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A powerful image of the Sealink Ferry, Senlac entering Newhaven harbour in choppy seas in April 1985. Taken by ex-Tideway pupil Paul Smith. When did Sealink stop running the ferry service from Newhaven?
In 1968, an Act of Parliament separated the shipping interests of British Rail into a new division, for which the marketing name Sealink was adopted in 1970. In 1979, the ownership of of vessels was transferred to Sealink UK Ltd, in preparation for the privatisation of the railway fleet. In 1984, Sealink was acquired by Sea Containers Ltd, becoming Sealink British Ferries. After a lengthy battle, Stena Line completed a hostile takeover of Sealink in 1990, the company then being known as Sealink Stena Line until later absorption into the Stena Fleet. Note: This information was found on a shipping web site.
Sealink as such pulled out of the Newhaven Dieppe route in 1985, with the Senlac being sold to the French (who actually owned 2/3 of her anyway). The service was then run by SNAT, a division of SNCF (French Railways) under the Dieppe Ferries brand name. This lasted until about 1990 when one strike too many (and there were many French strikes) caused the route to close.
It was restarted by Sealink Stena, later known as Stena Sealink and then just Stena, with the ferries Stena Londoner and Stena Parisien. (They had been Dieppe Ferries' Versailles and Champs Elysees until the closure.) Londoner was later replaced by a series of fast ferries and Parisien by Stena Cambria and Stena Antrim. Stena Line then became P&O Stena, then just P&O. The route closed once more in 1998 or 1999, replaced with Hoverspeed's fast ferry and eventually with the Transmanche Ferries.
Historical note: British Railways shipping was effectively a separate division way before 1968. It was called simply British Railways Shipping and International Division, or BRSID for short. Even into the late 1980's the port's Telex number was preceded by "BRSINN" - British Railways, Shipping and International, Newhaven. It finally became SELINK - just 20 years late!
Long Live Sealink!
Pls have a look at this nice Senlac 3d model! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlWjjxNRCXY
The "sale" of Sealink for £66m was larceny.
James Sinclair, I used to work with you in "Sealinks" offices West Park, St Helier.
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