Western Ferries

Last updated

Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd
Type Private
Industry Transport
Founded1968 Western Ferries
1985 Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd.
Headquarters Hunters Quay, Scotland, UK
Area served
 Firth of Clyde
Key people
Gordon Ross (Managing Director)
Services Ferries
Website www.western-ferries.co.uk

Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd (also known as Western Ferries) is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Hunters Quay, Scotland. It currently operates on the Firth of Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency vehicle carrying service between Hunters Quay, near Dunoon, and McInroy's Point, on the outskirts of Gourock in Inverclyde.

Contents

History

Western Ferries route map Western ferries route map.svg
Western Ferries route map
MV Sound of Sanda Sound sanda.jpg
MV Sound of Sanda
House flag used by Western Ferries House flag of Western Ferries.svg
House flag used by Western Ferries

In the mid-1960s the islands on the west coast of Scotland were served by two kinds of vessel; mail ferries operated by David MacBrayne Ltd and "puffers" – small bulk cargo vessels capable of landing at simple piers or on the beach to discharge coal, lime etc. MacBrayne's also operated a number of cargo vessels out of Glasgow. None of these vessels was equipped to deal with road transport. [1] Three car ferries operated by MacBrayne's were all side-loading and not suited to carrying the sharply increasing growth in tourist traffic or commercial vehicles.

In 1966 three people engaged in contracting work on the west coast decided to set up the Eileann Sea Service. With the help of an HIDB loan a landing craft type vessel, Isle of Gigha was constructed and started operation in the middle of the seaman's strike. But in November the ship capsized and this put the company in financial difficulty. If anything further were to happen, more money and technical back-up would be needed.

A group of Scottish businessmen having special interest in shipping and haulage matters, many of whom also had local interest in Islay and Jura, subscribed £100,000 capital and Western Ferries was set up.

Islay service

Sound of Islay was ordered from Ferguson Brothers (Port Glasgow) Ltd. of Port Glasgow. She was designed to carry 20 cars or a combination of cars and commercial vehicles. She was launched amid a storm of derision. [1] Trading began on 7 April 1968 between Kennacraig, West Loch Tarbert, and Islay.

The service provided a new roll-on/roll-off facility, operated twice as frequently as the existing boat to Islay, and offered lower rates without the benefit of subsidy. Unlike its competitor, it operated seven days a week, at night if required, and was punctual. It was immediately successful not only in taking the traffic which had formerly used mail or cargo services but also in converting much of the bulk trade which had formerly travelled in "puffers" to using trailers, thus saving on time, handling, breakage, pilferage and port dues. Lower rates led to a general increase in trade so that a larger and faster vessel was required.

Sound of Jura was ordered from Norway. She came into operation in 1969 with three sailings a day. The capital of the company was increased to £250,000. Western Ferries had already formed a very close working relationship with a local haulier. He opened depots near both ferry terminals so that trailers could be moved on and off the vessels quickly without drivers and tractors units having to cross with them. He provided a parcel service as well as bulk service, and with dedication, grass roots expertise and low rates he built a thriving business. [1]

At the beginning of 1969 the Port Askaig (Islay) – Feolin (Jura) service began – a high frequency service across a short stretch of water with a landing craft type vessel (the Isle of Gigha now modified and renamed Sound of Gigha, capable of carrying the largest commercial vehicle permitted on the road, or six cars). This effectively joined Islay and Jura and increased the traffic to the mainland. Jura was now served by three through sailings a day instead of three per week and both islands could now enjoy things which had hitherto been luxuries, like fresh fruit. [1]

In 1970, the Sound of Islay began the Campbeltown (Kintyre) – Red Bay (Northern Ireland) service and was successful with the initial help of a cement strike in Ireland and a dock strike in England. Attempts to keep up a winter service, primarily with timber, were unsuccessful. However the Sound of Islay, under Captain Alister Meenan, took over the Kennacraig - Port Askaig route offering, for the first time, a reliable and punctual service.

Caledonian MacBrayne positioned a new ferry on the same route in 1974. The new Cal-Mac service was subsidised by the Government leaving Western unable to compete. Western Ferries started to lose traffic to the new ferry, and after receiving an offer from the Mexican Government, sold Sound of Jura in 1976. They continued to serve Islay until 1981 using Sound of Islay when she too was withdrawn, unable to keep pace with the heavily subsidised CalMac, and was sold to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, where she remains in service to this day.

