By Carol Elliott
Neyland ↔ Hobbs Point Route
|
Year(s) |
Vessel Name |
Owner / Operator |
Route (From → To) |
Comments |
|
1849–1851 |
Pearl |
William Robertson |
Various Haven points incl. Hobbs Point |
First steam ferry attempt; scheduled service; failed due to low demand |
|
1849–1851 |
Cambria |
William Robertson |
Various Haven points incl. Hobbs Point |
Operated alongside Pearl; open deck, mixed cargo/passengers |
|
1856 |
Little Eastern |
Ford & Jackson |
Neyland (GWR pontoon) → Hobbs Point |
First sustained ferry linked to railway and Irish mail |
|
c.1856–1860 |
Thames |
Captain Jackson |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Early railway-era steam ferry |
|
c.1856–1860 |
Long Ditton |
Captain Jackson |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Companion vessel to Thames |
|
c.1860–1902 |
Little Eastern |
Ford & Jackson → Coram |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Continued service after initial introduction |
|
c.1860–1902 |
Long Ditton |
Ford & Jackson → Coram |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Part of expanding fleet |
|
c.1860–1902 |
Milford Haven |
Ford & Jackson → Coram |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Named vessel in regular service |
|
c.1860–1902 |
Amy |
Ford & Jackson → Coram → Hitchings |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Long-serving vessel into early 20th century |
|
c.1860–1902 |
Resolute |
Ford & Jackson → Coram |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Steam ferry in later 19th-century fleet |
|
c.1860–1902 |
Menai |
Ford & Jackson → Coram |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Part of mature ferry system |
|
1916–1933 |
Pioneer |
Fred Hitchings → Frederick Lee |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Introduced 1916; scrapped 1933 |
|
pre-1933–1933 |
Amy |
Fred Hitchings → Frederick Lee |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Scrapped 1933 for £20 (with Pioneer) |
|
1933–1947 |
Alumchine |
Frederick Lee |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Built 1923; first proper vehicle ferry |
|
1933–1947 |
Lady Magdalen |
Frederick Lee |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Car ferry; limited capacity |
|
1947–c.1949 |
Alumchine |
British Conveyances Ltd |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Continued service under company ownership |
|
1947–c.1949 |
Lady Magdalen |
British Conveyances Ltd |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Company withdrew after short period |
|
c.1950–1957 |
Alumchine |
Pembrokeshire County Council |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Interim council-operated ferry |
|
1957–1962 |
Cleddau Queen |
Pembrokeshire County Council |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Built by Hancock’s; larger vehicle ferry |
|
1962–1975 |
Cleddau King |
Pembrokeshire County Council |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Final and most modern ferry |
|
1975 |
Cleddau King |
Pembrokeshire County Council |
Neyland → Hobbs Point |
Last crossing; service ends with the building of the bridge |
Notes (important context)
- Early vessels (Pearl, Cambria) were multi-stop Haven ferries, not exclusively Neyland-based
- From 1856 onwards, the route becomes clearly Neyland ↔ Hobbs Point
- Ownership sequence is critical:
Robertson → Ford & Jackson → Coram → Hitchings → Lee → British Conveyances → County Council - Alumchine spans three ownership phases
- Dates for some 19th-century vessels are approximate but sequence is secure from your source