Speedferries down

http://www.speedferries.com/

The frogs arrested the boat, apparently.

I hope nobody went for their bulk advance ticket deal

 

<waves>

Looks like that might be a couple of hundred down the pan. Haven't even
used one crossing yet.

 

Ask for a refund. They will promise one but it won't materialise, according
to the thread in another place.

You did pay by credit card didn't you? Or VISA Delta. If so, initiate a
chargeback if Speedferries don't play ball.

 

Oh dear.

Funnily enough, I happened to be sitting in the car on the cliff overlooking
their terminal today at Dover (1), and did think 'Hmmm, that looks a bit
quiet down there', and put it down to the bad weather.

(1) Nice spot, and there's old gun emplacements / the moat as it were, of a
Napoleonic fort you can meander around.

Nope... probably something to do with having an out of date passport though.

Hmmm, which reminds me I ought to do something about that given I fancy
taking the VFR across at some stage next year.

--
JackH

98 Honda VFR800FiW
05 Sachs Madass
03 VW Passat TDI Sport
89 Vauxhall Nova 1.3 Pearl

 

"Serious competition and discriminatory issues in relation to the
Port’s dealings with a French ferry operator preparing to start-up a
Dover-Boulogne service."

'Fight the Pirates'.

Yo, ho ,ho, and a bottle of rum.


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Well, it was a French pirate that invented the Jolly Roger
http://www.cosmosmith.com/jolly_roger.html

 

Is that the same place Nick hangs out, biker boy?

 

If you're referring to the occasion he was 'approached' that he posted about
in here, then no - IIRC, that's in Folkestone.

--
JackH

98 Honda VFR800FiW
05 Sachs Madass
03 VW Passat TDI Sport
89 Vauxhall Nova 1.3 Pearl

 

/me gives thanks he hasn't booked tickets yet....

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 145 2.0 Cloverleaf 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Ouch. I had been a bit concerned about how the fire in the hole would
affect Le Shuttle. The October run was fine, the crossing times just
altered by 15 minutes or so. Just booked for the festive season in time
yesterday, as the crossings are filling up rapidly as a result of a
reduced service.



--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

The reduced service it a bit of a PITA, especially if you manage to miss
a train - be prepared to wait several hours, given that they're only
running one every 1 1/2 hours at the moment.

 

Quite. No chance of nipping on an earlier one just as the doors close if
you get ahead of the game either.

It was a close run thing going out a couple of weeks ago on the Friday
night of UK half term. The usual M25 shenanigans. Closed somewhere
approaching the Dartford crossing. We always have the radio on and TP
selected. In this case the gantry signs gave out the vital information
just before we passed the last escape exit.

Now I remember why I like having Tomtom. Jane brought us round the
blocked bit and just before the bridge.


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

I did manage that on the way back, but basically had to wait two hours
instead of six...

I do hate when that happens, and I see that a lot on the M2 and the M20.

Heh. For stuff like that, sat nav rocks.

 

Arseholes. Doesn't matter who they are, that's an abuse of process.

 

But not a surprising one, given the nation concerned.

--
JackH

98 Honda VFR800FiW
05 Sachs Madass
03 VW Passat TDI Sport
89 Vauxhall Nova 1.3 Pearl

 

ITYF that pretty much any airport (and potentially harbour) will do
that if the landing fees etc haven't been paid for a while and they
won't extend any more credit.

It'd be interesting to see what "the other side" has to say about that.

 

It's not so much what they've done, it's how they've apparently gone back on
an agreement not to do so, assuming the rundown of events in the lead up to
the current situation on the Speed Ferries site is right.

Indeed.

--
JackH

98 Honda VFR800FiW
05 Sachs Madass
03 VW Passat TDI Sport
89 Vauxhall Nova 1.3 Pearl

 

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news...nch-officials-in-tax-row-newsinkent17761.aspx

Comments from both sides there.

SF are claiming that the French went back on a written agreement

The French are claiming otherwise, unsurprisingly.

In light of the competition you'd think SF would make a point of
keeping the Boulognese, or whatever they call themselves, sweet.
Especially when the competitor, LDLines, has done so much to save
routes, and therefore French jobs, abandoned by other operators

I'd quite like LDLines to operate on the short crossing. They are
very well regarded on the Portsmouth route and should help to keep
prices keen.

 

Well, whoever I book with for my January skiing trip, I'd be most
grateful of you'd see fit to book elsewhere, thanks, or let me know in
advance....
..

 

Not exactly a surprise, but then again it appears that both sides agree
that SF hasn't paid some money that was due.

Indeed. You could almost get the impression they weren't quite as
stable as they would want you to believe.