In message , Mrs Redboots
writes

Troy Steadman wrote to uk.transport.london on Sat, 18 Dec 2004:

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?

There was indeed - the "Golden Arrow" ran from London to Paris
overnight, via Dunkerque. Only first-class passengers (I think I am
right in saying) remained on the trains; the others had to get off.

Not quite correct. The Golden Arrow was the day-time service via
Dover-Calais. The traditional departure time was 11.00am, arriving in
Paris soon after 5.00pm. There were separate trains either side of the
channel, connecting with the SS Canterbury, but carriages were not taken
on board the ferry for this service.

This was the "Night Ferry" service beloved of generations of students,

That was a different service, and was indeed the one on which passengers
could stay in their cabins for the channel crossing - and this was the
one that used the Dover-Dunkerque (rather than Calais) route.
Traditionally leaving Victoria at 8.00pm and arriving in two sections
(one to Brussels the other to Paris) at 9.00am the next morning.

and used by many of my contemporaries as a cheap way of travelling
between the two capitals. But the train service was considered the last
word in luxury when it was inaugurated.

Indeed, the Golden Arrow was all-Pullman when it started, and some of
the restored carriages are still in use today on the UK part of the
Orient Express. The Night Ferry included Wagon-Lits and ordinary
(non-Pullman) coaching stock, and wasn't quite so palatial.

The OP should note that the *train* didn't actually drive onto the ferry
- only the sleeping cars and luggage van(s) crossed the channel. They
were detached at the port station and then shunted on/off the ferry at
either end.

--
Paul Terry