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Ailsa Shipbuilding Company

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Ailsa Shipbuilding Company
Company typePrivate
IndustryShipbuilding
Founded1885
Defunct2000
FateClosed
HeadquartersTroon and Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland

Ailsa Shipbuilding Company was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Troon and Ayr, Ayrshire.

Steam yacht Andria. Launched 18 Feb 1897

History

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The company was founded in 1885 by Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa, along with Peter James Wallace and Alexander McCredie.

In 1902 the Ailsa yard fitted out the polar exploration ship Scotia for the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition of 1902–04. The Scotia sailed from Troon for the South Atlantic on 2 November 1902.[1]

The company built paddle steamers for various companies around the UK, including the New Medway Shipping Company's PS Medway Queen, the only estuary paddle steamer left in the UK.

During the First World War, the shipyard built the Royal Navy's first paddle minesweeper of the Racecourse class.[2]

During the Second World War, Ailsa built vessels for the Navy, including several Bangor-class minesweepers.

In 1977 Ailsa was nationalised and subsumed into the British Shipbuilders Corporation. In 1981, the assets of Ailsa and those of Ferguson Brothers were merged to form Ferguson-Ailsa, Limited. This grouping was split and privatised in 1986, the Ailsa yard being acquired by Perth Corporation as Ailsa & Perth, Limited.

Ailsa stopped large-scale shipbuilding in 1988 and finally closed as a shipbuilder in 2000.[3] The yard has recently been used for ship repair work and the fabrication of large concrete sections for a pier improvement programme in Grimsay, Western Isles.[4]

