MV Glen Sannox goes into her regular service tomorrow

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Every digit crossed that this works out. Umpteen years late, four times the original budget, still lots of snagging, can't operate out of Ardrossan and no idea when she might be able to, getting to Troon from Brodick takes 20 minutes longer than crossing to Ardrossan, transfer to Troon station is far more of a faff, etc etc. But at least she's there.

(Hoping to be on her in a few weeks on my next visit north.)

Saw her today just off the beach at Barassie! Here’s hoping 😀

I really hope it works out for hte people of Arran but really this is not a celebration.

Indeed it is not. I am Scottish but don't live in Scotland. The incompetence of the SNP is breathtaking. Single issue party, took their eye off the ball of the bread and butter issues every government should be looking after. See also: every other political party in the UK which has had power in the UK parliament or one of the devolved bodies. Our politicians don't seem to be doing a good job at all.

I remember passing her everyday at Ferguson's in the Port. I've moved now, so I didn't realise it had finally made it in to service. I presumed it would be turned in to a floating museum as a testament to the efficiency of the SNP, or as a warning to future generations. I've lived in island communities, so I know how crucial the ferries are. Here's wishing every success to the folks who'll depend on her.

The cost of the Arran ferries is far more than reported to just build the Glen Sannox. A friend and her family travelled to Arran back in December on a Saturday morning for a celebration at Auchrannie, plan was to stay one night and return on the Sunday. A combination of bad weather and shit ferries meant that they could not get back to the mainland until Wednesday.

So CalMac (government run, so the Scottish taxpayer) funded their accommodation for another three nights, plus paid out £30 per person per night towards food. Now multiply that sort of cost over the six years they have been building the new ferry and it must run into hundreds of thousands.

I’m desperate to get over to Arran this year after several futile attempts.
I should do a public service announcement when I’m thinking of going.
It’s guaranteed to cue terrible weather and/ or broken ferry.

Troon, rather than Ardrossan is so inconvenient but let’s pray the service will be better than the woeful ‘service’ of the past few years.

I feel like that too, @DogBiscuitsInPocket! I travel from London by train and last year I had three unplanned overnight stays in hotels because I couldn't get the ferry in the afternoon. Two of them were because of weather and the other one was because of overrunning engineering work outside Euston so I didn't get to Glasgow till nearly 6pm instead of just after 1pm. We had another trip where we had to go over to Edinburgh and get the East Coast line back because of floods at Carlisle. Fun, fun, fun.