Boulogne and LD Lines
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
8 March 2010 17:3142653roger,speaking from experiance the zeebruge run was useally full of frieght with an average of 600 pasengers [cars/ footies] etc. - 8 March 2010 18:3642662Just being tourist orientated was the reason Speedferries went down the tubes, being able to cater for both is the only way to succeed.
Roger - 8 March 2010 21:1042704Freight does indeed pay for the ferries. Zeebrugge was primarily a freight route, with the occasional attempt to get footies to go there.
TT & P&O very rarely carried as many 100 passengers let alone 600 to Zeebrugge. Of course, one fateful night they did take that many Sun readers, but not all came back. - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
8 March 2010 21:2142706sid,i have worked on that route 77/78,constantly averaged 500 with an easter full house of 1200,with the lowest of 50 christmass 77 mind you force 10 winds that night who can blame people from traverling. - Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,036
9 March 2010 00:1842716A lot of the passengers on the Zeebrugge run were army personnel and their families going back and forth on leave from Germany. - 14 March 2010 20:1343333Norman Bridge arrived in Boulogne from Gdansk yesterday ready to take over on Dover/Boulogne from the Norman Spirit later this month.
Norman Arrow popped in through the Western Entrance at 1800 tonight. She has been in drydock in Dunkerque and is on her way to Pompey to commence Portsmouth/Le Havre later this month. A ramp has been manufactured locally in Dover and is to be fitted at the Admiralty Pier.
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
14 March 2010 21:2043344ed, i wonderd what the big crane was doing down the admiralty pier today. - 15 March 2010 07:5243354Youre on the pace there Ed, yes I can see the Norman Arrow this morning, nestling over by the eastern arm terminal one. I thought for a moment she was making a comeback but alas no...email: dover7@msn.com
- 19 March 2010 01:4243771Norman Bridge loading on the Eastern Arm today, with Pride of Dover about to take bunkers from bunker barge Coralwater in the foreground.
LD have only slapped their logo on the side and not repainted the funnels in their own colours. The blue and white of the hull and superstructure are fortunately the same as the previous charterers.
Norman Spirit has now departed to Zeebrugge and will commence Ostend-Dover shortly. Norman Arrow is still on the Admiralty Pier fitting her new ramp for use on Portsmouth-Le Havre.
- 19 March 2010 17:4743837Well done there again Ed. Very interesting pictures of the new ship. I havent seen it yet but no doubt it will appear out of the mist soon. Here is a recent Press Release just in from LDLInes's agent Nick Stevens himself. Would normally try to get this on the frontpage but frontpage swamped for the moment. But clearly they still seem enthusiastic about developing the Boulogne link.
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LD LINES' NORMAN BRIDGE TAKES UP DOVER - BOULOGNE SERVICE
Ferry operator LD Lines introduces new tonnage to its Dover - Boulogne route with the Norman Bridge entering service from Thursday 18th March.
The 22,152 gross tonnes vessel will be continuing the route's established schedule of four return sailings daily with a crossing time of one hour 45 minutes.
Norman Bridge has capacity for up to 400 passengers and with 2,000 lane metres of vehicle deck space can carry up to 130 cars and 40 trucks, or adjustable combinations of freight and tourist traffic.
On board facilities include self-service restaurant, lounge bar and TV lounge - with 96 new reclining seats throughout the passenger lounges - and shop with a range of products including drinks, tobacco, perfumes, gifts, books and newspapers.
LD Lines is the exclusive cross channel operator providing a direct ferry service between Dover and Boulogne, which now operates into the Port of Boulogne's new Hub Port terminal.
The first of two new linkspans became operational in September 2009, representing the first phase of a 200 million euros investment over ten years of the development and expansion of Boulogne's commercial port.
LD Lines' Dover - Boulogne Spring Summer offer fares start from £24 single (any duration) for a car and up to nine passengers and short break returns from £28 return for a car and four passengers.
For more information and to book : www.ldlines.com or call : 0844 576 8836.email: dover7@msn.com - 20 March 2010 08:2343876Well done PaulB for putting this up.
LD Line sare very interested in teh Dover-Boulogne route and very much support Dover.
They are taking the back page in my Spring edition of the Discover Dover leaflet; it is still the only one that combines historic sites and attractions and local businesses - quality gift shops, jewellers, mens clothes shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants etc.
Some places I talked to, didn't want to pay £35 (no vat) to go into 10,000 full-colour glossy leaflets - I couldn't believe it either.
Roger
