History | |
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Name | MV Bute |
Namesake | Isle of Bute |
Operator | Caledonian Steam Packet Company |
Port of registry | Glasgow, United Kingdom |
Route | 1954 – 1978: Clyde service |
Builder |
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Cost | £257,960 [1] |
Yard number | 481 |
Launched |
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In service | 6 December 1954 |
Out of service | 21 October 1978 |
Fate |
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General characteristics | |
Tonnage | 569 GT |
Length | 186 ft (57 m) |
Beam | 36 ft (11 m) |
Draught | 7.5 ft (2.3 m) |
Installed power | 2x Oil Atlas 2SCSA 6 cyl. 340 x 570mm |
Propulsion | twin screws and rudders |
Speed | 14 knots |
Capacity | 399 passengers; 30 cars |
MV Bute was a Clyde vehicle ferry introduced by Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1954. She spent 24 years on the Upper Clyde crossings. During her final years with Calmac, she relieved in the west highlands.
MV Bute was the last of a trio of vehicle vessels ordered in 1951 to modernise the Clyde fleet. Three "general purpose" vessels were planned for the Clyde routes of their names, MV Arran, MV Bute and MV Cowal. Built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, she was launched from their Troon yard on 28 September 1954. [1]
After 24 years' service, she was laid up in Greenock's James Watt Dock in late 1978 and was still there the following spring. In November 1979, she was sold to Gerasinos Phetouris of Greece. As Med Sun, registered in Piraeus, she left the Clyde, on 17 June 1980, under tow, for the Adriatic. Phetouris died in 1983 and his vision for her and MV Cowal was never progressed. The former Clyde ferry was broken up in 1984–85. [1]
MV Bute's passenger accommodation consisted of a large lounge and a tearoom above, and a bar below, the car deck. The bridge was above the upper deck, allowing passengers unobstructed views forward. Officer and crew accommodation was below the bridge and at the stern. She was fitted with electric hoists and side-ramps to allow the loading of vehicles from conventional piers and at any state of tide. The 14-ton cargo lift had space for five average cars, which were turned on two 14-foot turntables on the lift and a further one at the front of the "garage". An aft cargo hold had two 7-ton derricks for cargo handling. These were removed in 1958 and the hold plated over, to provide additional car deck area. [1]
In 1975, Bute's lift-supports were extended to allow her hoist to be raised an additional four feet for service at Mallaig. For her final service, a door was cut in her side ramp, allowing access to flit boats on the Small Isles run.
MV Bute entered service on the Rothesay service in 1954. She remained in the upper Clyde for much of her career, initially on the service for which she was named. From 1957 the three "A, B, C" sisters were working interchangeably. By 1972, linkspans at Gourock and Dunoon, and the use former Skye ferries on the Cumbrae crossing, restricted Bute and Cowal to the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay crossing. [1]
From December 1972 Bute was chartered to MacBrayne's for two months on the Oban - Craignure - Lochaline run, while MV Clansman was rebuilt as a drive-through ferry. By the time she returned to the Clyde, the two fleets had combined under one management on 1 January 1973. Bute's funnel was the first to carry the new red CalMac colour, applied before she went north in December 1972 while that of Cowal remained the vivid CSP yellow until 1974. Bute returned to Mull in 1973. [1]
In early 1975, Bute operated on contract, transporting workers to the oil rig construction site at Ardyne. For four summers from 1975 she maintained the Armadale crossing. [1] Winters saw her back on the Clyde, but the arrival of the new MV Claymore made Bute (and MV Arran) redundant. MV Pioneer, MV Columba and MV Glen Sannox were all available for relief. Bute gave her last passenger sailing to the Small Isles, on 21 October 1978. [1]
The Caledonian MacBrayne fleet is the largest fleet of car and passenger ferries in the United Kingdom, with 34 ferries in operation, 2 on charter and another 6 on order. The company provides lifeline services to 23 islands off the west coast of Scotland, as well as operating routes in the Firth of Clyde.
MV Argyle is a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the route between Wemyss Bay on the Scottish mainland and Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. She is the seventh Clyde ship to have the name Argyle.
MV Hebridean Isles is a ro-ro vehicle ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the west coast of Scotland. She was the first MacBrayne vessel to be ordered and built for them outside Scotland and the first to be launched sideways. With bow, stern and side ramps, Hebridean Isles is suitable for all the routes served by the large fleet units. After 15 years crossing the Little Minch on the Uig triangle, she now serves Islay and Colonsay.
MV Ali Cat is a motor catamaran passenger ferry owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, which along with MV Argyll Flyer provides a service from Dunoon to Gourock across the Firth of Clyde.
