British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC) was a British hovercraft manufacturer that designed and produced multiple types of vehicles for both commercial and civil purposes.
61-492: Saunders-Roe Limited , also known as Saro , was a British aerospace and marine-engineering company based at Columbine Works , East Cowes , Isle of Wight . The name was adopted in 1929 after Alliott Verdon Roe (see Avro ) and John Lord took a controlling interest in the aircraft and boat-builders S. E. Saunders . Prior to this (excepting for the Sopwith/Saunders Bat Boat ) the products were Saunders,
122-482: A Navy-orientated version. In 1970, Westland Aircraft acquired the shares of the other parties, resulting in the BHC becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Westland. In 1971, Westland successfully acquired the competing British rival Cushioncraft from Britten-Norman . During 1977, the BHC created the largest Union Flag in the world. It was painted on the doors of their hangar on the seafront at East Cowes to celebrate
183-527: A fishing kit were also provided. The Mark 3 measured 31 feet (9 m) from bow to stern and 7 feet (2 m) across the beam and held enough to supply 10 people with food and water for 14 days. During World War II, Saunders-Roe opened a factory at Fryars in Llanfaes, Anglesey, converting and maintaining Catalina flying boats. In the late 1940s and 1950s the Beaumaris factory began making bus bodies under
244-520: A heavy list, roughly five miles (eight kilometres) north of the entrance to the River Medina. It has since been re-floated, repaired, and returned to service. East Cowes is linked to the mainland by Red Funnel ’s vehicle ferry service. The Cowes Floating Bridge links East Cowes with Cowes throughout the day. It is a chain ferry, and is one of the few remaining not to be replaced by a physical bridge. Southern Vectis operate bus route 4 linking
305-475: A high proportion of the gauges were failing that development was considerably retarded. The Electronics Division was therefore asked to devise an improved gauge and, in collaboration with Messrs. Technograph Printed Circuits Ltd., produced the foil strain gauge. Early in aviation, it was difficult – if not impossible – to supply uninterrupted power in aircraft. Saunders-Roe solved this problem by putting an ionising gas ( tritium ; H) in small tubes. Tritium
366-499: A major influence on the architecture of the area, for example on the building of St Mildred's Church in nearby Whippingham , which features distinctive turrets imitating those found on a German castle. The name Estcowe (East Cowes) originally comes from one of two sandbanks each side of the River Medina estuary, so-called after a supposed likeness to cows . The name was subsequently transferred to fortifications built during
427-482: A new 300 berth marina inside a new breakwater. The plan included a new hotel, restaurant and 100 new homes. During August 2012, a new Medical Centre opened at Church Path, near Waitrose . The former Medical Centre at Down House (the former home of respected local GP Dr Down), on York Avenue, was closed. During December 2010, under a cost-cutting plan by the Isle of Wight Council it was decided most local libraries across
488-600: Is a town and civil parish in the north of the Isle of Wight , on the east bank of the River Medina , next to its west bank neighbour Cowes . It has a population of 8,428 according to the 2021 Census . The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge , a chain ferry operated by the Isle of Wight Council . East Cowes is the site of Norris Castle , and Osborne House , the former summer residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert . The Prince had
549-513: The A4 Medina for example dating from 1926. Sam Saunders, the founder, developed the Consuta material used in marine and aviation craft. The Saunders-Roe interest in aviation didn’t prevent the firm from continuing with the boatbuilding activities associated with S. E. Saunders Ltd . Saunders Roe concentrated on producing flying-boats , but none were produced in very large quantities –
610-472: The Beaumaris and Llangefni factories of Saunders-Roe and the engineering business of Birkenhead shipbuilders Cammell Laird. Laird developed the Centaur, which was half Land Rover and half light tank . The company is now known as FAUN Municipal Vehicles Ltd.having been taken over yet again. Today, FAUN manufactures portable aluminium roadways and runways at Llangefni under its TRACKWAY brand. In 2015,
