MV Isle of Arran, Ardrossan-Brodick. 19/2/12

Caledonian MacBrayne's MV Isle of Arran (1984) is seen operating the Ardrossan-Brodick route on the 19th February 2012, relieving for the usual MV Caledonian Isles (1993) which was being repaired in JWD after hitting the pier at Ardrossan. Isle of Arran was built for the Ardrossan-Brodick service, however was replaced just 9 years later due to growth in demand. She was sent to the Kennacraig-Islay service before being replaced by the displaced MV Hebridean Isles (1986) in 2001 and following a few years spare was introduced as the 2nd Islay boat in 2003. In 2011 she was replaced by the brand new MV Finlaggan and made spare, spending any time not doing duties laid up at Cambeltown or Rosneath.

She has also been seen in service at Lewis, Harris, S.Uist, Barra, Tiree, Coll, Mull, Colonsay and Islay, as well as conducting trails at Dunoon, and operating out of Wemyss Bay on disrupted services to Arran whilst relieving.

MV Loch Portain arrives on the Clyde, 12/2/12

Caledonian MacBrayne's MV Loch Portain (2003) arrives on the Clyde for her annual overhaul on 12th February 2012. She had previously deployed crew car at Largs and is seen heading past Gourock and into JWD. Also seen in JWD are Western Ferries MV Sound of Scarba (2001), MV Argyll Flyer (ex Banrion Chonomara, 2001) and MV Hebridean Princess (ex Columba, 1964).

MV Lord of the Isles, Ardrossan-Brodick. 8/1/12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx7ypcPyPu8&context=C4503cd2ADvjVQa1PpcFPmOqiBWAqSZgo-FK6PBsYRPv9NmOFy1jI=

A video of Caledonian MacBrayne's MV Lord of the Isles (1989) relieving on the Ardrossan-Brodick service for the usual vessel, MV Caledonian Isles (1993). This was her first time on this route, meaning that she has now became the only vessel in the Calmac fleet to have served on all major routes, not bad for a 23 year old!

She normally serves between Oban-Coll/Tiree/Barra/S. Uist/Colonsay, but relieves at Mull, Islay and Arran and has also been seen at Skye, Lewis, N.Uist, Harris and Bute.

Kilcreggan and Seabus, 17/3/12

Kilcreggan pier is a real gem to the Clyde and very beautiful, especially in a lovely sunny day such as this one. Clyde Marine's Seabus (2007), now in Clyde Marine colours, is seen arriving and departing for Helensburgh, something which won't happen for much longer as when the service between Gourock and Kilcreggan was re-tendered by SPT, Clyde Link current operators of the Renfrew Ferry won the contract. They will use the Island Princess, currently on the Solent, on the route between Gourock and Kilcreggan and will not serve Helensburgh come April 1st 2012 (if the boat arrives on time though!). Jobs will also be cut as rope handlers will no longer be required at Kilcreggan, a giant shame and almost a repeat of what happened in Dunoon last year, though on a smaller scale.

Calmac at Rosneath, 17/3/12.

When vessels in the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet are not needed for the time being, they are normally laid up at private piers. In this case, 4 of the Calmac fleet, MV Isle of Arran (1984), MV Loch Tarbert (1992), MV Isle of Cumbrae (1977) and MV Saturn (1977) are seen laid up at the old admiralty pier in Rosneath. Isle of Arran had arrived the previous day having been forced out of her previous lay up position in Cambeltown due to on going works with the quayside which should take 8 weeks, she will not be needed until April, when the MV Finlaggan (2011) goes for annual overhaul on the Clyde. Loch Tarbert and Isle of Cumbrae await their summer duties which start in a few weeks time and Saturn, the last of the Clyde streakers awaits her fate. Having been laid up since August her future seems very bleak and she is getting into an awful state. Her sisters Jupiter (1973) and Juno (1974) have been scrapped, Juno on the beach at Rosneath between May and July 2011 after being laid up at the pier for over 4 years and Jupiter in Grena, Denmark between August and October 2011 after being towed away from the Clyde on 25th June 2011 and been laid up since October 2010.
 Rosneath Marina are now advertising themselves as shipbreakers having broken up several boats already including the Juno, Neptune's Lady and are now cutting up an English tug.