[1] Hythe Pier Heritage Association have taken ownership of the tractors and carriages upon restoration of each unit.

passed Parliament in 1875 but legal disagreements with the Southampton Harbour and Pier Board delayed royal assent until 1878.

[3][6] Originally there was a toll house at the landward end of the pier, and this was replaced by the present ticket office in the first decade of the 20th century.

[7] A local community group held a public meeting on 24 November 2016 and announced its intentions to "save Hythe Pier and ferry" by setting up a Charitable Community Benefit Society under the name Hythe Pier Heritage Association.

[9] The pier and its associated structures were awarded Grade II listed status in August 2021.

The line consists of a single track with no passing loops, with two non-electrified sidings at the landward end.

[6][15] The line is operated by two four-wheeled electric locomotives built in 1917 by Brush with works numbers 16302 & 16307 (simply renumbered as No.

They were transferred to Hythe after the war, where they were converted to collect power from a third rail and had their batteries removed.

In normal operation the single train is made up of one of the locomotives propelling three passenger coaches, with a four-wheel flat car for baggage.

[21] A ferry has operated from Hythe to Southampton since the Middle Ages, and it is marked on a map by Christopher Saxton of 1575.

The incident occurred a few minutes after a crowd of people were heading home after a football match.

[33][34] The Marine Accident Investigation Branch report concluded the loss of control leading to the collision was almost certainly from a mechanical failure within the hydraulic circuit that powered the thrust deflector.

The report also noted the ferry berth at Hythe afforded little space to abort an approach in the event of a malfunction.