671-665: The SR.N1 . In the same year Saro's helicopter and hovercraft interests were taken over by Westland Aircraft which continued the Skeeter family with the Scout and Wasp . In 1964 all the hovercraft businesses under Westland were merged with Vickers-Armstrongs to form the British Hovercraft Corporation . This, in turn, was taken over by Westland and was renamed Westland Aerospace in 1985, and hovercraft production
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#1732775680277732-532: The SR.N4 , a large cross- Channel ferry capable of seating up to 418 passengers along with 60 cars, and the SR.N5 , the first commercially active hovercraft. British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC) emerged as a corporate entity in March 1966, at which point the Saunders-Roe division of Westland Aircraft and Vickers Supermarine (the two largest hovercraft manufacturers in the world) were merged. Following
793-540: The SR.N5 Warden class, the stretched SR.N6 Winchester class, and the large SR.N4 Mountbatten class hovercraft. Substantial support for the hovercraft industry, and BHC specifically, was sourced directly from the British Government. By 1969, contributions from the British state averaged around £3 million per year; of this, roughly one-third was attributed to research and development contracts, while
854-565: The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II . In 1984, the company was renamed Westland Aerospace ; around this time, design work on new hovercraft effectively ceased. Instead, the company became increasingly involved with the manufacture of composites , which were widely used throughout the aerospace industry. Later, after GKN had taken over the Westlands Group in 1994, the firm was renamed GKN Aerospace. Inherited designs from
915-752: The Skeeter helicopter project. In September 1952 the company comprised: There was a branch design office in London, during the 1950s. It was situated in Queens Square, overlooking the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children In 1959 it demonstrated the first practical hovercraft built under contract to the National Research Development Corporation to Christopher Cockerell 's design,
976-677: The South East England Development Agency (an English regional development agency closed by the UK government in 2012) for the regeneration of East Cowes. This stalled with the financial crash in 2008 and is set never to achieve the site's full potential as a deep water Prime Tier 1 Marine Industrial Site. The docks at the Columbine Hangar have also been used by Red Funnel as berths for their Red Jet catamaran ferries when not in use; for example, Red Jet 6
1037-407: The British government would be ultimately be fulfilled. As early as 1964, Saunders-Roe had been engaged in studies of very large hovercraft, including a prospective 2,000 ton freighter-orientated vehicle, in addition to its ongoing interest in the development of smaller-scale hovercraft. Work on giant ocean-going hovercraft continued under the BHC, but ultimately did not lead to any vehicle larger than
1098-578: The East Cowes Columbine Hangar, which later became notable for its large Union Jack painted on its doors, was leased from the Homes & Communities Agency to Shemara Refit, now known as Wight Shipyard Co. Ltd , to refit MY Shemara . They also constructed the catamaran ferry Red Jet 6 inside the hangar for Red Funnel Ferries, with the next in the series, Red Jet 7 , also built there. The GKN North site had been sold in 2002 for £8m to
1159-461: The Island would close in March 2011, with just Newport and Ryde remaining open. Sandown, Cowes, Ventnor & Freshwater remained open until March 2012, during which time community groups were sought to continue the upkeep and running of the libraries. East Cowes was one of the libraries set to close in March 2011, but was saved by East Cowes Town Council who appealed for volunteers to continue running
1220-463: The Isle of Wight. East Cowes has a Non-League football club East Cowes Victoria Athletic A.F.C. , which plays at Beatrice Avenue. They are also home to FC Bayern Bru who play in the islands Leisure Leagues 6-a-side league at Beatrice Avenue. They won the league title in their inaugural season in the winter of 2013. The East Cowes Redevelopment Project was set up by SEEDA https://www.iow.gov.uk/azservices/documents/2780-41-08%20Appendix%20A.pdf for
1281-676: The Prince Consort and other prominent guests. East Cowes Castle was notable for its Gothic towers and turrets, and elaborate castellation . Nash died in 1835 and is buried in the tower of St James' Church which he also designed. East Cowes Castle was severely damaged by bombing in World War II It was demolished during the 1960s, although the ice house remains and is visible in Sylvan Avenue. East Cowes Urban District Council, which had been based at East Cowes Town Hall ,