Clyde service

Hunters Quay terminal Western Ferries Hunter's Quay.JPG
Hunters Quay terminal

In June 1973, Western Ferries opened a new route across the Firth of Clyde between McInroy's Point (Gourock) and Hunters Quay using two modified Swedish vessels Sound of Scarba and Sound of Shuna. These had bow and stern ramps, allowing roll-on/roll-off operation. [2] Traffic developed rapidly and in August 1974, the former Isle of Wight ferry, MV Lymington joined the service as Sound of Sanda. This crossing was much shorter than the parallel Caledonian MacBrayne Public Service route. Although CalMac's vessels were considerably faster, their longer route meant that both operators took around 20 minutes to make the crossing. The simpler ro-ro service was regular, frequent and ran from 7 am until 10 pm. Their rates matched the recently reduced rates of CalMac.[ citation needed ] Traffic kept both services very active.[ citation needed ] In 1985, after the Clyde service was transferred to Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd, new tonnage was sought and appeared in the spring of 1986 when the company bought another former Sealink ferry, the Freshwater. She entered service as Sound of Seil in 1986. A further vessel, the Sound of Sleat, a former Dutch river ferry (ex de Hoorn) was added two years later. Two further ferries were purchased from Dutch owners, in 1995 and 1996. Both Sound of Scalpay and the second Sound of Sanda replaced older vessels. [2]

In 2001, Ferguson Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow delivered the second Sound of Scarba, the company's first new ferry for the service. The old vessel was sold after a few years of mooring in the Holy Loch. A new Sound of Shuna followed in October 2003. [2]

Between late 2006 and September 2007 facilities at both ports were restructured. The car marshalling areas were enlarging and a second linkspan was installed at both Hunters Quay and McInroys Point.

All four ferries operate during peak periods, providing a 15-minute service. At other times, three crossings per hour are provided whilst evenings and quieter times see a vessel depart every 30 minutes. [3]

In 2013 two brand new vessels were commissioned by Western. These were built by the Cammell Laird Shipyard in Merseyside. Entering the fleet in October of that year as Sound of Soay and Sound of Seil this brought the fleet size to six however this dropped to four on disposal of the two oldest vessels (Scalpay and Sanda).

The company employs 57 staff including six directors of whom 50 live in the Dunoon area. [4]

Arran Service

In early January 2010, the company announced that it was to commence a high frequency, low fare route between Ardrossan and Brodick in direct competition to publicly owned Caledonian MacBrayne. They stated that they were planning to build a new vessel with a carrying capacity of 400 passengers and 70 vehicles and services were expected to begin in 2012. [5]

In September 2011 managing director Gordon Ross announced that the Arran project is still very much alive but will be delayed by the uncertainty as to whether the Arran route will be tendered separately from the main CalMac bundle in 2013. [6]

Community involvement

The company has a high profile in the communities it serves. There is significant investment in employing local workers and in locally sourced goods and services. Funds are made available for the sponsorship of local groups, individuals, sports organisations and charities. [7] Western Ferries sponsors local sporting events including the Cowal Highland Gathering. [8]

The company provides a call-out service through the night for the Scottish Ambulance Service, for ambulances carrying emergency cases to hospitals in Greenock, Paisley and Glasgow

Fleet

Present fleet

The company runs a fleet of four purpose-built car ferries.

NameCarsBuiltNotesImage
MV Sound of Scarba 40 [9] 2001 (Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, Scotland) MV Sound of Scarba.jpg
MV Sound of Seil 40 [9] 2013 (Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, England)
MV Sound of Shuna 40 [9] 2003 (Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, Scotland) Sound of Shuna - geograph.org.uk - 1341691.jpg
MV Sound of Soay 40 [9] 2013 (Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, England) MV Sound of Soay (geograph 5878413).jpg

Historic fleet

NameCarsBuiltNotes
MV Highland Seabird -1976 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway)Passenger only Catamaran hull [10]
MV Sound of Gigha 1966 (Bideford Shipyard)ex-Isle of Gigha Sold 1998
MV Sound of Islay 201968 (Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow)1981 Sold to Government of Newfoundland & Labrador [11]
MV Sound of Jura 361969 (Hatlø Verksted A/S, Ulsteinvik, Norway)
MV Sound of Sanda (I) 171938 (William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton)ex-Lymington; scrapped
MV Sound of Sanda 371963 (Walsum, Germany)Sold October 2013
MV Sound of Scalpay 371961 (Arnhem, Holland)Sold October 2013
MV Sound of Scarba (I) 1960 (AB Asi-Verken, Åmål, Sweden)ex-Olandssund III; Sold 2001 [12]
MV Sound of Seil (I)1959 (Ailsa yard, Troon)ex-Freshwater; scrapped ?1997 [13]
MV Sound of Shuna (I) 241962 (AB Asi-Verken, Åmål, Sweden)ex-Olandssund IV; Sold 2003 [14]
MV Sound of Sleat301961 (Hardinxveld, Netherlands) [15] ex-de Hoorn

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll and Bute</span> Council area of Scotland

Argyll and Bute is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod. The administrative centre for the council area is in Lochgilphead at Kilmory Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival building and estate. The current council leader is Robin Currie, a councillor for Kintyre and the Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caledonian MacBrayne</span> Ferry operator in Scotland

