Ellerman's CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, CITY OF KARACHI and CITY OF GUILDFORD at Birkenhead

From Ellerman's Company magazine "On Shore and Afloat" of March 1970 showing three Ellerman cargo liners loading outwards at East Float, Birkenhead (England, UK)

Ellerman's CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, CITY OF KARACHI and CITY OF GUILDFORD at Birkenhead

From Ellerman's Company magazine "On Shore and Afloat" of March 1970 showing three Ellerman cargo liners loading outwards at East Float, Birkenhead (England, UK)

Ellerman's CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, CITY OF KARACHI and CITY OF GUILDFORD at Birkenhead

From Ellerman's Company magazine "On Shore and Afloat" of March 1970 showing three Ellerman cargo liners loading outwards at East Float, Birkenhead (England, UK)

Stolen car found in Ardrossan Dock

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 10th April 1970

STOLEN CAR FOUND IN DOCK

A 21-year old Saltcoats man who stole a motor car which was later recovered from Ardrossan Harbour by a Police Sub-Aqua team, was sent to prison for two months at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Thursday.

The accused admitted stealing the car from Dock Road, Ardrossan, on April 1 or 2 : he also admitted driving the car without licence or insurance.

The Fiscal, Mr. J. Bown, said that the owner of the car had left it in Dock Road, Ardrossan, on the evening of April 1 while he went on a trip to Arran.
The accused had been drinking with a sailor and later called at the sailor's ship about midnight and said he had a car.
They drove to West Kilbride.
The accused later returned to the ship in a state of excitement and said that the car had fallen into the dock.

A Police Sub-Aqua team searched for the car but could not find it.
Later, accused was interviewed and took them to the quay, where the car was found. The vehicle, valued at ?130, was damaged beyond repair, said the Fiscal.

When cautioned and charged, accused had said: "I was lucky to get out before it went over."
An agent for the accused said he had been working in Birmingham but had come back to Saltcoats to help his mother. He had been unemployed but was due to start work at Linwood on monday.

Accused was sent to prison for two months and disqualified from driving for three years on the theft charge. He was admonished on the driving charges.

Arran Sailings Confusion

From: Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated Friday 3rd April 1970

ARRAN SAILINGS CONFUSION

DAY TRIPS STILL POSSIBLE SAY COMPANY

Assurances have been given by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company that the necessity for embarkation tickets on the Ardrossan to Arran steamers on more occasions than previously will not eliminate casual travellers. But it still looks as if local day-trippers may suffer sometimes because of the need to make bookings for certain sailings.

The introduction of more embarkation tickets on the route is not the only innovation. The ?GLEN SANNOX?, which has operated between Ardrossan and Arran for over 10 years will be replaced this season by the new drive on drive off ferry ?STENA BALTICA?, which cost ?600,000 and which is to be renamed.

A spokesman for the company said that no date had been set for the ?STENA BALTICA?s? introduction to the Arran run because she is still in dry dock at Troon and has not yet received a Board of Trade certificate.

Only 90

The ?BALTICA? is scheduled to make 1,500 crossings between Ardrossan and Brodick this year. But only 90 of these crossings will be controlled. Embarkation tickets will be essential for any controlled crossings.

The company say that the reason for the issue of embarkation tickets is because of the great demand for bookings during summer peak periods. The demand will be greatest during the Glasgow Fair period, the company feel, when these tickets will be used to ease holiday congestion on the steamer.

They add that if there are any cancellations during the peak holiday periods holidaymakers without an embarkation ticket will be allowed to travel on the ferry. But they stress that passengers holding embarkation tickets would receive priority.

The company also stated that even when the Ardrossan ferry is fully booked trippers will be able to travel to Arran from Fairlie, where there will still be a regular service to the island.

The number of passengers which the ?BALTICA? will carry on each trip has yet to be decided by the Board of Trade. The ?GLEN SANNOX? is equipped to carry over 1,000

Busy Weekend

Despite the poor weather over the Easter Weekend holidaymakers flocked to the island and on Friday and Saturday the ?GLEN SANNOX? carried a full complement of passengers to the island. Although the steamer, which is to go into service on the upper reaches of the Clyde after the introduction of the ?BALTICA?, has been fitted with a new stern loading system, this is not yet in use. On Friday cars and other vehicles were taken on board by the side loading arrangement.

