MV Glen Sannox
| History | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
| Name: |
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| Namesake: | Glen Sannox on Arran |
| Owner: |
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| Port of registry: |
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| Route: | |
| Builder: | Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Troon |
| Cost: | £468,000 |
| Yard number: | 496 |
| Launched: | 30 April 1957 |
| Maiden voyage: | 29 June 1957 |
| In service: | 5 July 1957 |
| Out of service: | (CalMac) 9 August 1989 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 5131816 |
| Fate: | Ran aground, 2000, subsequently scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | vehicle ferry |
| Tonnage: | 1,269 GT 1,107 GRT 388 NT 301 DWT |
| Length: | 257 ft (78 m) |
| Beam: | 46 ft (14 m) |
| Draft: | 7.58 ft (2 m) |
| Installed power: |
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| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 1100 passengers and 55 cars |
| Notes: | |
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 Glen Sannox was built for the Arran route, replacing the pioneering "A B C ferries", which were struggling to keep up with the demand created by their own success. She bears the name of two of the most illustrious predecessors on that station.
Launched on 30 April 1957, she ran trials on 27 June 1957 and took a VIP cruise the following day. After her maiden voyage on 29 June 1957, Greenock Fair Saturday, she spent a few more days receiving finishing touches at Gourock and took up the Arran route on 5 July.
Her introduction allowed retirement of Kildonan (the glorified 1933 puffer, originally Arran and the last of the Clyde and Campbeltown Shipping Co. fleet), Marchioness of Graham (the 1936 turbine, built primarily for the Arran service) and the 1937 PS Jupiter.
In June 1964, she became the first unit of the fleet to receive the lion Emblem on her funnel which is now a well-recognized symbol of the modern fleet.
Glen Sannox was not fully roll-on/roll-off, it used a lift to get vehicles down to the car deck. This meant that loading and unloading the ship could be a time-consuming procedure when it was in heavy use in the summer, which meant it would sometimes run late.
By 1969, when the Scottish Transport Group acquired the CSP, the Arran service was under serious pressure. Linkspans were installed at Ardrossan and Brodick in 1970 and Glen Sannox was replaced by MV Caledonia. Soon after she had a stern ramp added. At the 1971-72 refit, the crane was removed, longer side-ramps were fitted and a bow thruster replaced her bow-rudder.
Between October 1976 and March 1977, she underwent a further refit at Hall, Russell & Company, Aberdeen in preparation for a new cruising role. Two Norwegian-built, Wichmann diesel engines were installed, following favourable experience of these engines on the Norwegian built MV Suilven of 1974. Rated for a maximum of 2,333 horsepower (1,740 kW) each at 415 rpm, they were of 7-cylinder 2-stroke turbo-charged type, and physically much smaller than her original Sulzers. As the original engines had been direct-reversing type, a gearbox was also required. The passenger spaces were gutted, with the tearoom converted into the "Tartan Bar" and a "teabar" installed in the forward lounge. The original bar, below the car deck, became a self-service cafeteria. Much new seating was fitted, with extensive redecoration.
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