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Some history of the "GLEN SANNOX" "KNOOZ" "AL BASMALAH I"

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#1 · (Edited)
Some history of the "GLEN SANNOX" "KNOOZ" "AL BASMALAH I"

T.S.M.V. ”GLEN SANNOX” / “KNOOZ” / “AL BASMALAH I ”

Propulsion: 2 Oil 2SA each 8cy 4400bhp 18 knots
Built: 1957
Ship Type: Passenger Car Ferry (1100Pax)
Tonnage: 1107 grt | 388 nrt | 301 dwt
Length: 256 feet 6
Breadth: 46 feet 3
Draught: 7 feet 6


T.S.M.V. Glen Sannox was built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company,
Yard No 496. she was launched on the 30th April 1957. (Applause)
(See B&W photograph of her after she was launched, still needing some work on her)

Her engines by Sulzer Bros Ltd Winterthur. She was built specially for the Caledonian Steam Packet Company, Glasgow primarily for the Ardrossan - Brodick route and was the third vessel to take the name of the famous valley on the isle of Arran. She was originally fitted with a hoist containing a pair of turntables in the transverse well near the aft end, this lowered vehicles to the tween decks where they were turned and driven prior to stowage. She was modified from this throughout her career.

The first GSWR vessel of the name was the majestic paddler of 1892 which, by the 1920s had become so expensive to run, that she was replaced in 1925 by a turbine steamer by the GSWR's successors, the LMS railway.

Whilst Glen Sannox (II) was little more than a repeat of turbines introduced 20 years earlier, the 1957-built "Sannox" was a thoroughly modern vessel. A purpose-built car-carrier she was most unlike a "Clyde Steamer" and whilst she had good accommodation forward, there was little open deck space.

She was, nevertheless, to become very popular, but was ousted from the route once the CSP invested in the former Swedish ferry "Stena Baltica" and brought her to the Clyde as the new "Caledonia". Although a drive-through vessel and, in principle, able to turn round traffic at a much faster rate, she was never entirely successful on the route and Brodick was never adequately served until the arrival of the Isle of Arran, another vessel purpose-built for the route.

In the winter of 1970-71 she was substantially modified, with the crane and superstructure aft being removed and a ramp built for stern loading at link-spans. She was used on Clyde ferry sailings from Gourock and Rothesay and in 1977 took over from the withdrawn Queen Mary as Cal-Mac's cruise vessel, with tables and parasols placed on the large open car deck. She was not entirely suitable for such a role and spent her latter years under Cal-Mac ownership in the Western Isles.

As new tonnage was continuously placed on Cal-Mac services, she became surplus to requirements and was sold out of the fleet in 1989. She went to Greece and latterly the Red Sea ferrying pilgrims from Africa to the Saudi port of Jeddah. She was renamed from “GLEN SANNOX” to “KNOOZ” in 1990, then she was renamed in the middle 90’s from “KNOOZ” to “AL BASMALAH I” She is understood to have been scraped between April and October 2000. (Gleam)
 

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#3 ·
Those were the days......

I remember the Glen Sannox coming into Rothesay,which was where I lived when I was a boy. I remember her well. A few weeks ago I travelled from West Yorkshire (Where I live now) to Rothesay to observe naming ceremony of the New MV Bute, Now there's a vessel and a half!!! If anyone has photographs of the Gles Sannox in various guises, I'd love to see them.
 
#5 ·
i sailed on this ship regulary in 80s on school activity week we left gourock at 8.20am monday for cambeltown 1400 return 8.30 pm what i liked was there was so much of a ship to explore on such a long trip i liked the huge cardeck with turn table at bow you could see the engine room feel hear power she did vibratate on berthing but she was powerfull on open cardeck you got regular scents of diesel fuel whilst sitting in deck chair it wasnt as gracefull as queenmary but i still enjoyed its charms . another thing i liked was whilst standing at wemyss bay pier on fri night when she berthed she would often wallop pier we knew this would happen. but the odd person would get caught out and stumble or fall also when car ramp went up we would look down at propelers when leaving pier water shot up onto link span soaking it sometimes pier attendant got wet aswell
 
#6 ·
I can agree with all that Stewart says, she was a fine ship and those school trips were excellent. What a shame that she ended up being scrapped, there is one of the last pictures taken of her as she lies grounded (taken somewhere in the red sea area I would think) on the Cal-Mac ships of the fleet website.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Glen Sannox trying to sail again

Hello Every body......
whilst I was sailing through the net I found your forum, which I liked it so much.
I hope you accept me as a friend here.
I found you talking about my ship Al-Basmalah which laid up in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
but I did not know she was named Knooz, I really liked this name (Applause) it means in our language hoards. (Gleam)
At Perama, the former GLEN SANNOX was massively rebuilt for further service – seemingly on the busy Red Sea Muslim pilgrim-trade – and subsequently sailed under various names: NADIA, AL MARWAH and AL BASMALAH.
This much-loved Clyde and West Highland ferry appears finally to have been laid up, being scrapped in the summer of 2000.
I have some pictures of Glen sannox have taken in 2005 where she still surviving. (egg) enjoy them.....
now we are trying to take her out of under water.
 

