The story so far

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There is much talk about the prospect of ferry services operating from Ilfracombe. We want to see them come to fruition - which is why we have set up this website to help support the plans and encourage them to become a reality.

August 2007: Trial of hovercraft service between Kirkaldy and Portobello

Chris Marrow has sent this update...

The major hurdle that we have to overcome in the preparation of a final business plan for the Bristol Channel Ferry project is to convey accurately and persuasively the demand-side potential for the route.

We are undertaking a number of market surveys on both sides of the Bristol Channel. At the same time we have been monitoring the two week trial of the hovercraft service between Kirkaldy and Portobello (Edinburgh). Three of our people headed for Edinburgh to take a trip, but the first one to arrive phoned the other two and told them not to bother — there was a two and a half hour wait to board — such was the level of demand. The service runs every hour with a 130 passenger craft, and has run full for the whole period, and they have had to squeeze in as many extra runs as possible. Total number of passengers in the first week exceeded 16,000 and seemingly this figure might have been doubled if there had been greater capacity.

There have been a series of highly expensive consultancies leading up to this trial, but even so this level of demand was not foreseen. The trial has cost £300,000 and was largely funded from the public purse, although the proposer and operator, Stagecoach, is one of Scotland’s major companies.

The sea between Ilfracombe and Swansea would not permit use of the hovercraft, but the passenger demand is interesting and relevant and tends to support the idea that the demand in the Bristol Channel might exceed expectations. However, there are factors at play that must be taken into account:

See the following for more information

June 2007: Update on plans for a fast ferry on the Bristol Channel

Chris Marrow has just sent me this update...

“While it is clear that the optimum solution to running ferries on the Bristol Channel would be to provide car ferry services, that option can only be considered if and when landing facilities for car ferries can be provided. To expect a new company to fund such infrastructure costs would make it unlikely that a company could be funded, and to call on the public purse would mean delays that would place the opening of ferry services well into the future.

Fast Cat

A Fast Cat similar to the one that might be used

“However, we can get started with a fast cat service much more quickly, and I have drawn up proposals for a vessels that would carry some 250/300 passengers at around 35 knots. That would bring Mumbles to within 45 minutes of Ilfracombe and Penarth to about half an hour from Minehead. Because of the vessel’s speed it would be able to cover both routes in the day, with an interesting cross-over route which would add in an Ilfracombe to Penarth service. Minehead is highly tidal and the timetable would need to reflect tide times, whereas it would be possible to anchor the Ilfracombe to Mumbles route with morning and evening services at the same time each day. By getting going with the fast cat service, we can provide the ammunition to get public funding of car ferry infrastructure, or even create a situation in which the company could contribute substantially as a commercial proposition. The aim ultimately, therefore, would be to operate both fast cat and car services in conjunction with each other. This is the pattern in use to the Isle of Wight.

“The developmental possibilities of a ferry have been espoused by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in North Devon, and they sponsored a very successful meeting at which the wider financial and business community in the South West became very interested, and we now have some very powerful support for the scheme. That meeting is being followed up by a meeting in Swansea during July that is being jointly sponsored by the West Wales Chamber of Commerce and the City and County of Swansea Council. We await the date.

“Meanwhile, I have been honing the business plan steadily and have just returned from Scotland and the North East of England where a group of immensely experienced ship operators and ferry managers have gone through the plans line by line. Consequently I am starting to have a very great deal of confidence in the finances for the proposed service. The service will not only include a link by sea, but will also have to incorporate matching public transport links, such as Park and Ride facilities and through coach links. Hence it will be possible to get on a coach in Barnstaple and be carried seamlessly via the ferry into the centre of Swansea. We will also tie in Sail/Drive services so that you can park your car at the departure point and have a hire car waiting for you to drive onwards to your final destination.

“I am conscious of the lack of any service between the South West and Ireland, and it had been hoped to link to the Swansea/Cork service. However, you will be aware that Swansea/Cork is not running this year and we must hope that they can get going again next year, as is their intention. In the longer term, a direct service from Ilfracombe might not be out of the question, but we need to walk before we can run.

Can we get started by 2008?

“Can we get started by 2008? Such is the aim. There may be delays along the way, of course, and, assuming the finance is all in place, we will still have to locate, purchase and licence a suitable vessel. That in itself can engender delays. For example, one suitable vessel on the market at present is in the French Pacific.

“If anyone wants to contact me directly with ideas or thoughts, they are very welcome so to do. My email address is chrismarrow@btinternet.com.”

[Please Note: Image of Fast Cat used above is an example - there are many types.]

