MV Loch Riddon

MV Loch Riddon (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Raodain) is a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited ro-ro car ferry, built in 1986 and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. After the first eleven years of her life in the Kyles of Bute, she served at Largs between 1997 and 2013. After a short spell as the Lismore vessel she returned to Largs in June 2014.

MV Loch Riddon at Largs
History
United Kingdom
Name:
Namesake: Loch Riddon, to the north of Bute
Owner: Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
Operator: Caledonian MacBrayne
Port of registry: Glasgow
Route: Largs–Cumbrae (summer) Relief (winter)
Builder: R.Dunston, Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire[1]
Yard number: H954
Launched: 9 April 1986
In service: 7 November 1986
Identification:
Status: in service
General characteristics
Class and type: ro-ro vehicle ferry
Tonnage:
Length: 30.2 m (99 ft 1 in)[1]
Beam: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)[1]
Draught: 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
Installed power: 6-cyl Volvo Penta
Propulsion: 2 × Voith Schneider Propellers
Speed: 9 kn (17 km/h)
Capacity: 200 passengers and 12 cars
Crew: 3

History

MV Loch Riddon was the third of four drive-through ferries built in the 1980s by Dunston’s of Hessle, to cope with increasing traffic on CalMac's smaller routes.[3]

Layout

The four vessels are based on the design of MV Isle of Cumbrae.[3] They have a second passenger lounge, on the port side, reducing the capacity of the car deck to 12.[3] The wheelhouse is painted red and given a black top, as she has no funnels as such.[3]

Service

MV Loch Riddon took up the Kyles of Bute crossing, between Colintraive and Rhubodach in November 1986, replacing the ex-Skye ferries, MV Portree and MV Broadford. She spent 11 years rarely venturing from this crossing.[3]

In 1997 Loch Riddon replaced her sister, MV Loch Striven at Largs.[3]

She sailed at first alongside her other sister ship, MV Loch Linnhe until she was replaced by MV Loch Alainn. These two ships sailed together for 10 years until 2007 when the new MV Loch Shira entered service displacing Loch Alainn. Loch Riddon remained employed at Largs in the summer and as a winter relief vessel until 2013 when Loch Striven took on her duties after being replaced by MV Hallaig. Loch Riddon replaced MV Eigg as the full-time Lismore vessel for a short period of time before returning to the Largs service.

References
  1. "MV Loch Riddon". CalMac. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  2. "Loch Riddon". Shipspotting. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  3. "Loch Riddon". Ships of Calmac. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
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