Scribe Tango

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated 3rd April 1970

A bucket-type modern dredger, the "Cessnock," arrived at Ardrossan Harbour this week to help with the construction of a concrete ramp at the berth for the new car ferry "Stena Baltica," which is to replace the "Glen Sannox."

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated 3rd April 1970

A bucket-type modern dredger, the "Cessnock," arrived at Ardrossan Harbour this week to help with the construction of a concrete ramp at the berth for the new car ferry "Stena Baltica," which is to replace the "Glen Sannox."

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated 3rd April 1970

A bucket-type modern dredger, the "Cessnock," arrived at Ardrossan Harbour this week to help with the construction of a concrete ramp at the berth for the new car ferry "Stena Baltica," which is to replace the "Glen Sannox."

1970 Advertisment for Ships Officers for an Australian Company

1970 Advertisment for a Chief Officer by Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd., Glasgow

Ellerman's CITY OF GUILDFORD closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for West, South and East Africa

Burns & Laird shipping offices move to Ardrossan

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 10th April 1970

Burns & Laird Lines Ltd. are to build a new office at Ardrossan Harbour for their superintendent staff.
The new premises will be beside the company's present terminal and will be ready by the end of the year.
It will house the marine engineering and catering superintendents, along with their clerical staff.

The announcement was made this week when it was also stated that Burns & Laird Lines would also centralise their accounts section in Belfast and would move to a new office in Glasgow.

UPGRADING

"There is perhaps a slight down-grading of Glasgow," Mr. N. C. B. Wright, general manager of Burns & Laird, said. This is offset by an upgrading of Ardrossan. I don't think the public will notice any difference.
Certainly no change is anticipated in our service between Ardrossan and Belfast with the ferry "Lion."
"There were some redundancies and not everyone wanted to transfer to Belfast, but this was covered by early retirements, and in all cases but one the staff concerned have now got other employment," Mr. Wright said.
"The important public work remains in Glasgow - the passenger department for sales, package tours, party travel, and so on."

Burns & Laird are part of the Coast Lines group, based at Liverpool.
They will now become part of the new Irish Shipping Division of the group, of which Mr. Wright is a director.
Belfast will deal with passenger and freight accounts.

A spokesman for the Harbour Company, Ardrossan, told our reporter on Tuesday that he could confirm that the office would be built, but added : "While it is envisaged, it is still at the planning stage. But it will not take long to put up."

An employee of the Burns & Laird Lines Terminal in the Harbour indicated that the new building would take up a part of the present car park. And it will become part of the present administrative offices beside which is the Terminal Passenger Waiting Room.

Ellerman's CITY OF GUILDFORD closes Birkenhead for receiving cargo for West, South and East Africa

End Of A "Clyde-Built" Era

From: The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated 17th April 1970

END OF A ?CLYDE-BUILT? ERA

The sale of Ardrossan Dockyard to Ardrossan Harbour Company and the consequent cessation of shipbuilding and repairing ends an industrial activity which has been carried on in the town for almost 150 years.

The formation of the harbour, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1806, led to shipbuilding being started in Ardrossan about 1825 by Matthew Henderson who turned out many ships of 100 tons or under.

The trade on a large scale was established by John Barr, the first provost of the town, and James Shearer who began their shipbuilding business in 1842, the business being taken over about 1890 by Ardrossan Drydock and Shipbuilding Company. There were also two other shipbuilding businesses in the town making small wooden ships.

Ardrossan Dockyard was originally designed for the construction of wooden ships and on several occasions launched what were at the time the largest vessels built on the Clyde. The first steel vessel (304 tons) was launched in August 1888.

New Yard

In 1919 a new south yard was constructed and the first vessel built there - of 4000 tons - was the first launched directly into the sea at Ardrossan. At that time the yard employed about 300 men, and the old north yard gradually fell into disuse. During the last war the number of employees increased on occasion to about 700.

There were latterly four berths capable of building all types of craft up to a length of 275 feet, and the largest ship built at the yard was the ?LAIRDSGLEN?, launched in March, 1954.

Shipbuilding ceased in the town after the yard was bought over by a Greenock owner in 1962, but repair work continued until the end of last year.

Scribe Tango

Ben Line Company postcard of BENALLIGIN in service 1968-1972