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 She was used on Clyde ferry sailings from Gourock and Rothesay and in 1977 took over from the withdrawn Queen Mary as Cal-Mac's cruise vessel, with tables and parasols placed on the large open car deck.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)
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)