MV ''Loch Alainn'' ( gd, Loch Àlainn) is a

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (usually shortened to CMAL or CMAssets; Stòras Mara Cailleannach Earr in Scottish Gaelic) owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland, the Fir ...

ferry built in 1997 and operated by

Caledonian MacBrayne Caledonian MacBrayne ( gd, Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), usually shortened to CalMac, 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 ...

. Berthing problems on her intended route at

Fishnish Fishnish ( gd, Finnsinis) is a ferry terminal on the Isle of Mull, roughly halfway between Tobermory, Mull, Tobermory and Craignure. It is owned and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. It is served by the ferry that crosses the Sound of Mull to and ...

meant she began a decade of service at Largs. Since 2007, she has operated across the

Sound of Barra The Sound of Barra is a large ocean inlet or sound situated to the north of the isle of Barra and to the south of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Since 2014 it has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The Sound ...

History

''Loch Alainn'' was built for the new service from

Lochaline Lochaline ( gd, Loch Àlainn) is the main village in the Morvern area of Highland, Scotland. The coastal village is situated at the mouth of Loch Aline, on the northern shore of the Sound of Mull. A ferry operates regularly over to Fishnish on ...

. Launched in April 1997, she entered service in July. After just three weeks on her intended route, she developed a serious engine failure and was towed to dry dock on the Clyde, never to return to her intended route. In January 1999, she lost steering power approaching Largs slipway and was blown into the pier. Superficial damage required further time off for repairs.

Layout

''Loch Alainn'' is essentially a larger version of the 1996 . Her car deck can take four lanes of cars, with a passenger lounge on the starboard side and an open deck directly above that. The bridge is suspended over the car deck.

Service

''Loch Alainn'' entered service in July 1997, on the

Colintraive Colintraive ( gd, Caol an t-Snàimh) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Once the site where cattle were swum across the narrows to the Isle of Bute, the MV ''Loch Dunvegan'' — a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne — now provides ...

– Rhubodach route, allowing to move to

Largs Largs ( gd, An Leargaidh Ghallda) is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (''An Leargaidh'') in Scottish Gaelic. A popular seaside resort with a pier, the town mark ...

. After a short while she moved to the

Sound of Mull The Sound of Mull is a sound between the Inner Hebridean island of Mull and mainland Scotland. It forms part of the Atlantic Ocean. The Sound of Mull Project is a Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI) spatial plan of Argyl ...

to take over her intended route, the Fishnish – Lochaline crossing, while moved south to Colintraive. With a slightly deeper draught than her predecessor, she had problems at low tide at Fishnish. Her ramps required modification soon after her arrival. After just three weeks, she broke down with a serious engine failure and was towed to dry dock on the Clyde. After repairs, ''Loch Alainn'' re-entered service on the Colintraive service in February 1998. She then moved to

, becoming the main

Cumbrae Great Cumbrae ( sco, Muckle Cumbrae; gd, Cumaradh Mòr; also known as Great Cumbrae Island, Cumbrae or the Isle of Cumbrae) is the larger of the two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. The island is s ...

vessel from 14 May, with joining her through the summers. For a decade, until June 2007, she provided this service, with relief for overhaul from . She provided an emergency, round-the-clock service on the

Tarbert Tarbert ( gd, An Tairbeart) is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames ...

Portavadie Portavadie ( gd, Port a' Mhadaidh) is a village on the shores of Loch Fyne on the west coast of the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. The Portavadie complex was built by the then Scottish Office for the purpose of construc ...

crossing, following a landslide which completely blocked the

A83 road The A83 is a major road in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland, running from Tarbet, on the western shore of Loch Lomond, where it splits from the A82, to Campbeltown at the southern end of the Kintyre peninsula. Route From Tarbet the A8 ...

north of Tarbert, leaving

Kintyre Kintyre ( gd, Cinn Tìre, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East and West Loch Tarbert in the north. The region immediately north ...

isolated. Early in 2007, she underwent successful berthing trials at Ardmhor and

Eriskay Eriskay ( gd, Èirisgeigh), from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland with a population of 143, as of the 2011 census. It lies between South Uist and Barra and is ...

in the Western Isles. ''Loch Alainn'' was replaced at Largs, by the new and left the Clyde on 2 July. ''Loch Alainn'' became the dedicated

ferry, replacing on this increasingly busy route. In winter months, she became the Loch Class relief ferry, covering the overhauls of (Lochaline - Fishnish), (Colintraive - Rhubodach) and (Cumbrae).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loch Alainn Barra Caledonian MacBrayne 1997 ships Ships built in Scotland