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#17327756802771342-802: The Royal Aircraft Establishment, that was responsible for the design, manufacture and static testing of the Black Knight Rocket, the first of which was successfully fired at Woomera , South Australia, on 7 September 1958. Designed by Fred Goatley# Marine designer Mark 2 Canoe – 1941–1942 (used on the Cockleshell Heroes "Frankton Raid") Mk 2** Canoe – 1943 ( used in Leros ;– various, incl. Sunbeam Raids ) 12-man Assault craft c. 1940–1942 8 ton load carrier. c. 1942–1943 The Electronics Division
1403-581: The SR.N4 being produced. During 1968, the British government decided to withdraw its backing for the company's feasibility study on large hovercraft, resulting in the BHC's development programme being curtailed. As a result of high oil prices following the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis , the profitability of the first generation of commercial hovercraft was badly hit, undermining operators' profitability and provoking requests from customers for more fuel efficient vehicles. Furthermore, hovercraft were not
1464-547: The Western Shamblord. As the Isle of Wight was the target of frequent French invasions, with some notable incursions, the fort built at East Cowes was later destroyed and should not be confused with the "East Cowes Castle" built subsequently by John Nash . During the reign of Queen Victoria, who made her summer home at Osborne by acquiring and rebuilding Osborne House, East Cowes was the subject of planned estate of grand houses, groves and parks. The scheme, not finding
1525-597: The aircraft manufacturer Saunders Roe , who built the large, advanced, flying boat The Saunders-Roe Princess , as well as the Black Knight rocket and the Black Arrow satellite carrier rocket . They also developed and tested the first hovercraft , the SR.N1 . The former Saunders-Roe factory at Venture Quays now produces wind turbines, which can be seen laid on the quay for shipping out. Due to local objections no wind turbines have been allowed to be erected on
1586-401: The benefit of increasing payload capacity. It was also recognised that there were other means to drive down costs and thereby improve the hovercraft's commercial viability. These early vehicles had been powered by gas turbine engines , which were typically similar, or identical, to the turboshaft engines used on helicopters ; however, by the 1970s, recent advances in diesel engines had made
1647-635: The body design powered by a Gardner 5HLW engine was bought by Maidstone & District. The factory later passed to Cammell Laird who mainly used it for producing refuse-collection vehicles, but when Metro Cammell Weymann had a production backlog, they completed a batch of MCW-style double deck forward-entrance highbridge bodies on Leyland Titan PD3 for Brighton Corporation, these were numbered 31–5, registered LUF131-5F and delivered in June and July 1968, they were unusual as front engined half-cab buses built to be driver operated. East Cowes East Cowes
1708-523: The company was renamed Westland Aerospace . During the late 1950s and early 1960s, British inventor Sir Christopher Cockerell had, in cooperation with British aerospace manufacturer Saunders-Roe , developed a pioneering new form of transportation, embodied in the form of the experimental SR.N1 vehicle, which became widely known as the hovercraft . British manufacturer Saunders-Roe proceeded with work on various hovercraft designs, successfully developing multiple commercially viable vehicles. These included
1769-504: The efficiency and viability of hovercraft; the AP1-88 was produced in quantity not only by BHC but also under licence in both Australia and China . In 1970, Westland Aircraft acquired the shares from the other firm's owners, making the BHC a wholly owned subsidiary of Westland. During the 1980s, the firm's focus on hovercraft declined as it became increasingly involved in the manufacture of composites for other company's products. In 1984,
1830-533: The finances it needed, was folded, but a few residences built in the early stages still survive to this day such as the former Albert Grove residences of Kent House and Powys House on York Avenue. In East Cowes Norris Castle was designed in the Norman style by James Wyatt in the late eighteenth century. The building survives and today remains a private home. In 1798, the architect John Nash, began building his home, East Cowes Castle , where he later entertained
