Hovertravel
Hovertravel was formed on 14th June 1965 and started their cross Solent services, Ryde to Southsea and Ryde to Stokes Bay (near Gosport) in July 1965 using SR-N6 hovercraft.
The first year the service operated year round, but in 1966 they ceased at the end of the summer to resume the following April - since then they have operated year round. The Ryde to Stokes Bay service closed in 1968.
In October 1968 Hovertravel carried their one millionth passenger.
Tragedy struck in March 1972 when their SR-N6 012 overturn off, due to adverse weather conditions, off the Southsea terminal with a loss of 5 lives.
Their sister company, Hoverwork, supplied pilot and servicing training for other hovercraft users and supplied modified hovercraft for special work, often in areas where other transport could not access.
Over the years Hapvertravel have used:
