# Upstairs on P & O



## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Hi

Took a short trip Dover Calais with P&O out on the 7th Pride of kent
back on 9th Spirit of Britain.
On the return we were put upstairs via the winding ramp. vehicle is 3.05m high with mirrors 2.7m wide and a shade under 7m. My running
weight was just under 4tons
Have nearly always used P&O and have always been put downstairs so to speak.
can't say I enjoyed using it.
Has anybody else with same sized or bigger van ever been put up there.
Max size stated 3.3H and 3.3W on Ramp but it was a spiral.

Ian


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## tony_g (Sep 13, 2010)

Not sure if it was Spirit of Britain but I was sent upstairs in November.
6.8m long, 3.1 high, and about 2.7 wide inc mirrors. Not nice, especially the transverse ridged roadbed, creeping, claustrophopic, juddering!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*ferries*

Been on many ferries, with motorhomes and the widest car in Europe. Had just inches to spare either side.

POSL North sea ferries are quite a squeeze too.

TM


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

icer said:


> Hi
> 
> Took a short trip Dover Calais with P&O out on the 7th Pride of kent
> back on 9th Spirit of Britain.
> ...


I know the ramp you refer to but theres no way that my truck would go up there, would never try it either, always go with the artics and coaches..... might pop over next weekend, we will see on friday and the just turn up.... hope you had a good time


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I don't know what the radius is on this spiral but, apart from making sure the wing mirrors are OK, I would also be attending to the 'outswing' of the overhang on my MH.

I would be taking it very slowly - checking wing mirrors and reversing camera, or demand monitoring from the crew.

It might make them think twice about loading one up there.

Of course if anyone cheated on their MH dimensions on the booking form, they have only themselves to blame if the loadmaster takes it at face value. You have been warned :wink: 

Geoff


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

I have written to them to ask if this is now their policy and will let you know when they reply

Ian


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

nicholsong said:


> Of course if anyone cheated on their MH dimensions on the booking form, they have only themselves to blame if the loadmaster takes it at face value. You have been warned :wink:


Or even tick that they have read the Terms & Conditions of an offer when they haven't :wink:


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## jncrowe (Feb 14, 2009)

*Ferries ! !*

We had a horrendous experience on one ferry the on ramp was like a cliff and at the top we thought we were going to get grounded on the join between the ramp and the deck ...we complained and the deckhands were quite helpful... but then said 
"Well .... we've got you on but we aren't sure we will get you off cos the slope at dublin is lower than this one ! 
I was absoloutly sickened and terrified the whole trip thinking we were going to get stuck but we coped took it slow and survived The deckhands do tend to rush you along but just ignore them and go your own speed 
Saying that we have decided to stick to the UK in recent years more due to the cost than the experiences 
There are so many places I would love to visit in England I cant see any point in paying a fortune to go to a foreign country, drive on the wrong side of the road and not make yourself understood with the locals #
Though having visited lincolnshire recently I didnt meet anyone who spoke English as their first language But thats another topic 
All the best 
Cath


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*why not sell the van !!!*

( Saying that we have decided to stick to the UK in recent years more due to the cost than the experiences
There are so many places I would love to visit in England I cant see any point in paying a fortune to go to a foreign country, drive on the wrong side of the road and not make yourself understood with the locals # )

Good thread !

Good reading and a few laugh"s . On deck sort of thing :lol: .

But not goning abroad because of the issue"s is laughable , only the cost i might agree . But seriously i would rather listen " And not understand , and spend lot"s of time in the "SUN" now that would be great . 
think about it cath .
denton.


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## jncrowe (Feb 14, 2009)

*SELL THE VAN !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!?*

Well.... I am not laughing at my" issues "....Thank you

I think the ferry prices are beyond a joke

We used to go over to Ireland up to ten times a year but the ferry prices seem to have acquired an extra naught some where along the line .
The ferries were always full but now ferries are very empty most of the time and just too expensive even the commercial ones are pricey enough.

My friends are planning a trip to Croatia in the summer I just cant think why, when there are so many places in England that I would like to see

As for " SUN " one of my dearest friends got an itchy freckle on her back 
She got it checked out and there was nothing to be done and she was dead within two months ,so sun is the last thing on my wishlist of things I need on a holiday

We like walking, fishing,sightseeing ,marketing , picnicking and much more which can all be done in England.