Caledonian MacBrayne, usually shortened to CalMac, is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast. Since 2006, the company's official name has been CalMac Ferries Ltd, although it still operates as Caledonian MacBrayne. In 2006, it became a subsidiary of holding company David MacBrayne, which is owned by the Scottish Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caledonian MacBrayne fleet</span>

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 <i>Hebridean Isles</i>

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 <i>Isle of Arran</i> Scottish ferry

MV Isle of Arran is a drive-through ferry operated on the west coast of Scotland by Caledonian MacBrayne. Entering service in 1984, she served on the Arran route for nine years before being moved to Kennacraig. She returned to her original route in 2012, supplementing MV Caledonian Isles in summer and becoming a relief vessel in winter. In 2013, she started a new pilot route from Ardrossan to Campbeltown, which became a permanent fixture in 2015. As of 2023, she is one of the oldest vessels in the fleet, having been in service for 39 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Loch Tarbert, Argyll</span>

West Loch Tarbert, Argyll is a long and narrow sea loch on the western side of the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland.

MV <i>Pioneer</i> (1974)

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 <i>Orcadia</i>

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 <i>Pentalina-B</i>

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 <i>Arran</i>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David MacBrayne</span> Government-owned Scottish Ferry holding company

David MacBrayne is a limited company owned by the Scottish Government. Formed in 1851 as the private shipping company David Hutcheson & Co. with three partners, David Hutcheson, Alexander Hutcheson and David MacBrayne, it passed in 1878 to David MacBrayne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caledonian Maritime Assets</span>

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland, the Firth of Clyde and the Northern Isles.

MV <i>Eilean Dhiura</i>

MV Eilean Dhiura is a vehicle ferry operating across the Sound of Islay.

MV <i>Sound of Gigha</i>

MV Sound of Gigha was a pioneering roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ferry operating on the west coast of Scotland. She was launched as Isle of Gigha in May 1966. On 11 November 1966, she capsized off Islay. Salvaged, overhauled, and renamed, she provided thirty years of service between Islay and Jura.

MV Sound of Islay was the first ro-ro ferry on the west coast of Scotland. Built for Western Ferries in 1968, she served Islay and later Campbeltown – Red Bay. In 1981, she was sold to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and still operates in eastern Canada.

MV <i>Sound of Jura</i>

MV Sound of Jura was the first drive-through car ferry on the west coast of Scotland. It was operated by Western Ferries on the Islay service from Kennacraig between 1969 and 1976. The Mexican Government operated it to Cozumel as Quintana Roo until 2005, when it was wrecked by Hurricane Wilma.

MV <i>Catriona</i>

MV Catriona is a pioneering diesel electric hybrid passenger and vehicle roll-on, roll-off ferry built for Caledonian MacBrayne for the Claonaig–Lochranza crossing. She is the third hybrid ferry commissioned and owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets, one of three such ferries in the world to incorporate a low-carbon hybrid system of diesel electric and lithium ion battery power. The ferries are sea-going and are nearly 46 metres (150 ft) long, accommodating 150 passengers, 23 cars or two HGVs.

MV Loch Sunart was a car and passenger ferry, originally operated in Amsterdam, and then by Western Ferries across the Firth of Clyde between Gourock and Dunoon in Scotland until October 2013. In 2018, Loch Sunart was converted into an ROV support vessel and is now owned by Caldive.

MV <i>Sound of Seil</i>

Sound of Seil is a car and passenger ferry, operated by Western Ferries on the upper Clyde between Gourock and Dunoon, Scotland.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Free Trip to Islay – June 1975" . Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "An Operational History". Western Ferries. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  3. ↑ "Western Ferries Timetable" . Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Western Ferries Clyde – appraisal paper" (PDF). 3 July 2006. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  5. ↑ "Arran braced for new ferry war". The Herald. 5 January 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Ross, David (2 September 2011). "Arran service very much alive". The Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Mission Statement". Western Ferries. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  8. ↑ "Sponsorship 2016". Cowal Highland Gathering. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Fleet". Western Ferries. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  10. ↑ "Highland Seabird - The Story of Western Ferries Catamaran". Scribd.com. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Russ McLean (2010). CalMac Ferries, Competition, and Islanders (PDF). Duncansby Head Publishing Co. ISBN   9780956025845 . Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  12. ↑ "IMO 7338547". Shipspotting. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "Sound of Seil". Ship Nostalgia. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Sound of Shuna - IMO 5261972". Shipspotting. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  15. ↑ "M/F Sound of Sleat". Ferry Site. Retrieved 16 December 2013.

Bibliography

  • Pedersen, Roy N. (2015). Western Ferries: Taking on Giants. Edinburgh: Birlinn. ISBN   9781780272702.
  • Wilson, Andrew (1975). The Sound of Silence: Subsidy and competition in West Coast shipping. Glasgow: Western Ferries. OCLC   314716259.
  • Wilson, Andrew (1976). The Sound of the Clam. Glasgow: Western Ferries. OCLC   314716274.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.