Gosport Ferryman has celebrated his 40th anniversary of working for the ferry

Darryl Cranstone, 58, has recently celebrated working on the Gosport Ferry for 40 years, and says he feels overwhelmed at the support from passengers.

Starting out at 18 years old, Darryl began his lifelong adventure when he decided to pack in his job at a butchers in Fareham and propel himself into a job on his local ferry, which his grandfather had worked on.

He began his career on February 7, 1983 as cover for somebody who was taking time off, but during his stint, another member of staff left which opened up a perfect job for him.

He said: ‘My grandfather was on there before me for a few years. He was on the old ones where you had to use coal to get it going.

‘I started when I was 18 and three months. It is a job and I love it. I am a people person, and it is very humbling to see people come on and say please and thank you and have a chat with me.

‘I was a butchers in Fareham and I didn’t get on well there and my friend worked at the ferry at the time and I asked if there was any jobs going and there was so I took it, and they knew me anyway because of my grandfather working there.’

Forty years on and the dedicated employee has been reflecting on some of the major changes that he has witnessed in the city. From remembering Gunwharf Quays when it was known for HMS Vernon, to before HMS Dolphin closed down, Darryl has watched the city transform over the years.

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Darryl said: ‘I remember HMS Dolphin when it was still operational as a business, I have seen the Red Arrows dozens of times. I have picked up 100-odd American sailors at a time, I have seen all of that. I have seen a lot and a lot of change over the years.

‘A lot of people wouldn’t even know my surname, they know me as Darryl the ferryman, which is who I am.’

He has been recognised all over the world including Mexico and St Lucia, by people who have used the Gosport Ferry and remembered his face.

Darryl has no shadow of a doubt that this job is the one he wants to continue in for the rest of his working days and he said that he has never even considered leaving.

He added: ‘There have been a lot of tweets apparently and it is humbling. I am a modest man and it is just very nice for people to say nice things about you.

‘I am just a modest, humble man who tries to make people happy and by there for them as much as I can and just make sure that people are safe. I do the job that I enjoy. It is who I am, this job has been my life.’