Shipbucket

This is something I put together for an upcoming AU, but the 'original' probably deserves to be kept separate here. The intention was for a larger hovercraft ferry intended to replace the SR.N4.



In this AU, Hoverlloyd and Seaspeed were never merged. Sealink/British Rail kept control of Seaspeed into the 1980s and replaced the fleet of SR.N4 hover-ferries with the larger BH-8, selling its older hovercraft on to Hoverlloyd. The BH-8 replaced the four Bristol Proteus turboshafts with two Rolls-Royce Tynes, driving a pair of large aft fans to provide motive power and to fill the skirt. Performance was largely the same as the SR.N4, but the BH-8 could carry more people and vehicles. Eight Pride-class craft were built: Pride of England, Pride of Scotland, Pride of Wales, Pride of Northern Ireland, Pride of Man, Pride of Jersey, Pride of Guernsey and Pride of Britain. Two operated on services between the UK and Ireland, two to the Channel Islands and the other four on the cross-Channel services.

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Hey, it's gotta be 5 o'clock somewhere...

Currently working on:
The October War, 27-10-1962 (apparently forever);
"Saxonverse" alt-UK;
Federation of the Channel Islands AU;
Republic of Yopur & Andaman;
some sort of overarching AU;
Regaining my sanity.

Nice work, but:

SR.N4 had 4 X 3400 hp or 4 X 4250 hp. More powerful Tyne had 6100 hp (as used in C-160 Transall and Breuget Atlantic). I believe that a succesor to SR.N4 would stll have four engines at pylons with ducted fan prop to reduce noice. In export BH.7 proposals in 1980's the US Allison 570K was offered, perhaps this engine would be used in BH8. Tyne howerer is an option.

Rolls had the RTy.32 planned with 8400hp and the RM3C marinised turboshaft produced 9,700hp so fitting the more advanced Tynes should still work on a ship this size. But I do like the idea of ducted props...

_________________
Hey, it's gotta be 5 o'clock somewhere...

Currently working on:
The October War, 27-10-1962 (apparently forever);
"Saxonverse" alt-UK;
Federation of the Channel Islands AU;
Republic of Yopur & Andaman;
some sort of overarching AU;
Regaining my sanity.

I know about these variants of Tyne, but with four pylons she would change direction in less than her length. Watch videos with the SR.N4 to see this.