MV Jupiter was a passenger and vehicle ferry in the fleet of Caledonian MacBrayne in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. She was the oldest of three "streakers" and the third River Clyde ship to bear the name 'Jupiter'. Her open car deck was accessible by stern and side ramps ro-ro. She entered service in 1974, and operated the Gourock to Dunoon crossing for much of her career. In 2006, she became the oldest vessel in the CalMac fleet and continued in service with them until 2010. Jupiter was sold for breaking in 2011.
MV Bute is a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, on the route between Wemyss Bay on the Scottish mainland and Rothesay on Bute.
MV Pioneer is a stern / side loading ferry built in 1974, in service for 29 years covering nearly all of Caledonian MacBrayne's routes. She now serves the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea and was chartered to rescue Liberian refugees.
MV Orion is a ro-ro passenger and vehicle ferry. Saturn was operated by Caledonian MacBrayne in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland between 1978 and 2011, for the first decade of her career on the Rothesay crossing. Later, she also saw service on the Dunoon and Brodick crossings, as well as on short cruises around the Clyde.
MV Pentalina-B was a ferry which operated on a variety of Scottish routes. Launched in 1970 as MV Iona, she was the first drive-through roll-on/roll-off ferry built for the David MacBrayne fleet. She was the first ship in the company's history to have bridge-controlled engines and geared transmission, rather than direct drive. During her career she inaugurated more endloading linkspans than the rest of the fleet put together. Purchased by Pentland Ferries in 1997, she was renamed MV Pentalina-B and operated across the Pentland Firth until the arrival of their new vessel. In 2009, she was sold to a Cape Verde owner.
MV Glen Sannox was a Clyde car ferry launched in 1957. Built for the Arran service, she spent her first 14 years there. Thereafter, she had a versatile career on the west coast of Scotland, lasting over 32 years, including providing cruises between 1977 and 1982. In 1989, she was sold for service on the Red Sea. She ran aground south of Jeddah and lay in a sunken condition from 2000.
MV Coruisk is a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited ferry built in 2003, operated by Scottish ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne and serving the west coast of Scotland.
MV Loch Dunvegan is a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited car ferry built for the Isle of Skye crossing and now operating in the Kyles of Bute, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. She is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac).
MV Juno was a passenger and vehicle ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the Firth of Clyde, Scotland between 1974 and 2007. She was the middle of three vessels nicknamed "streakers", the first in the Calmac fleet to be fitted with Voith Schneider Propellers. Juno left service in early 2007 and was laid up at Rosneath for 4 years. On 18 May 2011, she was beached there for scrapping and was gone by the end of July.
MV Hebrides was the first of a trio of hoist-loading car ferries built for David MacBrayne Ltd in 1964 and operated on the Uig, Skye to Tarbert and Lochmaddy route in Scotland for over twenty years. She is the only Calmac vessel to have crossed the Atlantic. In later years, as Illyria she sailed between Italy and Albania.
MV Clansman was the second of a trio of hoist-loading car ferries built for David MacBrayne Ltd in 1964 and operated on the Mallaig to Armadale, Skye route for ten years. Converted to ro-ro operation, she operated on the Stornoway, Isle of Mull and Arran services. Underpowered and troubled by mechanical breakdowns, she was taken out of service after 20 years.
MV Arran was a pioneering Firth of Clyde vehicle ferry introduced by Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1953. She spent fifteen years on the Upper Clyde crossings, followed by five years at Islay. Initially hoist-loading, via side ramps, these were replaced by a stern ramp in 1973. During her final years with CalMac, she relieved across the network. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to turn her into a floating restaurant, before she was scrapped in 1993.
MV Cowal was a hoist-loading vehicle ferry introduced by Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1954. She spent the whole of her 24 years with Caledonian MacBrayne on the Upper Clyde crossings.
MV Rhum is a car ferry built for Caledonian MacBrayne in 1974. Until 1987, she operated the seasonal Lochranza crossing to Arran. Since 1998, she has been one of the Arranmore ferries in County Donegal.
MV Clew Bay Queen is a car ferry at Clare Island. Built in 1972 as MV Kilbrannan for Caledonian MacBrayne, she operated mainly at Scalpay, Outer Hebrides until 1992. As Arainn Mhor, she then operated the Arranmore ferry in County Donegal.
MV Broadford was a vehicle ferry, built in 1966 for the Skye crossing. Superseded by larger, drive-through vessels, she was re-built and moved to the Kyles of Bute where she served until 1986.