“Mountbatten” (SRN.4) Hovercraft built in 1968 by British Hovercraft Corporation, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, England (Yard No 004) for Seaspeed, Dover, England.
Technical Data
Length
130.2 ft (39.68m) overall (1968), 56.40 m (1977)
Beam
78 ft (23.77m) overall (1968), (1977)
Height on landing pads
37.8 ft (11.48m) overall
Passenger/vehicle floor area
5,800 sq. ft.(539 sq. m.)
Vehicle deck headroom
11.6 ft (3.51m)
Bow door (height x width)
11.6 ft x 18 ft (3.51m x 5.48m)
Stern door (height x width)
11.6 ft x 31 ft (3.51m x 9.45m)
Skirt length
8 ft (2.44m)
Main Engines
4 Rolls Royce ‘Marine Proteus’ gas turbines. Max. continuous rating at 15 degrees Cent - 3,400 shp (3447 c.v.) each. Up rated to 3,800 shp (1977)
Auxiliary power units
2 Rover 1S/90 gas turbines
Propellers
4 Hawker Siddeley Dynamics 4 blade variable-pitch propellers with a 19 ft diameter (5.79m).
Lift Fans
4 BHC, 12 blade, centrifugal, 11.6 ft diameter (3.5m)
August 8th 1969: Introduced into service between Dover - Boulogne.
October 21st 1969: Christened PRINCESS ANNE
December 24th 1971: Made a special trip to the Varne light vessel, with Christmas gifts, in special recognition of weather reports given to Seaspeed craft.
Roy Thornton Collection (left) and Stéphane Poulain Collection (right)
1976: Government approval for the stretching of PRINCESS MARGARET and PRINCESS ANNE.
February 21st 1977: Arrived at builders yard to be stretched.
Roy Thornton Collection
April 6th 1978: Re-launched after stretching.
April 26th 1978: Arrives at Dover.
Stéphane Poulain Collection
5th July 1978: Ran a special “public relations” trip to Ostend.
Arne Pyson
July 5th 1978: New Dover Hoverport opened.
September 15th 1978: Hit by huge waves off the French coast and beached at Wissant. She lost 130 metres of her skirt.
October 23rd 1978: Duke of Kent officially opens the new Dover Hoverport.
January 1981 (early): Refitting.
February 23rd 1981: Returns from refit.
1981: Authorised merger between Hoverlloyd and Seaspeed.
October 25th 1981: Hoverspeed is launched. Registered to Hoverspeed Ltd., Dover. Operated between Dover - Calais/ Boulogne.
Stéphane Poulain Collection
June 1986: Hoverspeed is sold to Sea Containers. The legend "British Ferries" is added to the cockpits and tailfins of the fleet
October 1st 2000: Together with her sister, PRINCESS MARGARET, made their final flights from Calais and were retired from service to be replaced by Seacat's and Superseacat's.
Rumours flew around that the two SR-N4 hovercraft PRINCESS MARGARET and PRINCESS ANNE were reported sold. Though the new owners were not officially identified online gossip suggested the craft may have been sold possibly as a source of engine parts for the gas-turbine powered heritage vessel BRAVE CHALLENGER. This vessel was built as a private yacht for Stavros Niarchos based on the Vosper Thonycroft Brave Class MTB's. It requires Proteus engines as fitted to the hovercraft and can operate at speeds up to 60 knots.
November 7th 2005: All Hoverspeed operations ceased.
2006: The SR.N4 craft remain in storage at the former HMS DAEDALUS - for sale, and their future is still uncertain.
Technical Data
History
