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November Fleet News on SoC:
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DATE
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NEWS - updated by Adam Hiles
+ Stephen Hurst
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30/11/03 |
Loch Dunvegan was spotted
heading outbound towards Toward Light, not sure yet if she is going to Rothesay
first or straight to Colintraive. |
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30/11/03 |
Coruisk's
13.20 ex Gourock and 13.50 ex Dunoon have been cancelled due to technical
problems today. |
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28/11/03 |
Coruisk
operated the 15-20 to Dunoon yesterday but the same sailing today was
operated by
AliCat. |
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27/11/03 |
Jupiter
Lunched today - Happy 30th Birthday! |
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23/11/03 |
Muirneag is back in the water at
Wallsend, she didn't appear to have her name on the bow or the Calmac web
address, she is due to leave around the 26th. |
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22/11/03 |
The Isle of Mull due in the
Mersey on Sunday at 17.00 going to Birkenhead for overhaul. Currently she is
staying at Craignure tonight, leaving there at midnight and then sailing to
Birkenhead arriving at 17.00hrs where she is picking up the pilot and then
sailing further up the river from where the
Isle
of Lewis was overhauled to a different dock. |
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21/11/03 |
Isle
of Lewis returned to Service today on her regular Ullapool - Stornoway
route after her annual overhaul allowing the Clansman to head back south. |
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19/11/03 |
The Sound of Harris ferry (Presumably Loch Portian) was out of service
yesterday and part of today due to a technical fault. |
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17/11/03 |
Reported today was PIONEER's Radar spinning in
JWD for a while, perhaps she's patiently awaiting a turn to be out in the
open waters... |
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17/11/03 |
Caledonian MacBrayne has confirmed that the
Uig/Tarbert/Lochmaddy service will resume with a normal timetabled service
commencing 0730 ex Lochmaddy on Saturday 15 November. |
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15/11/03 |
CORUISK was spotted doing a series of sharp turns (definitely NOT for the
fainted hearts!) before heading off to Dunoon, presumably for further
berthing trials today. |
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15/11/03 |
CORUISK should eventually start 'normal' sailings next week. Also Saturn's
refit has possibly been been delayed for a short time. |
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14/11/03 |
Today CORUISK was at the wires, Gourock, doubled up (two sets of ropes
at each mooring point). At 1505, just before Saturn arrived from Dunoon she
'singled up' her mooring ropes and landed her gangway. She gave all the
appearance of a ship about to sail. presumably to make the 1520 sailing.
Saturn duly arrived, unloaded, and indistinct commands came over Coruisk's
PA system. Saturn loaded, and sailed for Dunoon, and Coruisk's gangway was
positioned again. Her ropes were then 'doubled' again. The new Clyde ferries
to replace the 'Streakers' will, apparently, not be CORUISK styled, but
bigger versions of the present sisters.. |
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13/11/03 |
Loch Buie prepared to go on the slipway at the Ardmaleish Boatyard. |
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13/11/03 |
CORUISK made a scheduled trip to Ferguson's for further belting adjustments
last night. She was back in service again today for a few runs. |
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11/11/03 |
MV CORUISK will leave Gourock at 12:20pm today on first service run on the
Clyde. |
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11/11/03 |
CORUISK yet again didn't appear yesterday in service. It seems that the new
belting is causing problems at Dunoon and that she will head back to
Ferguson's on Wednesday for more repairs. The vessel cost £8.2 million and
could not operate on the route for which she was built, has not earned her
owners a penny since late August. She has had numerous alterations carried
out to appearance and functions. |
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11/11/03 |
Yesterday 10/11/03 saw the start of the temporary revised route for the Uig
Triangle. The new route sees the Hebrides operating out of Ullapool instead
of Uig as there are slipway repairs at the latter. She will be running with
her sister the Clansman who is covering for the Isles of Lewis who is
currently on the Mersey for annual overhaul. |
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09/11/03 |
Confirmation of the first sailings of CORUISK
Mon, Wed Fri 1220 / 1320 / 1420 / 1520 ex Gourock
Tues & Thurs 1220 / 1320 / 1520 / 1820 / 1920 ex Gourock |
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08/11/03 |
Reported in today's Herald that Calmac are to abolish the position of Purser
on their vessels. Ships of Calmac have yet to confirm this with
details but will keep you informed as soon as we know. |
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Calmac intend to operate M V Coruisk on several of their Gourock / Dunoon
services from Monday 10th November. M V Saturn will operate the main
timetable from Sunday 9th onwards but will be replaced by Coruisk on several
services each day. Coruisk’s services will be subject to alteration but
she is expected to operate the 1220, 1320 and 1420 sailings ex Gourock with
their returns 30 mins later from Dunoon plus some others which are not
specified at the moment. It is expected that Coruisk will take over the
service entirely from Monday 17th November when Saturn goes off for
overhaul. Please note that the above is subject to alteration at short
notice. |
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06/11/03 |
The Loch Linnhie due out on trials on Wednesday 12th she will the go on to
the Iona service to let Loch Buie to come town for her overhaul |
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05/11/03 |
MV Coruisk is at James Watt Dock tonight to free the Top Wires berth at
Gourock for MV Juno to lie overnight instead of the Linkspan Berth.
