occassion, although I can’t remember why. I just recall that it pretty much wrecked the wooden piles when it reversed back in and that once it had gone, a day or two were spent replacing them!

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