"Troy Steadman" wrote in message
m...
Didn't there used to be trains that instead of disgorging their
passengers at the docks actually drove (drove?) steamed on to sidings
on the decks of ships then steamed off Stena-like to continue their
journey across Europe?

Freight used to be handled this way from several ports, uncluding Harwich
and Dover.

The only passenger service to taken across by ship was the Night Ferry,
which ceased in 1980. I did the trip and photographed the process about a
month before it ceased. Handling was very smooth: I slept (sober) through
the handling at Dover on the return trip only waking up half-way back to
London (Victoria).