Fond 'floatie' memories

10:53am Tuesday 6th May 2008

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THERE are some subjects that whenever they appear in Hampshire Heritage are always guaranteed to rekindle nostalgic memories, and the city's old floating bridges are no exception.

The "floaties'' became a local institution, as Southampton people had something of a love/hate relationship with the unique ferries that sedately made their way backwards and forwards across the River Itchen, linking the Woolston side to "town'' on the other shore.

They certainly were not the fastest ferries, the rows of draughty, slatted seats could be distinctly uncomfortable and in the rush hour people, cars, vans and bicycles all squeezed in together, but despite all this locals had a great affection for the floating bridges.

Essential role For more than 140 years they played an essential role in Southampton's everyday life and throughout its long history a total of 13 different ferries sailed across the river, although the last one was numbered 14 to avoid bad luck!

Unfortunately luck did run out for the floaties when work began on constructing the present Itchen Bridge, an idea first suggested as far back as the 1930s.

In June 1977, the floating bridges were finally withdrawn from service, a fact mentioned in a recent Hampshire Heritage feature.

It was this story that brought back many memories for Colin Wilkins, from Bitterne Manor.

"My father was directed to crew the floating bridges during the whole of the Second World War,'' said Colin. "On the day that the Germans bombed the Supermarine factory he came home very late and was plastered in mud. Some of the bombs had blown up on the river bed and sent mud cascading on to the floating bridge.

"There is a misconception that the bridges ran on chains but in fact it was steel hawsers.

"I spent many a happy time stoking the boiler or filling the oil reservoirs on the two-cylinder beam engine.

"Few people are aware of this but the teeth on the main gear wheel were made of wood. So if the bridge grounded, the tooth would snap off and allow the engine to run stress free.

"You then had to drive out the broken tooth and hammer in a new one.

"In 1944, during the lead-up to the D-Day invasion, Town Quay was packed with landing craft, so the Hythe ferry, Hotspur, used to divert to the Itchen and tie up to the floating bridge.

"The passengers would then cross over to the floating bridge by a door that had been cut in the side and then walk off on to the shore.

"When their time was up three of the floating bridges were disposed of, with one going to Fawley while the other two went to a boatyard in Bitterne Manor. One of these had its engine scrapped and was turned into a pontoon but sank as it was being towed somewhere in the Beachy Head area.

"The engine from the other floating bridge was removed and went to Cornwall but fortunately it is now back in Southampton's heritage warehouse.

"The remainder of the floating bridge was used as part of a marina, but I believe it has now been transformed into a restaurant."