MV Hebridean Isles to be retired

It is unlikely that I will get another sailing on her. I have too much on.

We all have our favourite ships. For me, when the time comes, The Clansman and especially LOTI will be the huge loss. LOTI especially, and it's hard to say why. But I slept on LOTI more than once, most memorably alongside at Mallaig before an early morning passage to Lochboisdale- on one of those magical West of Scotland mornings. And I have had so many tremendous passages on her. Once I used LOTI as a hotel, boarding her late at night, staying on board then disembarking before her first sailing next day. Because it was cheap, and in those long gone days it was allowed.

Late 2024 to the end of 2025 will be a huge year of change with potentially 6 new big ships entering service, so other vessels will retire.

Next Monday I was meant to be on the Isle of Arran to say farewell both to her and the port of Ardrossan. I expect the IoA to go at the end of the summer timetable, and Ardrossan should be closing for a total rebuild sometime this winter. Isle of Arran is another faithful old friend to me.

My tickets are all booked, but hugely frustratingly it looks like I have to divert onto a land trip down to Girvan and Maybole instead.

Whether I can do that run next Friday, on diversion from Stirling and The Clacks I have to determine.

Now if CalMac offered car deck space to sleep on the Heb Isles on her final voyage to the breakers, or maybe a special sailing to Douglas or something like that, I would have to make time somehow. But neither is at all likely to happen.

Stuart, it's good to know that someone else loves the ferries as much as I do! :)

Mike (Auchterless)

Have they eventually finished building the new ferries?

The Glen Sannox is currently expected to be handed over from the builders on 19 August, and then has a 2 month crew training schedule, so "should" be in service for the start of the winter timetable. The charter of the MV Alfred has again been extended to partner her- both vessels running out of Troon. The Glen Rosa is still expected early next year.
So finally, finally the fiasco seems to be coming to a conclusion.
The other 4 new vessels are being built in Turkey and so far all are on schedule, even early.

Well I didn't get to either Arran or Girvan yesterday. Due to an 86 minute delay on my way to Glasgow and speed restrictions across Ayrshire due to the bad weather neither was going to work with any certainty, especially as I had 2 stops to make on the way to the ferry.

So I missed my CalMac burger!! Try again in 2 weeks time.

Instead, I used a Glasgow Roundabout Rail Day Rover ticket (I've not used one of those in well over 20 years) to go onto Plan C- with visits to Barrhead, Pollokshaws, Giffnock, Shawlands, Kilbarchan, Glasgow Green and Yoker. And got pretty wet in the process as from 12 noon it was just heavy rain on and off all day! A Glasgow summer.

So I think I got value for money out of that, especially as I will get half of the £7.40 back through delay repay due to a cancelled train at Pollokshaws West.

MIke, I love ferries, too! I think that's one reason I love Scotland so much; the opportunity to ride on multiple ferries. That's a little sad about the Heb Isles, but it looks like she had a good run.

I love our ferries too. Not sure whether those outside the UK can view the BBC series Island Crossings, which is all about Calmac. I find it fascinating. Let’s hope we get our new vessels soon…..

For anyone who fancies a trip on Heb Isles she has been redeployed from Oban duties to the Brodick run until at least 6 October, due to the new problems with the Caledonian Isles.

My hope at the moment is that the gearbox issues with the Caledonian Isles can't be fixed, and that the Isle of Arran gets delayed in dry dock, so that the Heb sees out her days on Brodick.
If that happens I will be able to sail on her on 29 October on my way to Bristol. That day I am meant to be at Arrochar, but am quite willing to divert to Brodick if such an opportunity presents itself.

Sadly I can't go tomorrow (a day when she is diverted to Troon due to winds) when it looks like I will be rained out at Tullibody for a 4th consecutive time, as I am booked to Stirling via Edinburgh, not Glasgow.