In the days when Weymouth Harbour handled cargo, many items passed though, ranging from Guernsey tomatoes, potatoes, timber, broccoli and, later, Ford cars.

However in the 1960s, two noteworthy cargo passed through.

On August 25, 1965, 16 racehorses worth about £24,000 were shipped out.

Earlier that year it was found that British Rail had no suitable ship to take them from Southampton (their normal port).

A ship was chartered to take from Weymouth to Jersey.

When they arrived in the port it was found that there was no special horse box to hoist them aboard. Care Lines the agent hastily constructed a hoist while the horses waited in their vans.

The Dutch cattle boat, Neerlandiar was chartered by the Jersey Drag Hunt and Race Club when the arrangements at Southampton broke down. This was a first for Weymouth!!

Almost two years later, on May 6, 1967, 120 Friesian cattle were transported from Weymouth to Naples by Lineage Liverstock of Sawbridgeworth to help improve the milk yield by breeding with Italian cattle.

They had stayed at a new transit centre at Manor Farm Poxwell on their way to Weymouth.

Care Lines expected a big increase in this type of trade especially if Britain joined the Common Market.

In the picture above cattle are seen embarking on their voyage.