Ships built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company

[edit]
Yard No Name Type Launch Notes
4 SS Lady Ailsa Cargo ship 4 January 1888 renamed Belgian Prince
53 SV Dalblair[5] Steel sailing vessel 3-masted barque 1895 Lost in a cyclone off Mauritius in 1902[6]
68 SS Tobruk Italian Navy gunboat 1897 Built as yacht Evona - since 1912 RN Tobruk
70 SS Hebrides Passenger ship 24 March 1898
78 SS Katoomba Patrol ship 28 December 1898 renamed USS Emeline
82 SS The Marchioness[7] General Cargo Coaster 22 August 1899 Sunk by a U-Boat 1916
105 MY Triton Motor yacht 1902 now Madiz
121 HMS Warrior[8] Yacht 4 February 1904 Requisitioned by Admiralty 1917 and 1939; at Dunkirk evacuation; sank off Portland after air attack 11 July 1940
294 HMS Aphis Gunboat 15 September 1915
297 HMS Ascot Minesweeper 26 January 1916
298 HMS Atherstone Minesweeper 4 April 1916
299 HMS Chelmsford Minesweeper 14 June 1916
332 HMS James Cosgrove Minesweeper 5 March 1919
334 HMS Aberdare Minesweeper 29 April 1918
335 HMS Abingdon Minesweeper 11 June 1918
336 HMS Albury Minesweeper 21 November 1918
338 HMS Alresford Minesweeper 17 January 1919
345 HMS Appledore Minesweeper 15 August 1919
388 PS Medway Queen Paddle steamer 23 April 1924
396 SS Scillonian Passenger vessel 17 November 1925
432 HMS Rye Minesweeper 19 August 1940
437 HMS Hythe Minesweeper 4 September 1941
439 HMS Clacton Minesweeper 19 December 1941
452 HMS Loch Tarbert[9] Frigate 19 October 1944
453 HMS Loch Veyatie[10] Frigate 8 October 1945
473 HMS Bottisham Minesweeper 16 February 1953
474 HMS Brantingham Minesweeper 4 December 1953
480 MV Cowal Ferry 20 January 1954
481 MV Bute Ferry 28 September 1954
483 HMS Elsenham Minesweeper 25 May 1955
484 HMS Etchingham Minesweeper 9 December 1957
487 HMS Ockham Minesweeper 12 May 1959
488 HMS Ottringham Minesweeper 22 January 1958
496 MV Glen Sannox Ferry 30 April 1957
499 MV Lochalsh (II) Ferry 1957 renamed Scalpay
500 MV Container Enterprise[11] Container ship 19 February 1959 subsequently Iscar I , Sea Container, Isamar, Freedom Express; Scuttled 2003
501 MV Container Venturer[12] Container ship 14 August 1959 subsequently Trupial, Sea Mist, Skorpion I, Jeanny Cay II
506 MV Slieve Donard[13] Cargo ship 1 October 1959
507 MV St. Clair Passenger 29 April 1960
508 MV Cerdic Ferry Ferry 16 February 1961
509 MV Doric Ferry Ferry 27 October 1961
510 MV Kyleakin Ferry 1961 renamed Largs
517 MV Bowbelle Aggregate dredger 11 May 1964 Involved in the sinking of the Marchioness on the River Thames in 1989. Renamed Billo in 1992 and Bom Rei in 1996. Sank off the coast of Madeira in March 1996.[14]
529 MV Glenachulish Ferry 1969
530 MV Iona Ferry 22 January 1970 renamed Pentalina-B
531 MV Coruisk Ferry 26 June 1969
533 MV Mona's Queen Diesel ferry 22 December 1971
547 MS Lady of Mann Ferry 4 December 1975 renamed Panagia Soumela
551 MV Isle of Cumbrae Ferry 23 December 1976
552 MV Saturn Ferry 30 June 1977
553 LT Relume Lighthouse Tender 5 July 1978
554 MV Lochmor Ferry 11 June 1979
555 MV Goleniow Bulk Carrier 9 April 1979
556 MV Cambourne Suction Hopper Dredger 12 June 1980
557 MT Traguair Gas Tanker 21 August 1981 Her forward part was built at Ferguson's, Port Glasgow, yard 485. Both were launched on the same day, being completed at Ferguson's.[15]
558 MV Star Vega Offshore Supply Vessel 1 November 1982
559 MT Tarihiko LPG Tanker 29 March 1983
560 MV Simba II Firefighting Tug 21 October 1983
561 MV Nguvu II Firefighting Tug 31 January 1984
562 MV Chui Firefighting Tug 5 April 1984
563 MV Duma Firefighting Tug 28 June 1984
564 MV Faru Firefighting Tug 5 October 1984
565 MV M.V.A. Hopper Barge 11 February 1985
566 MV Fivla Ferry 12 February 1985
567 MV Fort Resolution Offshore Supply Vessel 17 October 1985
568 MV Fort Reliance Offshore Supply Vessel 28 March 1986 Not delivered until 1989, by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd.
569 MV Seaforth Earl Offshore Supply Vessel 3 October 1985
570 MV Seaforth Baronet Offshore Supply Vessel 7 March 1986
571 RV Corystes Research vessel 11 August 1986
573 MV Graemsay[16] Ferry 1996
574 FV Aeolus Fishing Vessel Trawler 1997 First fishing vessel built by Ailsa, Troon.[17]
575 FV Russa Taign Fishing Vessel Trawler November 1997
576 FV Solstice II Fishing Vessel Trawler 17 November 1997
577 FV Atlantic Challange Fishing Vessel Trawler 12 September 1998
578 HMS Tracker Naval Patrol & Training Vessel January 1998
579 HMS Raider Naval Patrol & Training Vessel 1997
582 HMS A.01 Naval Landing Craft 30 July 1999 Modified by BAE systems, Govan after Ailsa shipyard closed, including the build of the remaining of the class of 10 vessels for the Royal Navy.
583 HMS A.02 Naval Landing Craft 25 November 1999
592 MV Lochnevis[18] Ferry 8 May 2000
Sources: Miramar,[19] Clyde Ships[20]

Archives

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The Ailsa Shipbuilding Company archives are maintained by the University of Glasgow Archives Services.[21]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "William S. Bruce". South Pole.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  2. ^ "HM Ships As extracted from Jane's Fighting Ships for 1919". Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  3. ^ Ayrshire shipyard closing BBC News, 18 August 2000
  4. ^ "Huge concrete box due for harbour". BBC News. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  5. ^ "Dalblair". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Pointe D'Esny – Ship Wreck of the Dalblair – 1902". Vintage Mauritius. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  7. ^ "The Marchioness". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Warrior". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  9. ^ "HMS Loch Tarbert". Naval-History.Net. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  10. ^ "HMS Loch Veyatie". Naval-History.Net. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  11. ^ "Container Enterprise". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Container Venturer". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Slieve Donard". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Scottish Built Ships", www.clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Motor Vessel TRAQUAIR built by Ailsa Shipbuilders (BS) in 1982 for Anchor Line Ltd. - George Gibson & Co. Ltd., Tanker". clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Graemsay". Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Motor Vessel AEOLUS built by Ailsa-Troon Ltd. in 1997 for George Jack, Dunure & Scotprime Seafoods Ltd, