Ships to Serve: Pre 1979: Islay ferry - on passage
to Port Ellen 1979 - 1991: Bruernish 1992 - Present: Loch
Ranza Additional Ships: Various members of
the Island Class
and Loch Class
ferries on relief duties
Terminal Facilities:
Gigha: Simple concrete slipway located
close to the island's main village. The ferry berths close by when not in
service.
Tayinloan:
Slipway and pier accessed by a short lane from the car park and queuing
area. Traffic is directed forward by red/green lights operated from the
ferry slip.
Route History:
Prior to 1979 the tiny island of Gigha was served by the Islay ferry which
called in while crossing to and from Port Ellen. When the IONA took
over from the smaller and shallower-draughted PIONEER in 1979 this
was no longer possible. A temporary solution was to employ one of the
spare 'Island Class' ferries on a crossing from Kennacraig to a new
slipway on Gigha.
Upon completion of a suitable facility at Tayinloan, nearly twenty miles
south of Kennacraig and only twenty minutes sail across the Sound of
Gigha, the BRUERNISH was placed on the lifeline service and was
able to operate an hourly service to and from the Kintyre peninsula to the
island.
The crossing was to remain in the care of the BRUERNISH, or
whichever of her sisters happened to be available to relieve her for
overhaul, until the summer of 1992 when the former Kilbrannan Sound ferry LOCH
RANZA rounded the Mull of Kintyre and took up the Gigha service. This
could happen because she had been replaced on her previous crossing by the
new LOCH TARBERT.
Loch Ranza approaching Gigha
The Tayinloan - Gigha crossing has been operated by the LOCH RANZA
since 1992. It is a route that is unlikely to see the traffic increases
that have been seen on other shorter crossings because it really is just a
lifeline service used by islanders and a few tourists. It is unlikely that
demand for a vessel with a capacity of 12 cars and 200 passengers will be
exceeded. For that reason, the LOCH RANZA is likely to stay the
dedicated ferry for the people of Gigha. She is usually to be found on the
crossing, providing a reliable and regular service all year round, except
for when she goes for overhaul and is relieved by one of her sisters;
usually LOCH
LINNHE.
Loch Ranza off to Tayinloan
Images from Ships of CalMac
Collection
SoC Useful Links: To see a more detailed description of the islands and photos, visit
Undiscovered Scotland and click on a place.
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