Veteran CalMac Arran ferry Caledonian Isles' return delayed 4 more days as engineers battle to fix fault
Gearbox glitch the latest of a series of problems stretching back nearly 18 months The veteran CalMac ferry whose repairs are approaching an unprecedented 18 months has had its return to service delayed yet again as engineers battle the latest fault.
Passengers will not now sail again aboard Caledonian Isles for another four days after the operator announced on Tuesday the vessel won’t be back on the Ardrossan to Brodick route until Wednesday, June 25.
The announcement comes as another setback for Arran islanders desperate for a resumption of the link after a five-month gap. It is a shorter crossing than the other route from Troon and has a direct rail connection to Glasgow.
The latest in a long series of delays follows previous plans for the 32-year-old ferry to resume sailings on Thursday last week, then last Friday, then on Saturday, June 21.
Engineers are still trying to fix a new gearbox problem discovered during sea trials following lengthy repairs in a dry dock in Greenock, which followed major work at a yard on Merseyside. The ferry has been out of service since its annual overhaul in January last year. CalMac said it would provide a further update on Monday.
Its spokesperson said on Tuesday: “Efforts to resolve the gearbox issue are ongoing, with several potential root causes having been eliminated over the past few days. The vessel will undertake further trials today to gather data.”
The firm said gearbox manufacturer Kongsberg was sending a technical specialist to the vessel who is due to arrive on Thursday after providing remote support.
The spokesperson said: “The trials undertaken ahead of Thursday will gather more data to help CalMac and Kongsberg diagnose and resolve the problem.
“Whilst we recognise a further delay is disappointing, we have taken the decision to extend the return date into next week to provide customers and the community with certainty ahead of the weekend.”
CalMac said its new vessel Glen Sannox and the catamaran Alfred chartered from Pentland Ferries in Orkney would continue to operate between Troon and Brodick.
The spokesperson said: “Continuing to have Alfred as part of the fleet means that we can honour all customer bookings, so visitors can still travel to and from Arran as planned.
“Once repaired, Caledonian Isles will need a further two days of sea trials before a full return to service.”