Contractors will tonight install a large Trelex fender in the Linkspan berth
to aid alignment to vessels using the berth.
The work was scheduled for Tuesday night but due to MV Coruisk being unable
to enter the dock due to adverse weather conditions yesterday is being
carried out tonight.
MV Pioneer moved from Greenock Custom House Quay to James Watt dock for lay
up this afternoon. |
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05/11/03 |
MV Saturn transferred over to Gourock-Dunoon service this afternoon, MV
Jupiter was observed at Wemyss Bay. |
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04/11/03 |
MV Pioneer arrived on the Clyde late this afternoon, bound for Gourock.
However, after offloading crew cars there she proceeded to Greenock Custom
House Quay where she berthed due to high speed winds. It is believed to be
her first ever time there, and the first time a Calmac vessel has used the
Quay since MV Iona in 1985, when she left Lamont's drydock only to suffer
immediate mechanical problems and needed somewhere to berth quickly. .
MV Caledonian Isles diverted to Gourock this afternoon instead of her usual
mainland terminal at Ardrossan.
It is likely that MV Loch Riddon is currently covering on the
Colintraive-Rhubodach service whilst MV Loch Dunvegan is in drydock, though
this is still to be confirmed.
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03/11/03 |
Due to adverse weather conditions M V Pioneer has been forced to seek
shelter overnight at Kennacraig. A decision on her future progress to
Gourock will be made tomorrow morning. Pioneer is expected to discharge crew
cars and other equipment at Gourock before berthing at James Watt Dock. |
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02/11/03
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Loch Dunvegan headed for the James Watt Dock this morning, a week early for
her annual overhaul.
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02/11/03
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*later addition* MV Isle of Lewis arrived at A&P drydock, Birkenhead
today for her annual overhaul. MV Clansman is currently covering on the
Lewis service. MV Muirneag's sailings are unaffected.
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01/11/03
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Pioneer completed her Small Isles relief sailings today, and found Loch
Nevis waiting for her on her arrival back at Mallaig. She now heads back to
JWD for lay up, so today MAY have been her last passenger sailing (its a big
may where Pioneer is concerned!). She is due in Oban tomorrow, and is
expected at Gourock about 5pm on Monday, before heading to JWD.
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The veteran Paddle Steamer Maid of the Loch's 50th anniversary was
commemorated by the presentation of a cheque for £500 by PSPS Scottish
Branch Chairman Deryk Docherty to Colin Paterson, Chairman of the Loch Lommond
Steamship Company.
Mr Paterson thanked the PSPS for its long term support of the Maid project.
He noted the Branch's wish that this donation be used to restore or replace
some of the heritage fittings of the vessel (eg the steam whistle) when she
resumes sailing on the loch.
Mr Paterson remarked on the recent setback when the Heritage Lottery Fund
approved the application for restoration of the Balloch steam patent slipway
but could not support it financially through lack of funds. It was indicated
that the application will be reconsidered next year.
Mr Paterson, for many years Chief Executive of Caledonian MacBrayne,
re-iterated his determination to get Maid of the Loch sailing again
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