ROUTES
OPERATED |
 Main
Crossings
Kyle of Lochalsh - Kyleakin |
 |
 |
Kyle of Lochalsh - Kyleakin |
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Crossing Time: 5 minutes |
|
Last Ships:
Loch
Dunvegan / Loch
Fyne |
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ROUTE TIMELINE: |
Ships To Serve: |
|
 |
Pre 1970:
Lochalsh /
Kyleakin / Portree
/ Broadford
/ Coruisk
1970:
Kyleakin
1971 - 1990:
Lochalsh
/ Kyleakin
1991 - 1995:
Loch
Dunvegan / Loch
Fyne
Additional Ships:
Isle
of Cumbrae and various members of the 'Island
Class' |
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Terminal Facilities: |
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Kyle of Lochalsh: Slipways next to the
town centre. The main slipway was widened and enhanced ready for the
introduction of end-loading ferries. This is now used as a car park next
to the Kyle of Lochalsh Hotel.
Kyleakin: Slipway
built out at the end of the village. Very minimal facilities at the
terminal due to the high frequency of service. |
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Route History: |
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Despite being well into David MacBrayne territory, the short crossing from
Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland to Kyleakin on Skye was operated for many
years by the Caledonian Stem Packet Company (CSP). The route was quickly
established as the main route across to the island and as such there were,
for a while, a fleet of five small ferries operating the route. At first
there were turntable ferries - a familiar sight across the west coast not
so long ago. These ferries could carry six cars on every crossing but it
became clear that more capacity was required. It was for this reason that
three new side loading vessels, Portree,
Broadford,
and finally Coruisk
were introduced in the late stages of the 1960s. |
|
These latest ships had a capacity of 9 cars on their open car decks, but
by the end of the decade, even with these three ferries running alongside
the two remaining turntable ferries; Kyleakin
and Lochalsh,
larger ships were urgently needed as traffic queues often stretched back
to four hours in length. |
|
Kyleakin loading at Kyle of Lochalsh |
The first of these new ferries was launched in early 1970 and entered
service on 14th August of that year under the name Kyleakin.
She was basically the forerunner of what is now known as he 'Loch Class' and
could carry up to 28 cars on her spacious car deck. Ramps at either end of
the car deck allowed unloading and reloading to be carried out in a matter
of minutes. The new ferry was an instant success and the queues were gone.
To add to this success the new Lochalsh
joined Kyleakin
on 31st March the following year. |
|
Loch Dunvegan sitting at Kyleakin |
Loch Fyne and Loch Dunvegan in the Kyle
|
|
For twenty years these two ferries plied their way to and fro across Loch
Alsh. Disquiet grew throughout the late 1980s about the lack of night
sailings and it was only a matter of time before 24 hour running was
instigated. This began at the turn of the decade with sailings every half
hour from each terminal using one of the two ferries.
Into the 1990s history repeated itself and traffic grew to previously
unrecorded levels, prompting Calmac (which had inherited the route in
1973) to order the largest ever double-ended ferries to ply the west
coast.
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|
Loch Dunvegan was first into service, replacing the Lochalsh
on 27th May 1991. She could carry 36 cars on each sailing, as could her
sister Loch Fyne which entered service on 12th September, spelling redundancy
for the Kyleakin
in the process. These two new sisters operated the crossing to the end of
its days. Even as they entered service the end for the crossing had been
confirmed as the go ahead for the Skye Bridge had been given.
And so it was, for four years the Loch Dunvegan and Loch Fyne kept the Kyleakin crossing running 24 hours a day, every day
as the bridge slowly took shape in the background. The last sailings
between Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin took place on October 16th 1995 as
the bridge was opened. It fell to the Loch Fyne to carry out the last ever sailing and upon completion both
she and her sister had their ramps folded and they sailed to the
James Watt Dock on the Clyde.
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Photos by Ships of CalMac
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SoC Links |
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To see a more detailed description of the islands and photos, visit
Undiscovered Scotland and click on a place. |
