MV Saturn
Encyclopedia
MV Saturn is a passenger and vehicle ferry owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne
in the Firth of Clyde
in Scotland
. She entered service in 1977, operating the Rothesay crossing for the first decade of her career. Her ro-ro open car deck is accessible by stern and side ramps. She is the youngest and last remaining of three "streakers" in the Caledonian MacBrayne
fleet.
The ship houses two passenger lounges, one with a cafeteria. There is crew accommodation on the upper deck and open-air passenger areas.
Unlike her quasi-sister ships, MV Jupiter and Juno, the ship's bridge is one deck above the top passenger deck. Passengers therefore have access right round the front of the ship, allowing views directly over the bow.
. These ships were nicknamed the "Streakers" because of their greater speed (compared to what had served the area’s routes previously) and superb manoeuvrability (due to their novel propulsion units, which greatly reduced loading and unloading times at each end of her route).
With "Rothesay Ferry" emblazoned on her hull, Saturn operated primarily on the Wemyss Bay
– Rothesay crossing for much of her first decade. From 1986, a new rostering policy saw the three streakers switching between the Rothesay and Dunoon
routes. The third vessel provided additional peak sailings on both crossings, served Kilcreggan
and, between 1993 and 1999, provided cruises on summer afternoons. Later, there were two vessels at Rothesay for most of the day.
Just as in the 1970s, the Streakers replaced an earlier generation, so they, after more than 35 years, were replaced by a new generation of CalMac
ferries designed for the Upper Firth. has been dismantled and on 25 June 2011, sister was towed from her long-term home on the River Clyde to be broken up in Denmark. and have been in service on the Rothesay route since 2007/2005. After Bute's introduction, Saturn moved down the firth to Ardrossan
, assisting on the Brodick crossing during summer. Saturn was the main ferry on the Dunoon route for the last 9 months of the vehicle crossing, until 29 June 2011, when the Caledonian MacBrayne vehicle service there finished. From 30 June 2011, vehicle traffic uses the Western Ferries
crossing at McInroy's Point. The Calmac group (as Argyll Ferries Ltd
) still has an interest in the Dunoon route, with a 'passenger-only' service connecting with Scotrail's
Gourock Station
. The service was provided by and (leased from Clyde Marine Services), until the 'new to the Clyde' ten-year-old ferry (previously the 244 passenger MV Banrion Chonamara of the Irish Aran Island Service) was ready for service.. Saturn returned to assisting at Ardrossan, but was back on the Bute run on 20 August 2011 to provide extra sailings for the Bute Highland Games along with Bute and Argyle. She was rostered back to her old haunts at Gourock on 27 August 2011 to help out the smaller passenger ferries on the busiest weekend of the year for the Cowal Gathering (Highland Games) in Dunoon. She berthed at Rosneath as of 30 August 2011.
It now looks as if all the three 'Clyde Streakers' have met their demise from Caledonian MacBrayne and MV Saturn has now disappeared from the AIS radar transponder receivers.
As of 23/10/2011, MV Saturn is berthed at DRB Marine at Rosneath, at their large steamer quay, just opposite Helensburgh.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland and the Clyde Estuary.CMAL is wholly owned by the Scottish Government, with Scottish Ministers as sole shareholders.-History:Until...
and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
in the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. She entered service in 1977, operating the Rothesay crossing for the first decade of her career. Her ro-ro open car deck is accessible by stern and side ramps. She is the youngest and last remaining of three "streakers" in the Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
fleet.
Layout
MV Saturn was an evolution of the design used in the earlier and , that launched in 1974. Saturn incorporates a large open car deck towards the stern, with passenger accommodation and services towards the bow across three decks. The design is of the roll-on/roll-off type, with cars driving on via either the stern ramp or via one of the ramps amidships that lower to port and starboard respectivelyThe ship houses two passenger lounges, one with a cafeteria. There is crew accommodation on the upper deck and open-air passenger areas.
Unlike her quasi-sister ships, MV Jupiter and Juno, the ship's bridge is one deck above the top passenger deck. Passengers therefore have access right round the front of the ship, allowing views directly over the bow.
Service
Together with her sister ships, Saturn formed a new generation of car ferries built in the 1970s to serve the routes on the Firth of ClydeFirth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
. These ships were nicknamed the "Streakers" because of their greater speed (compared to what had served the area’s routes previously) and superb manoeuvrability (due to their novel propulsion units, which greatly reduced loading and unloading times at each end of her route).
With "Rothesay Ferry" emblazoned on her hull, Saturn operated primarily on the Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay is a village on the coast of the Firth of Clyde falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The name may derive from the Gaelic uaimh, meaning 'cave'...
– Rothesay crossing for much of her first decade. From 1986, a new rostering policy saw the three streakers switching between the Rothesay and Dunoon
Dunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
routes. The third vessel provided additional peak sailings on both crossings, served Kilcreggan
Kilcreggan
Kilcreggan is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.It developed on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde at a time when Clyde steamers brought it within easy reach of Glasgow at about 25 miles west of the centre of Glasgow by boat...
and, between 1993 and 1999, provided cruises on summer afternoons. Later, there were two vessels at Rothesay for most of the day.
Just as in the 1970s, the Streakers replaced an earlier generation, so they, after more than 35 years, were replaced by a new generation of CalMac
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
ferries designed for the Upper Firth. has been dismantled and on 25 June 2011, sister was towed from her long-term home on the River Clyde to be broken up in Denmark. and have been in service on the Rothesay route since 2007/2005. After Bute's introduction, Saturn moved down the firth to Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
, assisting on the Brodick crossing during summer. Saturn was the main ferry on the Dunoon route for the last 9 months of the vehicle crossing, until 29 June 2011, when the Caledonian MacBrayne vehicle service there finished. From 30 June 2011, vehicle traffic uses the Western Ferries
Western Ferries
Western Ferries is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Dunoon, Scotland. It currently operates on the River Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency service between Hunters Quay and Gourock in Inverclyde.-History:...
crossing at McInroy's Point. The Calmac group (as Argyll Ferries Ltd
Argyll Ferries Ltd
Argyll Ferries is a ferry company formed in January 2011 by parent company David MacBrayne Ltd to tender for the Dunoon to Gourock route. They were announced as the preferred bidder at the end of May 2011, with the service due to commence on 30 June of that year, subject to exchange of contracts on...
) still has an interest in the Dunoon route, with a 'passenger-only' service connecting with Scotrail's
Gourock Station
Gourock railway station
Gourock railway station is a terminus of the Inverclyde Line, located at Gourock pierhead and serving the town as well as the ferry services it was originally built for...
. The service was provided by and (leased from Clyde Marine Services), until the 'new to the Clyde' ten-year-old ferry (previously the 244 passenger MV Banrion Chonamara of the Irish Aran Island Service) was ready for service.. Saturn returned to assisting at Ardrossan, but was back on the Bute run on 20 August 2011 to provide extra sailings for the Bute Highland Games along with Bute and Argyle. She was rostered back to her old haunts at Gourock on 27 August 2011 to help out the smaller passenger ferries on the busiest weekend of the year for the Cowal Gathering (Highland Games) in Dunoon. She berthed at Rosneath as of 30 August 2011.
It now looks as if all the three 'Clyde Streakers' have met their demise from Caledonian MacBrayne and MV Saturn has now disappeared from the AIS radar transponder receivers.
As of 23/10/2011, MV Saturn is berthed at DRB Marine at Rosneath, at their large steamer quay, just opposite Helensburgh.