Woolston Floating Bridge, Southampton 1978

This authentic 1970s colour photograph, captured in 1978, features the Woolston Floating Bridge crossing the River Itchen in Southampton, Hampshire. The archival image documents one of the last years of operation for this unique cable-drawn ferry service, which had connected Woolston and Southampton since 1836. The vessel shown is a yellow and grey ferry, bearing the number 14, with several period cars including a light blue Ford Cortina and a white saloon visible on its deck. In the background, the soaring concrete spans of the then-new Itchen Bridge are prominent, representing the modern transport infrastructure that would lead to the ferry’s decommission in late 1977 and 1978. The scene captures the transition between old and new methods of crossing the river, with the ferry’s metal ramp resting on the concrete slipway. Pedestrians can be seen near the ferry’s cabin, and the industrial shoreline of the Itchen is visible in the distance. This factual record preserves a significant piece of maritime and local transport history in Southampton as it appeared during the late 1970s.