your comments
Geoff Moule, Leighton Buzzard
I was involved in a hovercraft operation based in Llandudno in the early '90s. The operation came to a close in similar circumstances to that which occurred to the VA3. A storm blew up and the hovercraft got banged up against the groin. The crew, including myself, secured the hovercraft with chains. The following morning it was craned onto a low loader and went back to the manufacturers for assessment.Unfortunatley, it was declared a write off and never returned. The pilot was an ex biz jet pilot by the name of Phil Acreman. There is a hovercaft now operating again in North wales. A Tiger 12 owned and operated by Hovercraft Rental Ltd.
Tue Jun 10 12:39:45 2008
Chris Madsen
I was on holiday in Rhyl as a child when the hovercraft came in and my now husband was there that day too having come from Liverpool to see the craft with his parents. I have pictures of the event which are the same as his. We did not meet until many years later when he moved to the Wrexham area.
Mon Apr 21 08:47:18 2008
Ian Billingsley, Cheshire
The pilots of the VA3 boarded at my nan's B&B in Kinmel Bay. My cousin Phil and I used to get up with them in the mornings and go out on the test runs. I could never see too much out of the windows because of the spray.
Mon Aug 13 10:00:43 2007
Derek Wood
I can remember the hovercraft flying across the sea, and finally coming to rest on the sandbank by the harbour bridge. I was a lad of 11 years of age at the time and we were on holiday at Robinson's Camp at Towyn. They had problems with one of the engines (could not get it to run), the mechanics from Vickers were working on it. I did not see it leave Rhyl again, later it was damaged in a storm. I have an old black and white photo of myself standing in front of it, blown up to A4. Looks good! Be great if they started the service up again!
Fri Apr 27 08:38:48 2007
David Blease, Dunstable
I was born in Rhyl and remember my grandfather taking myself and brother to watch the hovercraft arrival at Rhyl. Its landing spot was on the beach in front of were the Sun Centre is now.
Tue Mar 27 08:16:11 2007
Brian Whitehead, Llandyrnog
I well remember that night in September 1962, a friend & I were returning home from Prestatyn when we saw the maroons go up at Rhyl lifeboat station (it was a srormy night), we decided to drive the car on to the prom by the lifeboat station and were waved by some of the crew to follow them and drive along the prom shining our headlights to where the hovercraft was slamming into the sea wall. When they had finished lashing it to the prom railings, we were thanked and we left. The next day we read about the incident, stating that there was hundreds of gallons of kerosene on board!
I have photos of the Hovercraft taken the next day outside the lifeboat station, looking very bent!
Thu Mar 22 10:15:28 2007
Paul Frost - Rhyl lifeboat crew press officer
A few of us old 'uns at the lifeboat station well remember the hovercraft VA-001. I lived on the prom at the time, and can still recall the noise of the engines at 0130 in the September night when the lifeboat rescued the 3. The tide was so high that night that the lifeboat launched at the top of the slipway! I have just finished scanning my father's slides of the hovercraft on to my computer, with the intent of making a montage at the new lifeboat house in Rhyl. If anyone can help me with photos, particlularly of the night of the rescue on 17/9/62, I would be most grateful - rhyl.lifeboat@btinternet.com. Thanks
Tue Mar 6 14:21:57 2007
Chaz Mason - Walsall
It was interesting to read the comments about the world's first hovercraft service. I have fond memories of a steam train journey to Rhyl in 1962, the highlight of which was seeing the VA3-001 arriving on the beach. I have been trying to date the event and would be interested in knowing the exact 19 dates that it actually operated.
Since those days when Rhyl was the centre of the holiday universe for many Midlanders, it seems to have gone into tourist decline. I would point out that 2012 will be the fiftieth anniversary of the worlds first commercial Hovercraft service. Wouldn't it be nice to put Rhyl back at the forefront of attention by holding a hovercraft regatta or hovercraft events to commemorate this historic achievement? Local authority take note!
Wed Feb 14 12:48:09 2007
Rod Mercer
Looking at this BBC Wales website I was delighted to see more pictures of the VA3. I am a member of the Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse. We have a book which I have made to show people the world's first passenger hovercraft. Most people I talk to are unaware that it took place from here. What we are doing is getting as much information about this event, if it is possible could you help us out with any pictures and any other information to help build our maratine museum. If you can help you can contact me at my email address and then I can send the lighthouse address. looking forward to hearing from you.
Tue Feb 6 08:17:31 2007
hovercraftrental.co.uk
We have just applied to Rhyl Council to re-introduce a hovercraft service for tourists...Jan 2007. Maybe the good old hoverdays will return again?
Wed Jan 24 08:54:05 2007
Gaynor Williams, North Yorkshire
My parents lived in the Packet Inn by the Foryd harbour. My mother often talks about the wonderful time she spent there. We have tried to locate pictures of the inn with no luck. If any one has any information or pictures I/we would be most interested.
Thu Dec 28 10:34:41 2006
Andre Henri from Rhyl
I also remember the Hovercraft well. My mother actually booked or bought tickets to take the family on it, but on the day we were due to go it wasn't running - so we went to Liverpool on the train instead!
Mon Dec 18 08:03:11 2006
shelley Poole from Rhyl
I was a little girl when my Grandfather went on the Hovercraft for the great opening from Rhyl he was then the chairman of Rhyl, Councillour L.C Poole. I have a treasured photo of him with his suit and always his bowler hat
Wed Nov 15 08:28:04 2006
Gwyn Jones
I remember it in the 60s.
