Ralf Roggeveen
Charter Member
I recently bought the EAGLE annual 1962 which includes an article about Silver City Airways and their Bristol Freighter flights from Lydd/Ferryfield to Paris-Plage/Le Touquet. These started in 1948 and were extremely expensive at £27 one way, 'all right for movie stars, maharajahs and millionaires, but beyond the means of the average family who wanted a holiday in Europe with their car.' as the EAGLE put it. But the service proved so popular that it quickly expanded, helped by the British government which allowed it to become scheduled, not just private hire. They got it down to just £2 (still quite a lot of money in the early '60s, but no longer prohibitive). You could also take a bicycle for 2/6 (about 25c US!). EAGLE 1962 informs us that 'today it is not unusual to find ferry aircraft taking off and landing every four minutes from dawn to dusk on a busy summer's day.'
A definite for late '50s/early '60s fs9!
You can get the old Mike Stone B170 which is in Instone livery. Jim Cartner has done a nice repaint to Silver City in tribute to his father who flew the real thing. A wonderful tribute.
Can't seem to open up the front cargo doors, which is a shame. On Rick Piper's brilliant HS Argosy, as you see in the screenies, that is possible. The other problem with the B170 is that you can't put any cargo weight into it, so have to fly empty (correct me if I'm wrong, anybody!). So it's a bit wobbly, though only about 20 minutes over to Le Touquet, climbing to 8000. Note that although it's called Paris-Plage, 'Paris Beach' is nowhere near Paris the city, it's right on the English Channel coast, a very easy approach to Runway 14.
Two pictures from some other old books: One is a general view with, I think, the later, larger Superfreighters. note that the aircraft have i/d letters, so they must have said 'Drive to plane J, Sir' to the passengers! A rather lonely-looking fellow in a Jag - hope he's got a sexy French girlfriend waiting for him on the other side. The other photo shows a Bristol car (404?) going onto the Bristol aeroplane, which is nice.
Then there are three cartoons by Russell Brockbank, who obviously appreciated the surrealism of this service. I believe a lot of people actually went for gambling, then completely illegal in the UK, but there was a casino at Le Touquet. This is remembered because a certain James Bond went there - by Silver City of course, with his trusty Aston. Brockbank also confirms the presence of bicycles! Note that he hasn't advertised Silver City, but could only put 'Cross Channel Airways' on his beautifully-drawn freighters.
I did go on the sleeper trains (Wagons Lits) across the Channel (and flew to Paris and Nice in VC-10s and Caravelles) as a kid, but unfortunately never went with Silver City. The service lasted until 1970.
It's interesting that these short-haul aircraft AND hovercraft have come & gone across the English Channel, now we have the Tunnel, but still passenger ferry ships are the most popular way to go - as they have been for centuries.
A definite for late '50s/early '60s fs9!
You can get the old Mike Stone B170 which is in Instone livery. Jim Cartner has done a nice repaint to Silver City in tribute to his father who flew the real thing. A wonderful tribute.
Can't seem to open up the front cargo doors, which is a shame. On Rick Piper's brilliant HS Argosy, as you see in the screenies, that is possible. The other problem with the B170 is that you can't put any cargo weight into it, so have to fly empty (correct me if I'm wrong, anybody!). So it's a bit wobbly, though only about 20 minutes over to Le Touquet, climbing to 8000. Note that although it's called Paris-Plage, 'Paris Beach' is nowhere near Paris the city, it's right on the English Channel coast, a very easy approach to Runway 14.
Two pictures from some other old books: One is a general view with, I think, the later, larger Superfreighters. note that the aircraft have i/d letters, so they must have said 'Drive to plane J, Sir' to the passengers! A rather lonely-looking fellow in a Jag - hope he's got a sexy French girlfriend waiting for him on the other side. The other photo shows a Bristol car (404?) going onto the Bristol aeroplane, which is nice.
Then there are three cartoons by Russell Brockbank, who obviously appreciated the surrealism of this service. I believe a lot of people actually went for gambling, then completely illegal in the UK, but there was a casino at Le Touquet. This is remembered because a certain James Bond went there - by Silver City of course, with his trusty Aston. Brockbank also confirms the presence of bicycles! Note that he hasn't advertised Silver City, but could only put 'Cross Channel Airways' on his beautifully-drawn freighters.
I did go on the sleeper trains (Wagons Lits) across the Channel (and flew to Paris and Nice in VC-10s and Caravelles) as a kid, but unfortunately never went with Silver City. The service lasted until 1970.
It's interesting that these short-haul aircraft AND hovercraft have come & gone across the English Channel, now we have the Tunnel, but still passenger ferry ships are the most popular way to go - as they have been for centuries.