Significant benefits to the local community

Old Ilfracombe Harbour

Ilfracombe Harbour recently underwent a refurbishment costing £2.6 million:

• From this SWRDA webpage 04 Apr 00

“The South West of England Regional Development Agency has announced it is investing £300,000 in an ambitious project to restore Ilfracombe's historic harbour on the North Devon coast and help bring about the economic recovery of the tourist town.

“The £2.6 million scheme to demolish the pier, rebuild steamer landing stages and refurbish the historic South Quay and Old Quay Head has already won grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, North Devon District Council and a local funding consortium, among others.

“The announcement that the South West of England RDA will be investing £300,000 means a vital part of the funding jigsaw is now in place. Work is set to begin in September and is due to finish in April 2001.

“The project is seen as a vital lifeline to the ailing local economy, giving the tourist industry a much-needed boost by encouraging visitors to use the harbour with proposed services to Lundy, Swansea and, in the long term, Ireland.

“Nick Harrington, Area Manager of Devon, for the South West of England Regional Development Agency said: ‘Ilfracombe is a wonderful place with an amazing natural harbour but, unfortunately, studies have shown quite clearly that it is declining in popularity and prosperity. Hopefully, this project will serve to protect and enhance existing activities in and around the harbour, and will create the platform for the development of future market opportunities and significant benefits to the local community.’

“Studies have indicated that if the harbour improvements go ahead, at least 12,000 tourist visits a year are forecast for the town.

“Mr Harrington said: ‘This project offers Ilfracombe, North Devon and the South West a wonderful chance to restore a piece of history and open up transport links with South Wales, the island of Lundy and, potentially Southern Ireland. It's a fantastic opportunity for not only Ilfracombe but the whole of North Devon.’

“Malcolm Prowse, leader of North Devon District Council, said: ‘This huge investment in Ilfracombe by the South West Regional Development Agency marks another important milestone towards the restoration of the harbour and Ilfracombe's future prosperity.’”

Formulating detailed plans

• From this Answers webpage undated

“The South West Regional Development Agency is formulating detailed plans for the town’s economic and physical structures.

A target is the creation of a light vehicle and foot passenger ferry service to Swansea - a large Welsh city which is only twenty one miles away across the Bristol Channel.”

Irish see this as attracting more tourists

• From this BBC webpage 07 Sep 01

Devon and Ireland have traditional maritime trading links

“An historic voyage by a newly-restored sailing ship has inspired a proposal for a car ferry link between Devon and Ireland. The 100-year-old Kathleen and May sailed from Bideford to the Irish port of Youghal last month after businessman Steve Clarke spent £750,000 restoring her. The voyage re-established a traditional maritime trading link between the two ports.

“Now Mr Clarke says business leaders in Youghal want to revive the link with a regular ferry service. He said: “If you have ever tried to go to southern Ireland from southern England, it’s terrible. You can go to the Canary Islands quicker. You have to drive to Swansea, then you have a long ferry trip to Dublin, then a 140 mile drive down the coast on the other side. The Irish see this as a way of attracting more tourists.”

“Visitors to Youghal’s historic walled port and ancient fortifications are following in the trail of Sir Walter Raleigh and Edmund Spenser.

“Mr Clarke, chairman of Bideford’s chamber of commerce, wants to boost tourism in his home town too.”

A new era for North Devon

• From this BBC webpage 10 Jun 03

“Ilfracombe could become a new destination for ferries from Ireland and Wales. It is one of a number of projects that are being considered for one of the South West's most deprived towns.

“The first phase of the restoration of the harbour has just been finished and discussions are now starting over what the next step should be.

“The proposals for an outer breakwater to enable ferries to dock are part of what is hoped will be a new era for the town.

“Funding for what would be a £30m scheme still needs to be found. But the town is hoping to unlock funds from Europe, the government and from private sources from the South West Regional Development Agency's Market and Coastal Town's Initiative.”

Conventional vessel or hydro-foil catamarans

• From this Irish Examiner webpage by Sean O’Riordan 15 Sep 04

“Cork may soon get a new ferry link, if a west of England town has its way. A highly-influential group in Ilfracombe, North Devon, has been in talks with an unidentified ferry company, which could involve the use of a conventional vessel or hydro-foil catamarans to link both ports.

“The Ilfracombe and District Alliance, which compiled the report, is preparing to put the findings into action. Members of the organisation have already held tentative talks with tourist interests in Ireland and are confident the plan would benefit both regions.

“Lieutenant Commander Rob Lawson, who is Ilfracombe’s harbour master, is one of a number of people behind the plan. ‘I think it’s extremely realistic. The key to it is to develop a new outer breakwater in our harbour. We also want to develop a marina and a new commercial quay. The whole project will cost in the region of €50m, which isn’t very much in today’s terms’, Lt Comdr Lawson said.