Mon Oct 2 11:15:19 2006
bryn parry, prestatyn
i can remember being in one of j.s.jones old ex army lorries with jeff jones. we hitched a ride as the lorries and bulldozers were making a parking space for the hovercraft. all did not go well as two of the lorries sank in the soft sand. later, after they were pulled free, we watched her come in to rhyl - it was awesome.
Wed Sep 6 08:07:17 2006
JOHN DAVIES from RHYL
I REMEMBER THE VICKERS ARMSTRONG VA3 ON RHYL BEACH AS A LAD OF TEN, I CAN STILL HEAR THE ROAR OF IT`S ENGINES LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY. WHAT A DISASTER WHEN IT WAS WRECKED AGAINST THE SEA WALL WHEN IT BROKE LOOSE IN A STORM. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SOURCE DRAWINGS TO ENABLE ME TO POSSIBLY MAKE A PASSABLE MODEL WHICH I WAS GOING TO GIVE TO THE LIBRARY AT RHYL TO INCLUDE IN THEIR SMALL ONSITE MUSEUM. UNFORTUNATELY I AM NOT HAVING MUCH LUCK IN LOCATING ANY DRAWINGS. SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY LEADS OR SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME VIA THIS FORUM. ANY HELP WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. AS A POINT OF INTEREST, ONE OF THE SON'S OF THE COXSWAIN OF THE LIFEBOAT THAT RESCUED THE CREW MEMBERS FROM THE STRICKEN VA3 LIVES NEXT DOOR BUT ONE TO ME, AND HE STILL HAS THE MEDAL, THE CITATION (IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD CALL IT) AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PRESENTATION OF THESE AWARDS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. I'M HOPING TO PHOTOGRAPH THESE ITEMS FOR MY OWN INTERESTS.
Mon May 22 10:37:20 2006
Kenneth Pemberton
I have now established, via the 'Wallasey News' of the day, that the VA3 craft was not off loaded from a trailer at Moreton but (as I thought) travelled from Birkenhead dock to Rhyl (refuelling at Leasowe) under her own power. Always interested to hear about this operation.
Mon Oct 10 08:07:42 2005
Alun Salisbury Cardiff & Cefn Mawr
One Sunday, during its inaugural service from New Brighton/Rhyl I well remember witnessing cockerell's hovercraft come roaring up the beach from the sea. Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity to travel on this craft. Years later I corrected this ommission and travelled from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. It wasn't the same! Less noise and propellers encased in guards. Cockerell's craft was raw. lots of noise and those propellers were unprotected. How times have changed.
Tue Oct 4 07:36:20 2005
Ken Pemberton from Birkenhead
The Rhy-Wallasey hovercraft was a VA3, not an SR N1. I have photos of the craft being offloaded from the 'Firth Fisher' in Birkenhead. I understood that the craft went to Rhyl under her own power but I have read that it arrived at the Wallasey terminal on a trailer and was off loaded by crane. This seems highly unlikely as the embankment would not be suitable for a crane big enough to lift the craft which was 54ft (17m) long and 27ft (8.2m) wide. AFTER the craft was severely damaged at Rhyl, it was lifted to safety by two mobile cranes. (Subsequently repaired then shipped to the USA for demos, returned to the UK where the Navy thought it a good idea to see if exploding a mine under the craft while on hover would sink her. NO!! After several attempts with ever bigger bangs it was decided to abandon the attempt and a demolition squad was sent on board to hack away at the floor, which allowed water in and the craft sank in the Solent. The craft only once operated for 4 consecutive days because of mechanical and weather problems (28.8.62 to 31.8.62) and this spell of good fortune was followed by being laid up for mechanical reasons from 1.9.62 to 10.9.62.
Fri Sep 23 09:06:01 2005
Julian from Wrexham
A 1962 Pathe newsreel showing the Rhyl-Wallasey hovercraft service can be downloaded for free from www.britishpathe.com.
Fri Sep 23 09:05:36 2005
D. R. Jones from Brigg
Credit the Rhyl Lifeboat with being the first in the world to be called out to go to the aid of a hovercraft. In a gale the hovercraft broke free of its moorings and, I believe, two or three watch keepers on board were rescued before the craft was dashed against the
Fri Sep 23 09:05:30 2005
Mark from Rhyl
The world's first hovercraft service was set up on July 20 1962...on Rhyl beach! It attracted media attention from as far away as Japan. But because sunny Rhyl isn't always so sunny, it only ran for 19 days out of the 59 days it was supposed to because of the windy weather
Fri Sep 23 09:05:23 2005
Reece Davies from Llanfairtalhaiarn
I remember the hovercraft (was it registered as SRN1?) as my Mum and Dad took my sister and I up to see it one evening. We went on the bus to the Foryd harbour where it was parked on the sand. I remember that it wasn't as large as I thought it should%2
Fri Sep 23 09:05:15 2005
John Pazereskis in the USA
What would you like to know about the Jewel class dinghies?
Fri Sep 23 08:18:53 2005
John Strange Coventry
When the hovercraft was swept onto the promenade the Flintshire Fire Service was called. I recall it was about 2 am in the morning. I was only a teenager but well remember going to watch the lifeboat and the Fire Service on that very stormy morning.My father was the Chief Fire Officer of the County of Flint Fire Service and consequently I very quickly got to know of incidents.I vividly recall the event and the crews struggling to secure the hovercraft to the railings on the sea wall. The craft brought fame and some fortune to Rhyl and was a great crowd puller.
Thu Mar 31 07:51:14 2005
Iwan Roberts, Meifod
It wasn't the rain that disrupted schedule but the height of the waves. As someone has said, it was quite small and the Board of Trade or similar had stipulated that it could not leave the beach if waves were more than a certain height.
Mon Dec 20 08:14:11 2004