1891-511: The fire tender business of the Chubb group with the company merging in 1987 with Simon Engineering to form Simon Gloster Saro . In 1994 Westland was taken over by GKN , and when GKN sold off its shares of Westland to form Agusta-Westland , it retained the East Cowes works, where it continues aircraft component design and production. Laird (Anglesey) Ltd was formed in 1968 and incorporated
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1952-505: The flagship project for the Cowes Waterfront Initiate, which includes redeveloping the town centre of East Cowes. It was intended that such changes would create better employment opportunities and a better environment for residents and visitors alike, providing a unique opportunity to improve East Cowes and create better investment for businesses. On 6 April 2010, work started on the new Waitrose store on Well Road on
2013-494: The flying-boat was over and the two further Princess examples to be completed were never flown. No further new seaplanes were produced here. Modification work on Short-built flying boats continued at Cowes until 1955. The last fixed-wing aircraft they built was the experimental SR53 mixed-power interceptor. In 1951 Saunders-Roe took over the interests of the Cierva Autogiro Company at Eastleigh including
2074-457: The library. It remains at the town centre premises near to the Co-op supermarket, with an outlook to move to newer premises in the near future. Whilst under the Isle of Wight Council ownership it opened around 30 hours a week; this was reduced to around 12 hours per week. British Hovercraft Corporation Created with the intention of producing viable commercial hovercraft in March 1966, BHC
2135-712: The longest run being 31 Londons . They also produced hulls for the Blackburn Bluebird . During the Second World War, Saro manufactured Supermarine Walrus and Supermarine Sea Otters . Their works at Beaumaris , Anglesey , modified and serviced Catalinas for the Royal Air Force. In January 1931 Flight magazine revealed that Whitehall Securities Corporation Limited acquired a substantial holding in Saunders Roe. Whitehall Securities
2196-434: The merger, Westland Aircraft held 65% of the shares in BHC, while Vickers had a 25% stake in the venture and the British state-owned National Research Development Corporation also held 10% of the shares. Despite the inclusion of Vickers' hovercraft venture, none of its designs were ever taken through to the manufacturing stage; instead, production activity was centred on the existing designs produced by Saunders-Roe, including
2257-646: The names Saunders, SEAS (Saunders Engineering & Shipbuilding) and SARO. When AEC took over Crossley Motors , many of the design staff left and joined SARO. In pre- Atlantean days when Leyland began looking at low floor vehicles, the "Low Loader" (STF 90) bodied by SARO was similar in certain respects to the Crossley chassisless bus designs. Bodies were manufactured at Beaumaris for installing on " Leyland Royal Tiger " and " Leyland Tiger Cub " chassis; SARO bodied 250 RTs for London Transport between 1948 and 1950 (RT 1152–1401), which were almost indistinguishable from
2318-401: The new company. Major Darwin, managing director, left the company. On the aircraft side of the business Mr. Broadsmith continued as director and general manager. All other senior posts in the executive staff remain unchanged. In 1947 they flew the SR.A/1 fighter prototype, one of the world's first jet-powered flying boats, and in 1952 they flew the prototype Princess airliner, but the age of
2379-496: The old site of the hovercraft development building. Recruitment for jobs for the new Waitrose Store started during August/September 2010; there were 160 jobs available throughout the store and over 800 people applied. Part of the redevelopment also included the building of more houses known as "Victoria Walk" and David Wilson was chosen to be the builder. Advertising boards were placed on Old Road in East Cowes with building work commencing soon after. In 2013, work began to create
2440-559: The only double deck bodies to be exported were 20 ordered by South African operator Durban Motor Transport which were mounted on AEC Regent Mark III chassis. In the UK large numbers of SARO bodies were specified by the British Electric Traction group on Leyland Tiger Cub chassis, operators including Trent, East Midland, Ribble, Yorkshire Traction and the Northern General Group. An integral version of
