Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Engineering survey for entrance of Ardrossan Harbour

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 7th January 1972.

TWO COUNCILS DISCUSS SAILINGS

Ardrossan Harbour Company have agreed that an engineering survey will be made of the harbour entrance to see what can be done to make entry to the harbour more easy for the Arran car ferry in rough weather.

This was intimated at a meeting held in Arran on Wednesday of last week between representatives of Ardrossan Town Council, Arran District Council, Ardrossan Harbour Company and the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.

It was pointed out that the ferry "Caledonia" requires berthing facilities which allow cars and commercial vehicles to drive-on and drive-off without delay, and these facilities are only available at Ardrossan and Gourock on the mainland, and at Brodick.
The pier at Fairlie which hitherto was used as an alternative berth to Ardrossan in stormy weather is in a state of decreptitude, and to repair it and install drive-on and off ramps would be uneconomic. There are no scheduled sailings to and from Fairlie in the years programme.

DESIGN

Although Ardrossan Harbour has been used by the Arran steamers for a hundred years or more, the design of the new vehicle ferries and the related necessity to construct special ramps at their berths, have imposed some teething troubles.
During the discussion, Mr. John D. Whittle, general manager of the CSPC pointed out that the "Caledonia" had fulfilled 96 per cent of the crossings, but Arran members drew attention to the fact that the islanders were not interested in percentages, they wanted a service they could rely on operating to the place and at the times advertised.

REDUCE SPEED

Mr. Whittle explained to a "Herald" reporter that as any vessel obviously has to reduce speed on approaching a pier, when entering Ardrossan Harbour this reduced leeway can make the ship difficult to manoeuvre in rough seas, and especially in strong wind conditions.
"Caledonia," although perfectly stable, by the nature of her design sits higher out of the water than the Clyde steamers of 20 or 30 years ago, and as she has to make a sharp right turn to her berth immediately after negotiating the relatively narrow harbour entrance at Ardrossan, such conditions, especially with a north-west wind, can make her handling and berthing a matter of difficulty. a difficulty which can be experienced equally by much larger ships.

COMBINATION

This combination of difficulties is nobody's fault, and it is in an attempt to find if these problems can be obviated still further, that the harbour survey is to be undertaken by a firm of consultant engineers.
We understand that the council representatives at last week's meeting were assured that if remedial construction work or engineering situations are required at Ardrossan Harbour, the financing of such work will not necessarily be a particular problem.

The Arran councillor with special responsibility for transport services to and from the island, Mr. Fisher Gilmore, stressed at the meeting that the steamer link should be with Ardrossan - for passengers to be taken to Gourock in rough weather was awkward and unsatisfactory.

ANXIOUS

Ardrossan representatives, Provost Joseh McManus and the Town Clerk Mr. William M. Cumming, expressing natural agreement with this point of view, stressed in turn that their council were most anxious to give any assistance and support to the Harbour Company and the CSPC - a view equally endorsed by the general manager of the Ardrossan Harbour Company, Mr. John Shields.

Councillor Gilmore told our reporter that the meeting had been most satisfactory and helpful.
A further meeting between representatives of the same bodies will be held in the spring when the findings of the harbour survey may be known.