We have just come back from a week in Barnoldswick and we had a jolly good time the weather was very pleasant the food was very good and the shopping (In both Barnoldswick Colne and Skipton ) was very good ,
We rallied at RollsRoyce sports and social club The club does look a bit like a shed but inside its very plush and private club prices are very surprising ,We have also had the best "gourmet" meal we have ever had there ~ with wine all for £20.00 and we are going again on the 23rd of this month.
This weekend we are going to Todmorden to a party and will probably stay a few days do the market and pop into Halifax or bradford for a curry 
I could list dozens if not hundreds of places I would like to visit.............
so NO I will not be selling my Van

In fact we have just bought a new one .

All the best Cath

Ps We may consider venturing to Scotland one day !


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*We agree both !!.*

We used to go over to Ireland up to ten times a year but the ferry prices seem to have acquired an extra naught some where along the line .
The ferries were always full but now ferries are very empty most of the time and just too expensive even the commercial ones are pricey enough.

Hello cath !,  
I am sorry to hear of the sad news of your friend that has past away of the issue i made , the SUN , forgive me , We some times say things that have a profound affect , So again i apologise. 
But can i say !. I completely agree with you on the price issue , As if you would be a car its a very good deal, But motorhomers are always exploited . Money the greed that makes the world go round , If only they thought that if these prices were classed for cars and motorhomes More people would travel and they would then i believe create more profit rather than loss . This loss leads to higher prices It does not make sense, But then i am not a greedy person . 
Again i agree with you with the point being there are lots of places to see and do here at home in the uk. Scotland you will love my wife and i travel every year going through the gate way of scotland /. Sterling lots of history to find here and a beautiful place to visit its all their . Edenburough / Glasgow is great now, Used to be a bad place to be but this was many years ago . Edenburough are now relaying all the old tram lines to bring it back into use also finding the old one, too, uUnder the road . This place is special to us the sheer history is enormous . But each to his or her own , And the further you go and the deeper you go, You will find roads almost disappearing and the wild comes to life , But Britain has so much and to see . Even though we are in late fifties , I think we will see as much of the other side as possible while my health is present , And then later when this becomes a problem. We will hobble around our britain once more , we have seen so much here in the uk, after living in a town in pembrokeshire we were both born . Here also is the coastline hundreds of miles around beautiful, Our friends in scotland come down to us in wales and say this is the flower of wales . They just love . We have done the things you have mentioned, Also we used to travel to all the steam rally fairs in and around yorkshire lovely place s to see , So we agree with you completely . But we are still young in the late fifties :lol: .
But when in scotland do watch out for the midges they are viscous !. 
Enjoy . 
Take care then , Live Long and Have Fun


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## Finola (May 5, 2012)

icer said:


> Hi
> 
> Took a short trip Dover Calais with P&O out on the 7th Pride of kent
> back on 9th Spirit of Britain.
> ...


We crossed on the Spirit of Britain in August on what was only our second outing. I filled in the form as 3.5 mtr high as we have a satellite dome and roof box on.
I also had four bikes on a tow bar mounted carrier so was probably close to 8mtrs long.

I couldn't believe it when the deck hand waved us up the starboard ramp. Its not easy to crawl up something that steep without slipping your clutch so it was a case of gritted teeth and squinting then just going for it. When I got to the top I noticed how low the headroom was but with a ramp full of vehicles behind backing down was not an option, so with thoughts of an insurance claim I crept under the deck.

No noises so must be ok, then we came do humps in the deck, that will do it I thought, but no we made it to the line up.
I got out and looked up and could have swore we were touching. The guy in the van behind me gestured with his pinched finger and thumb that there was about half an inch.

It was quite a rough crossing and I wondered what would be happening downstairs if the motorhome was bouncing and rocking on its suspension.

It was only when we got to the exit ramp that I noticed the sign indicating that the headroom was only 3.2 mtr. I guess they must have a safety margin that I think I used.

I got away with no damage and look back at it as part of the excitement, but having declared a height of 3.5 mtr on the booking, I wonder what would have happened if I had arrived in France minus one Satellite and roof box?


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