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#8 ·
khalid,

Welcome to SN and thank you for your update on ex Glen Sannox. (Thumb)

I spent many hours on board Glen Sannox on the Clyde and when she was on the Kennacraig to Islay service. (Applause)

Sad to see your 2005 photographs of a fine old lady. Where is she lying in your pictures? :mad:
 
#9 ·
Spent three days sailing between the Islands on the Glen Sannox in 1989 inspecting her for a possible sale and conversion to a mini cruise ship for the Caribbean. Followed up a few weeks later with in water inspection by conversion contractors when she was laying up on completion of service with Cal-Mac. Couldn't understand a word the crew were saying with their accents but they were all most hospitable and introduced me to some of the finest Malts.
She was certified by DOT as a coastal passenger vessel and as such was not classed by any Classification Society which, although she was sound and in classable condition, would have cost a small fortune to have her classed by Lloyd's with their exhorbidant fees. Tried to get an ex-brother in law of mine, who was with Bureau Veritas to accept her as is, but he wouldn't go along with the scheme, but I think that was because I dumped him with our ex-mother in law as a permanent guest some years previously rather than anything to do with the grand old lady. The electrics where also in need of considerable upgrading but the rest of the vessels was in good condition having been built in the days when British shipbuilders still put pride and quality into their work.
Made a cheeky offer to Cal-Mac for her which was politely declined, sorry to hear of her demise, she deserved better, despite the wheelhouse being no bigger than a shoe box.
Made a cheeky offer to Cal-Mac for her
 
#11 · (Edited)
Hello every body...

What I noted in many sites, especially this site, That many people had fantastic memories on Glen Sannox.
And This what makes her condition very sad now.

But who knows? may be some day, she will sail again.

Gulpers, R58484956,

Thank you for welcoming me.

___________________
Best wishes,
 
#12 ·
khalid,

I'm really grateful for your input on Glen Sannox. I knew the ship from my childhood through to my mid thirties. I must thank you for giving Fairfield permission to post your photographs elsewhere because there are many Clydesiders, all over the world, who will be very interested in your update. Sadly, I would be amazed if she ever sails again! (Thumb)
 
#13 · (Edited)
Hello, Gulpers,

You are welcome,
It's my pleasure to meet some one lived with that much memories, in the past, on my ship, ( especially his childhood ).
And If you would like to watch more pictures and some films about her? just tell me and I will send them to you.

and, I will be grateful if you can tell me about the cost of Glen sannox's constructing.
Or if there is a link where I can find it out.

___________________
Best wishes,
 
#14 · (Edited)
khalid said:
Hello, Gulpers,

You are welcome,
It's my pleasure to meet some one lived with that much memories, in the past, on my ship, ( especially his childhood ).
And If you would like to watch more pictures and some films about her? just tell me and I will send them to you.

and, I will be grateful if you can tell me about the cost of Glen sannox's constructing.
Or if there is a link where I can find it out.

___________________
Best wishes,
khalid,

Sorry, I don't know her construction cost but I will try to find out for you. I would appreciate any other material you have on Glen Sannox - that would be most interesting.

The only photograph I have of Glen Sannox is posted on our Gallery here;

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/9900/password/0/sort/1/cat/all/page/1

Feel free to use it as you wish.

Ray (Thumb)
 
#15 ·
#16 · (Edited)
Gulpers,

thank you, thank you very much (Applause)

you do not know how much I suffered to find out this Information about Glen sannox, But I thought she cost more and more than this amount.
Ok, now I'll read them all from the links you added.(Thumb)

I hope you saw My album update last night.

Best Regards,


_____________________
Best wishes,
 
#18 ·
khalid said:
Gulpers,

thank you, thank you very much (Applause)

you do not know how much I suffered to find out this Information about Glen sannox, But I thought she cost more and more than this amount.
Ok, now I'll read them all from the links you added.(Thumb)

I hope you saw My album update last night.

Best Regards,


_____________________
Best wishes,
Yes khalid,

I've seen your album update - very artistic (Applause)
 
#19 · (Edited)
A couple more photos of "Glen Sannox" I took as a youth - not sure when they were taken but certainly taken at Gourock pier during a call there and early in her life. It was either an Easter or Summer holidays period but I remember it was my first sight of her - the first CSP vessel over a thousand tons gross and a "huge" advance on the ABC ferries?

------------
Mike.
 

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#20 ·
khalid said:
Hello Every body......
whilst I was sailing through the net I found your forum, which I liked it so much.
I hope you accept me as a friend here.
I found you talking about my ship Al-Basmalah which laid up in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
but I did not know she was named Knooz, I really liked this name (Applause) it means in our language hoards. (Gleam)
At Perama, the former GLEN SANNOX was massively rebuilt for further service – seemingly on the busy Red Sea Muslim pilgrim-trade – and subsequently sailed under various names: NADIA, AL MARWAH and AL BASMALAH.
This much-loved Clyde and West Highland ferry appears finally to have been laid up, being scrapped in the summer of 2000.
I have some pictures of Glen sannox have taken in 2005 where she still surviving. (egg) enjoy them.....
now we are trying to take her out of under water.
Hi Khalid
Good luck in your efforts to save the Glen Sannox, a ship I remember well from my youth. Where is she moored in your picture? She looks a sorry sight. Were the two on board pictures taken at the same time as the one showing her "down at the head"? If so, you are a brave man!
Rgds
Copey
 
#21 ·
Sorry to be pedantic, but just to put the record straight, the subject GLEN SANNOX was the fourth, not third vessel to carry the name.

While I have no details of her provenance other than she was built at Ardrossan,(or possibly Saltcoats), the sail trading smack, GLEN SANNOX, sailed in the same waters as the aforementioned three GLEN SANNOX. Owned by William Kelso, of Corrie , Isle of Arran, and assisted as crew by his son, the late Alastair Kelso, she traded around the Clyde, but pricipally carrying red sandstone from the quarry at Corrie (and as far as Rhum for the building of a mansion thereon) with return cargoes from the mainland,of coal to Arran. She ceased to trade and was sold out of the Clyde, when (father) William retired and in 1929, his son Alastair, became part owner (and skipper)of the puffer ROMAN, which carried on the trade until the late 1950's

Tom
 
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