2501-453: The only high-speed water vehicles making advances at this time; competing technologies included the hydrofoil and the pump-jet . As early as 1969, rival hovercraft manufacturers had encountered commercial difficulties and been liquidated . Throughout the 1970s, the BHC made several advances in its skirt technology, such as requiring less power to keep inflated; the company also produced extensions of its existing hovercraft range, which had
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2562-573: The price of the older SR.N6 in both respects. The type was produced in quantity not only by the BHC, but was also constructed under licence by companies in both Australia and China . While plans to procure the BH.7 for the British Army were terminated during 1968, government support continued to be forthcoming; the Ministry of Technology ordered a single BH.7, helping to facilitate the launch of
2623-533: The product name Betalux. In early 1953, Saunders-Roe at Anglesey completed the Mark 3 airborne lifeboat to be fitted underneath the Avro Shackleton maritime reconnaissance aircraft. This model was made entirely of aluminium, previous marks being made of timber. Parachuted at a rate of 20 feet per second into the rescue zone, the craft was powered by a Vincent motorcycles HRD T5 15 hp engine; sails and
2684-537: The prospects for applying an entirely different form of powerplant to a new generation of hovercraft increasingly attractive. The BHC successfully developed its own original hovercraft designs during its existence. The BH.7 Wellington class is a military-oriented model, while the British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88 is a medium-size diesel-powered hovercraft. The AP1-88 was notably cheaper to operate and to purchase, being half
2745-423: The reign of Henry VIII on the east bank ( East Cowes Castle ) to dispel a French invasion, referred to as cowforts or cowes, which subsequently gave the name to the town. The naming of Cowes was done in a similar fashion. They replaced the earlier name of Shamblord. The settlement of Shamblord at East Cowes was first recorded in 1303. It grew as East Shamblord, and became a much more significant settlement than
2806-679: The remaining two-thirds was divided between financing the Joint Services Military Trials Unit based at Lee-on-Solent and the National Physical Laboratory 's Hythe division. In addition to financing, the British Government was also keen to implement a regulatory framework for the hovercraft sector, including the implementation of safety certification, leading to the Hovercraft Act of 1968. However, not all commitments made by
2867-458: The renewed yard was HMS Cavalier . During the air raid, the local defences had been fortuitously augmented by the Polish destroyer Blyskawica (itself built by White's), which put up such a determined defence that, in 2002, the crew's courage was honoured by a local commemoration lasting several days to mark the 60th anniversary of the event. Later in 2004, and over to the west, an area of Cowes
2928-421: The shares of which were owned by Saunders-Roe Ltd. Mr. C. Inglis was appointed shipyard manager. Secondly, the plywood section of the business carried on at the factory on the River Medina was transferred to a new company, Saro Laminated Wood Products Ltd., in consideration for a majority of the shares therein. Laminated Wood Products Ltd., which had marketed most of the plywood output, also merged its interests into
2989-573: The standard Weymann/Park Royal products; and some double-deck buses for Liverpool Corporation. 620 prefabricated Rivalloy (the brand name comes from riv etted (aluminium) alloy ) single deck buses components for local assembly were sold to Autobuses Modernos SA, Cuba which later became Omnibus Metropolitanos, S.A. Another large customer was Auckland Regional Transport in New Zealand who took the Rivalloy body on 90 Daimler Freeline chassis. In 1948
3050-414: The town with Ryde and bus routes route 5 and 25 linking the town with Newport including intermediate villages. The Isle of Wight Coastal Path runs through East Cowes. Local industry in both Cowes and East Cowes has always centred on the building and design of marine craft and materials associated with boatmaking, including the early flying boats , and sailmaking. East Cowes was also once home to
3111-637: The world's production of turboprop nacelles took place in the East Cowes works. In the late 1960s/early 1970s the Saunders-Roe Folly Works, by then owned by Hawker Siddeley was merged with the Gloster works to form Gloster-Saro utilising both companies' expertise in aluminium forming to produce fire appliances and tankers in the Gloster factory at Hucclecote , mostly based on Reynolds-Boughton chassis. In 1984 Gloster Saro acquired
