Back in 1977 there was hit record in Southampton sung by an unlikely-sounding group of local folk musicians called Gutta Percha and the Balladeers, and it celebrated the passing of a great institution - the old floating bridge.

Last week a Hampshire Heritage reader wrote to the Daily Echo and suggested that this unique form of transport should be resurrected as part of the new development at the old VT site in Woolston.

For decades, the floating bridges were part of life in Southampton.

In the winter, there could be a cold miserable few minutes' wait as they clanked their way over the Itchen from Woolston to the town side and back again.

In the summer they provided a pleasant break, giving passengers the chance to watch the swans that always seemed to be around waiting for tit-bits to be thrown overboard.

We might have complained about it now and again, but people always had a soft spot for the "floaties" and there was genuine sadness when they were replaced by the Itchen Bridge in 1977.

It was about this time that the late Dave Williams, who died in September 1997 aged 62 and who many in the city of the "Mush'' and "Nipper'' will remember with great fondness as a singer, songwriter, community entertainer, dance-caller, compere, poet, storyteller, broadcaster and maker of musical instruments and toys, joined forces with his brother-in-law Mike Sadler, who wrote The Woolston Ferry, Vic Wilton and Pete Mills, to produce the record.

It was a true celebration of everything that was quirky about the floating bridges. Immediately the record was a great hit and even outsold Elvis Presley in Southampton at one point.

The song's chorus went: "Oh, the Woolston ferry doesn't travel very fast, It was never built for comfort, it was built to last.''

In 1975, Dave was recorded singing the song in Dorset and the performance appears on his CD entitled, You're on Nipper.

The verse goes: "If you are ever up in Sholing and you want to go to town, Don't go via Bitterne, that's the long way round, Take a trip across the ferry, take a trip across the sea and if you're pedestrian you can go for free.''

The song reminds listeners that even the famed artist Lowry painted the floating bridge during a visit and that the work is now in the Civic Centre art gallery.

In another verse Dave sings: "When I sing of its construction you'll be surprised to learn, That the bow going one way, coming back becomes the stern.''

The floating bridges were a part of old Southampton and, for many years, they served the city and its people well.

They are not gone forever as two remain - one not far from Northam Bridge and another used as a workshop and mooring on the River Hamble.