howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
bit of a surprise announcement tonight.
ld lines will be running two ferries on the above route starting saturday.
the oleander capacity 1326 passengers will join the ostend spirit on the four hour voyage, meaning 4 return journeys a day.
would have been nice to have run from dover, cannot be too greedy though.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
The Norman Bridge has replaced Norman Spirit on the Dover - Boulogne route it seems.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Yes the Norman Bridge is in action now on the Dover - Boulogne route. Ed has got pictures of it on the LD Lines thread. I was surprised that they 'dumbed down' the Dover - Boulogne route in favour of this new route, and now running two ships a day, well its an amazing gamble.
With the Norman Bridge we are back to a totally unglamourous workaday vessel, not at all in the same vein as the Norman Arrow. The Dover - Boulogne route heralded the start of a new high tech touristy age but I cant help thinking its all gone a bit flat. But I am still hoping this link to Boulogne will thrive...but it wont be because people are urged to spend time on the particular vessel now in operation.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
Ramsgate - Ostend is hardly a new route, certainly not for freight at any rate. Passenger services from Ramsgate have been a bit patchy over the years I'll admit but that route has always been in operation in one form or another - it's just the operators who seem to change on a regular basis.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Transmanche Ferries who operate out of Ramsgate are part of the LD Lines group and they must know what works. Being able (and willing) to adapt and change to suit business conditions and needs, must be very useful.
Roger
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
ld lines out of dover are having tecnical problems at the moment,and they running a revised sevice.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Ostend Spirit commenced service from Ramsgate yesterday. She has been repainted in a mixture of TEF and LD colours, pictures on link below. At the moment, she is timing her arrivals at Ramsgate to coincide with high water as there is still more dredging to be performed.
This puts her back on her old run Ramsgate-Ostend from when she was the Prins Filip operated by the Belgian state owned company RMT. When they folded, TEF took over the run using superannuated ex Dover ferries. TEF have been concentrating on freight and most of their fleet are due for a one way trip to the scrapyard.
Ostend Spirit will now run in tandem with the existing TEF flagship Oleander (ex Pride of Free Enterprise), which has respectable passenger facilities. LD have chartered Ostend Spirit to TEF and will be promoting the passenger side of the business. They have been looking at running to Ostend for some time and this is a foot in the door. It would come as no surprise to see them buying out TEF at a later date.
The introduction of Ostend Spirit represents a major upgrade for Ramsgate-Ostend, albeit at the temporary expense of LD Line's Dover-Boulogne service which doubtless will receive attention in due course. Good news for the Belgians who are also about to have the Dover-Zeebrugge service reinstated by P&O.
Both LD and P&O will have taken heed of the major success achieved by Norfolkline on their Dover-Dunkerque route. Access to Ostend and Zeebrugge gives a direct connection to Benelux and Germany, and Boulogne a direct connection to traffic coming up from Southwest France. Both circumvent Calais and offer an alternative for the numerous occasions when it is closed by industrial action etc.
http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=796&start=175Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Thanks Ed. very interesting.
If we (Dover) can encourage people (tourists) from the Benelux countries, as well as the Coastal areas of Northern France and Belgium to come here, that widens our customer base, hence the need for a Dover Business Support Scheme that will help the Town improve and look better as well as support and help the businesses, so they don't feel so alone.
The Chamber will have to start all over again on the projects I had come up wilth and developed and find someone successful in recruiting the businesses, which is an essential part of it.
Roger
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
roger,dont want to pick bones but i think you will find belguim part of the benelux countrys.unless there are two belguims.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I know that Brian, I was talking about the Coastal areas of France and Belgium.
In-bound travel is an essential part of our economy.
Roger
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
roger,the benelux countrys include belguim,holland and luxenburg.the flemish part of france is a long complecated story.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Yes I know that Brian, thank you.
I'm not overly concerned about their long complicated story, just want their people to come here.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it can truly be an education on here sometimes.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Very interesting slideshow here. Made by four Belgian enthusiasts who travelled on the Ostend Spirit on her first service from Ostend to Ramsgate and returned on the Oleander. Had the ships more or less to themselves by the look of it, the passenger service will take time to build. Lots of shots of Ostend, a helicopter filming them, the Thanet offshore windfarm and Ramsgate harbour together with Ostend Spirit internal pictures. Then some quite encouraging photos of Dover as must have made a side trip down here. Then internal night-time shots of the Oleander on the way home, looking quite spruce.
http://picasaweb.google.fr/robertpirotteostende/EvenementTripToUK2#slideshowGuest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Thanks Ed.I enjoyed watching the slide show.The Ferry looks like a ferry should look like....if you know what I mean.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Thanks Ed.
Certainly appeared to be an empty ship.
I wonder if they'll come back to Dover.
From the photos, they didn't visit The Museum/Bronze-Age Boat, or venture up to the Town Hall, but did go into the 8 Bells.
Roger
Roger, the attractions were probably closed due to shortage of funds, and the 8 Bells is always open for business.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Don't know if they will be in a hurry to come back to Dover.
The last photo in the slideshow was a parking ticket!
http://picasaweb.google.fr/robertpirotteostende/EvenementTripToUK2#slideshow/5454375559090896802Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
All change again. This is LD Lines after all!
The Norman Arrow has had a bump in Portsmouth and needs repairs.
Norman Bridge is transferring to Portsmouth-Le Havre to cover her.
Norman Spirit is coming back to Dover to run Dover-Boulogne until 6th April when will revert to Ramsgate-Ostend.
This way she can cover the busy Easter weekend for tourist traffic Dover-Boulogne whilst Ramsgate-Ostend will be very quiet with hardly any freight running.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
A couple of mobile phone photos of the unaccustomed sight of the yellow TEF funnel in amongst the regulars.
