|
|
|
|
Cairnryan
|
| |
|
| |
Cairnryan is a small Scottish village overlooking Loch Ryan and is notable today for its large modern ferry port which opened in 1973, originally operated by Townsend Thoresen and now by P&O Ferries, which links Scotland with Larne in Northern Ireland. The village has been of vital importance in maritime history.
Overview
During World War II, Cairnryan became No.2 Military Port, and three harbour piers and a military railway linking the village with nearby Stranraer were built by the army.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Cairnryan' Start a new discussion about 'Cairnryan' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Cairnryan is a small Scottish village overlooking Loch Ryan and is notable today for its large modern ferry port which opened in 1973, originally operated by Townsend Thoresen and now by P&O Ferries, which links Scotland with Larne in Northern Ireland. The village has been of vital importance in maritime history.
Overview
During World War II, Cairnryan became No.2 Military Port, and three harbour piers and a military railway linking the village with nearby Stranraer were built by the army. Only one of the piers still remains, one was dismantled and another was destroyed in an ammunition explosion shortly after the war. The remaining pier is now in a state of disrepair and is fenced off to the public. However many anglers still take their chances and use the pier as its offers rich pickings for a variety of seafish such as mackerel, cod, dogfish, mullet and plaice.
Thousands of troops were based locally in military camps. At the end of the war, the Atlantic U-Boat fleet surrendered in Loch Ryan and was anchored in the port before being towed to the North Channel and scuttled. This activity was codenamed Operation Deadlight.
For a period after the war, the port was used to load superfluous ammunition onto army landing craft for disposal at sea - a hazardous task, which took the lives of several at the port, while the long-term and wider risks of such dumping have only later become more evident.It ceased in the early 1960s when most of the military infrastructure was abandoned, then dismantled, apart from one of the military jetties which remains, albeit in a perilous state.
Ship breaking then became the main industry; the great British aircraft carriers HMS Centaur, HMS Blake, HMS Eagle, HMS Mohawk and most famously HMS Ark Royal were all sent here for decommissioning. As recently as 1990, Russian submarines were being dismantled here for scrap.
Future
Its status as an important ferry port looks to be secured, with P&O Irish Sea continuing to depart from Cairnryan and Stena Line has also received planning permission to build a separate terminal at Old House Point, including docking facilites for the HSS fast ferry.
This means a major financial investment in the North Channel routes, and significant long term security for the village and the wider Loch Ryan basin. This decision, however, may have more questionable effects on the small ribbon village itself. All traffic using the North Channel route will be passing through Cairnryan, potentially causing significant congestion, noise and inconvenience; and some argue that the planning authority has missed a trick in not insisting on the reinstatement of the rail link as a condition of planning permission. The concentration of boats themselves may also cause significant amounts of noise and air pollution, docking as they will be, so close to the village
Links
|
| |
|
|
