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 FLEET
HISTORIES
 Main
The Fleet
Saturn
History
The final act of
modernisation on the Clyde routes in CalMac's network took place in February
1978 when the third and final streaker entered service on the Wemyss Bay –
Rothesay crossing. SATURN was another design modification on the JUNO and
JUPITER and when she was launched at Troon late in 1977 it was immediately
apparent that she would be easily identified from her fleetmates.
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Gone was the lower level bridge; SATURN instead
having her wheelhouse raised by one deck level. Gone also was the tripod mast
immediately behind the side ramps and next to the funnels. What did not change
however was the overall layout of the vessel’s passenger accommodation being
as it was, concentrated towards the bow with a lounge and ticket office
immediately forward of the car deck while upstairs was the cafeteria and lounge
whilst upstairs again there was an increased amount of open deck space
accessible to passengers. Saturn’s raised bridge allowed her passenger deck to
be extended forward of the bridge, giving her travellers a view ahead –
something that is prevented on the JUPITER and JUNO.
Although launched in
1977 the new ferry’s introduction was delayed by technical problems and
teething troubles. The GLEN SANNOX took the responsibility of seeing through the
conversion of the Rothesay route to drive through operation and began using the
new linkspan set along the pier adjacent to the railway station at Wemyss Bay.
At Rothesay however, the only possible solution that could be adopted was to
mimic the method of loading that had already been adopted at Dunoon some years
previously, with a linkspan set into the face of the pier and the ferry
discharging via one of its side ramps. GLEN SANNOX was fitted with a hoist and
side ramps, although the hoist was not needed at Rothesay, and had been
converted to stern-loading back in the early 70s. |
SATURN in Original Condition Arriving
at Rothesay
SATURN passing Toward lighthouse
on
Her Way From Wemyss Bay
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SATURN
entered service and displaced the GLEN SANNOX on what was emphatically ‘her’
route. As with her consorts at Gourock, SATURN’s hull forward of the car deck
and beneath the superstructure sported the title ‘Rothesay Ferry’ for all to
see. After settling into her new routine, SATURN seldom deviated from her
designated route, and indeed occasionally received assistance at busy periods
from JUNO or sometimes JUPITER.
From
1986 SATURN’s ties to the Wemyss Bay – Rothesay crossing were cut to some
extent with the introduction of a new rostering policy that saw the streakers
switch between one service and another. As it turned out, the SATURN became more
closely tied to Dunoon although still saw regular service on her original run.
Into the 1990s and the pattern of switching routes
and rosters continued. PIONEER had by now lost her hoist but kept side ramps so
was also to be seen partnering the Rothesay ferry at peak periods. From 1994
Bute was actually designated two ferries on a daily basis; PIONEER and whichever
of the streakers happened to be on Bute duty at the time. In this respect SATURN
was no longer regarded as the main Rothesay ferry.
As
with her semi-sisters, SATURN also undertook her fair share of the Clyde cruises
through the 1990s. These were operated by the so-called 1A vessel between the
additional peak sailings on the Dunoon crossing, although since 1999 there have
not been such duties to perform.
Since PIONEER’s withdrawal from active service in
2003 all the remaining streakers; JUNO, JUPITER and SATURN have been in constant
service (barring of course overhauls). This has been due to the need for two
ferries permanently required at Rothesay and the third being required on duty at
Gourock. (The new CORUISK assisting on the Clyde routes when the regular ships
are in for overhaul).
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Although the Wemyss Bay - Rothesay route was the last to have been modernised in the 1970s, it
was the
first to receive the next generation of ferries in the shape of the BUTE which
entered service in July 2005, having completed her delivery voyage from Poland
and run trials on the Clyde. It was announced that one of
the streakers was to be withdrawn upon the BUTE's introduction, however
following the potential threat of a rival operator on the Arran route, CalMac
changed their plans and deployed the youngest of the streakers as a second ferry
to the island, thus keeping the older streakers in service at Dunoon and Bute. |
SATURN Arriving at Dunoon From
Rothesay
to Change Duties With JUNO
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Following the end of the high summer season the JUPITER was laid up out of
service at Rosneath. This ensured continued duties for SATURN and even with
the BUTE's introduction it seems she will continue
plying across the Clyde for quite a few seasons to come, either on the Upper
Firth or possibly at Arran, depending on how successful her 'experimental' duty
was seen as by management.
 Text Thanks To Ships
of CalMac
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