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#17327756802773172-491: Was absorbed into Cowes Urban District Council in 1933. During World War II , both Cowes and East Cowes became the targets of frequent bombing due to its industry and proximity to Southampton and the Royal Navy's home at Portsmouth . The shipyard of J. Samuel White was badly damaged by air attack in early May 1942 but, when rebuilt, innovative ship construction methods had been introduced. The first warship completed by
3233-504: Was acquired by Westland Helicopters production continued via Saunders-Roe Developments Ltd of North Hyde Road, Hayes, Middlesex (the former Fairey Aviation Head office). Betalight production was made independent under the name SRBT (Saunders-Roe Betalight Technology). A factory was established in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada, where tritium supplies are readily available. Today betalights are used in self luminous escape-route signs, under
3294-488: Was already a large shareholder in Spartan Aircraft Ltd , of Southampton, and arising out of this investment Spartan was effectively merged into Saunders Roe. In 1938 Saunders-Roe undertook a re-organisation of the commercial and administrative sides of its business. First, the marine section, consisting of the shipyard and boat-building business, was transferred to a new company, Saunders Shipyard Ltd., all of
3355-643: Was berthed at the Columbine while undergoing system tests, while Red Jet 3 was docked there while on sale awaiting a buyer during 2018. With the Royal Aircraft Establishment The Rocket Development Division was formed in 1956 and the Rocket Test site at Highdown started functioning exactly one year later. The division was headquartered at Yeovil . It was this division, in conjunction with
3416-416: Was discovered in 1934 by Lord Rutherford . The tubes ("Betalights") are made of borosilicate glass . The inside of the tubes is coated with a fluorescent powder, which glows as a result of the ionizing radiation of the tritium gas. Such a tube emits light for 15 years. Betalights were used to illuminate the flight instruments, exit signs and corridors of the aircraft produced by Saunders-Roe. When Saunders-Roe
3477-413: Was formed in 1948. Its progress was rapid and the division also designed and manufactured such diverse specialist equipment as Analogue Computers, Control Simulators and a variety of Electronic Equipment and Electronic Test sets associated with Guided Weapons. When using strain gauges of the normal wire type in the dynamic testing of helicopter components, notably rotor blades, Saunders-Roe found that such
3538-592: Was named Francki Place in honour of the ship's commander. To celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the Queen's coronation in 1977, the main hangar doors of what was then the British Hovercraft Corporation (a successor to Saunders Roe ) were painted with the world's largest image of the Union Jack , which can still be seen today. In January 2015, the car carrier MV Hoegh Osaka bound for Bremerhaven , Germany , ran aground on Bramble Bank after developing
3599-762: Was reduced to nearly nothing until the advent of the AP1-88 . The company produced sub contract work for Britten-Norman , produced composites and component parts for the aircraft industry, especially engine nacelles for many aircraft including the De Havilland Canada "Dash 8" , the Lockheed Hercules , the British Aerospace Jetstream and parts for the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11 . By the mid-1990s, over 60% of
3660-469: Was the largest civil-orientated hovercraft to ever be put into service; several were completed and used in revenue services across the English Channel for multiple decades. Later on, the BHC developed their own newer hovercraft designs, such as the military-oriented BH.7 Wellington class and the medium-size diesel-powered British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88 . These vehicles made advances in
3721-456: Was the result of a corporate merger between the Saunders-Roe division of Westland Aircraft and Vickers Supermarine 's hovercraft interests. None of the Vickers hovercraft designs reached quantity production, manufacturing efforts being centered upon Saunders-Roe's existing portfolio. Perhaps the most high-profile vehicle produced by BHC was the large SR.N4 Mountbatten class hovercraft; it
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