OLD DEVONPORT . UK
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©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: March 16, 2016
Webpage updated: December 11, 2021

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SALTASH FERRY (FLOATING BRIDGE)

FLOATING BRIDGE NUMBER 7

The Thorneycroft floating bridge landing vehicles at Saltash Passage.
Note the milk lorry on board and the train on the Royal Albert Bridge.
© Valentine's of Dundee Limited.

The last floating bridge to be built for the Saltash Ferry was number 7, designed by Mr S H Hambling.  It was constructed by Messrs J T Thorneycroft Ltd, of Southampton, at a cost of £10,750.

Her dimension were: 73 feet long; 42 feet beam; had 28 feet long prows.  She could carry four rows of six cars each.

It was originally planned that to place the Ferry on the chains during the night of Wednesday December 13th 1933 so that it was ready for service the following morning and that the Mayor of Saltash would officially take possession of the new ferry on Wednesday December 20th 1933 but as the vessel was still undergoing trials on that date the ceremony did not take place until December 26th 1933.

The ferry was painted reddish brown from the waterline up to about 3 feet and buff above that, with black funnels.  Floating Bridges 6 and 7 both served until the closure of the Ferry Service on Monday October 23rd 1961, after which she was sold to the King Harry Ferry on the river Fal for £2,500 and converted from steam to diesel.  Although she was delivered to the King Harry Passage on Monday December 11th 1961 she did not enter service until Thursday  May 14th 1964, possibly due to being converted from steam to diesel-electric.