“The group, in association with a larger regional tourism body Destination SouthWest, has already been in contact with cruise line operators and has been speaking to a ferry company that already operates between Britain and Ireland. ‘We’re providing ideas for the ferry company to extend its services’, he said.

“The Ilfracombe and District Alliance wants to have its Cork ferry service running within seven years. ‘It will require some external funding, some of which could come from EU Structural Funds, which we will be looking for’, Lt Comdr Lawson said.

“Ilfracombe may only have a population of 10,000, but it is viewed as a natural gateway to Devon and has a lot to offer. The group also knows if a ferry operated from its harbour to Cork it would attract a number of tourists in both directions. It would also make it easier for people living in the south and south-west of England to get to Cork, as Swansea is the nearest ferry port.”

A lot of business follows new routes

• From this BBC webpage 30 May 06

“A car ferry service could tie in with Ilfracombe harbour redevelopment. A detailed proposal has been put together for two car ferry services between south west England and Wales. One would sail between Ilfracombe in Devon to Swansea and the other from Minehead in Somerset to Barry.

“If the Ilfracombe proposal goes ahead it will tie in with existing plans to redevelop the town’s harbour with a marina and breakwater.

“The plan has been prepared by Chris Marrow, who has developed successful ferry routes in Scotland and Africa. Mr Marrow said there was nowhere else in the world with similar geographical features and levels of population which did not have an active ferry service. He said: ‘Ilfracombe is now going to be on a route with people passing through and spending money. In my experience - and I’ve seen it happen with other services I’ve started - a lot of business follows new routes.’

“Passenger ferry services already operate in the Bristol Channel during the summer, but authorities in north Devon and Wales would like to have an all-year car ferry service too.

“Last September Devon County Council said the possibility of a passenger ferry link between Ilfracombe and Wales had been included in the county’s 20-year draft regional plan. It is likely to be a number of years before the service would become operational, as more detailed plans will have to be submitted and approved by various authorities in England and Wales.”

Historical extracts from around the web

There has been boat traffic across the Bristol and St George's Channels since there were boats. But after the industrial revolution there was a particular trade in coal and limestone from South Wales to feed the lime kilns with ballast, stone and other materials traded in the opposite direction.

In the 19th century there were a number of commercial ferry and recreational services travelling along the North Devon and Somerset coast and between here and South Wales. Steamers of various sizes also operated between Ilfracombe and Weston super Mare, Clevedon and Bristol.

The ‘Cambrian Tourist’

• From this webpage

The ‘Cambrian Tourist’ by an unknown author published in 1801: “Swansea Bay is beautiful and the sail from Swansea to Ilfracombe, one of the pleasantest and cheapest I have ever enjoyed.”

The ‘Waverley’

• From this webpage

The Bristol Channel was to develop into one of the major areas for Paddle Steamer operation in the UK after the decision of Peter and Alec Campbell, sons of the well-known Firth of Clyde steamboat owner Captain Bob Campbell, to sell their business to the newly-formed Caledonian Steam Packet Company and, from 1889, base their operations at Bristol. The inevitable domination of the Clyde services by three competing railway companies and the under-development of steamer operations on the Bristol Channel made the move a sensible decision. In 1887, Campbell's paddler Waverley had been chartered for use on the channel and in the following year, Captain Alec brought the vessel south once again on his own account. Captain Bob died in April 1888 but the scene was set for P & A Campbell's "White Funnel" fleet to dominate coastal cruising and ferry operations for the next 80 years.

The ‘Waverley’ still operates during the summer months and is, I believe, the only sea-going paddle steamer operating in the world.

Coal and lime

• From this webpage

Coal was then sold from 16 shillings [£0.80] to 20 shillings [£1.00] a ton and 6 pence [£0.03] was charged for delivery of half a ton [450kg] by the local farmers, who assisted in discharging the cargoes. When these vessels were unloaded they either crossed over to Fremington and loaded up with china clay for Gloucester or took gravel from Broadsands as ballast. This gravel was used for building purposes at Bristol, Cardiff, Barry and Swansea.

Sometimes cargoes of iron ore from Spreacombe mines and locally grown potatoes were taken to Swansea. When not engaged in the coal trade cargoes of limestone were brought from Caldy Island in South Wales. At that time farmyard manure and seaweed were the fertilisers, used by the local farmers. This necessitated the annual spreading of lime over the fields before planting. All around the coast of North Devon lime kilns were built near the available landing places.

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