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FLOATING BRIDGES (Rope, Chain & Cable Ferries)
A chain ferry is one, which operates between a fairly narrow channel using a chain, wire cable or rope spanning the channel by which the ferry pulls itself along. The chain is anchored on both banks and rests on the riverbed. The ferry uses a manual or mechanical system to pull itself along the chain by progressively raising it from the bottom and lowering it again behind the direction of travel.
In the words of the inventor, writing in 1838, "The bridge is guided by two chains, which, passing through it over cast iron wheels, are laid across the river and fastened to the opposite shores, consequently forming as it were, a road, along which the bridge is made to travel forward and back from shore to shore as required. Two small steam engines are employed as the moving power by turning a shaft on each end of which there is a large cast iron wheel whereon the guide chains rest. The peripheries of these wheels are cast with sockets fitted to the links of the chain, so that when the wheels are stationary, the bridge is, as it were, moored by the chains, but when put in motion by the steam engines, it is moved in the reverse direction of, and at the same velocity as the wheels. The landing places on each shore are simple inclined planes from low water mark to 2 feet above high water mark, formed to a slope or inclination of 1 in 12 or 1 in 14, and as the bridge approaches, a drawbridge is lowered on the plane, the draught of water of the bridge, and the projection of the drawbridge being such that carriages etc. are disembarked or embarked dry, or considerably above the water mark, whilst the bridge is all afloat and out of danger of grounding or drifting, being held fast by the chains.
To prevent the chains becoming so tight as to interrupt the free navigation of the estuary, or to endanger their breaking, instead of being fastened or moored to the shores, their ends have heavy weights attached to them in shafts sunk at the head of each landing place. Of course these weights rise and fall as the strain upon the chains becomes more or less, and prevents the tension ever exceeding the balance weights, which are considerably below the weight to which the chains have been proved".
The basic description remains as true today as it was in 1838, the only changes being the substitution of diesel for steam and the introduction of high tensile steel chains in lieu of the original cast iron ones. Some crossings have found greater reliability by dispensing with chains altogether and employing high tensile steel cables instead.
The advantage of such an arrangement over traditional ferryboats is obvious. However dark or foggy it may be, however strong the tide or high the wind, the floating bridge could always find its way safely to its destination. There was no chance of the vessel drifting when vehicles or passengers were getting on or off so accidents on the landing places were rare. No wonder floating bridges were often used when important roads were interrupted by fast flowing tideways and the needs of shipping demanded height clearances too great for a fixed bridge except at very high cost. The fact that the chains or cables could be relied upon to sink to the bed of the tide-way meant that even the Admiralty, that most conservative and stringent of authorities, readily accepted floating bridges across the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour and the Hamoaze at Plymouth.
With a floating bridge it was not even necessary for horses to be unhitched from wagons, drays or carriages. Passengers could retain their seats in vehicles that in the early days could frequently included Royal Mail stagecoaches and the like.
FLOATING BRIDGES - AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF ROPE FERRIES AND CHAIN FERRIES IN THE BRITISH ISLES - A lavishly illustrated two part history, with fleetlists and drawings of British 'Floating Bridge' chain and cable ferry operations.
TO INCLUDE ALL 20 BRITISH STEAM & DIESEL 'FLOATING BRIDGE' CHAIN FERRY AND CABLE FERRY SERVICES AS FOLLOWS:
BAWDSEY FERRY
BLYTH HIGH FERRY
COWES FLOATING BRIDGE (ROYAL FERRY)
DARTMOUTH FLOATING BRIDGE (HIGHER FERRY)
ERSKINE FERRY
GOVAN FERRY
KING HARRY FERRY
LUSTY BEG ISLAND CABLE FERRY
PENARTH DOCK FERRY
PORTSMOUTH FLOATING BRIDGE (GOSPORT FERRY)
REEDHAM FERRY
RENFREW FERRY
SALTASH FLOATING BRIDGE
SANDBANKS FLOATING BRIDGE
SOUTHAMPTON - WOOLSTON FLOATING BRIDGE
SOUTHWOLD - WALBERSWICK FERRY
TORPOINT FLOATING BRIDGE
WALNEY ISLAND FERRY
WATERFORD ISLAND FERRY
WINDERMERE FERRY
Also inludes every manually hauled rope ferry, chain ferry and cable ferry known to have been operated in the British Isles, as well as a brief overview of overseas ferries of this type.
Covers proposed schemes as well as including numerous detailed drawings of many of the vessels operated from the 1800s to the very latest Torpoint and King Harry examples which entered service in 2005 & 2006.
THE FULL STORY............
IS TO BE PUBLISHED IN A TWO PART BOOK COMMENCING DURING 2006, TO CELEBRATE 175 YEARS SINCE THE INAUGURATION OF THE 'FLOATING BRIDGE' STEAM PROPELLED CHAIN FERRY.
VOLUME ONE - SOUTH (Southern England and South Wales).
VOLUME TWO - NORTH (Northern England, North Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland).
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE STORY OR ANY HISTORIC IMAGES THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION JUST CONTACT ME VIA THE PUBLISHER AT http://www.lightmoor.co.uk/
(Part text extract from Farewell to the Floating Bridges by J. Horne, 1977)
More on Floating Bridges
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Copyright © 2009 J E Harbidge-Rose. All Rights Reserved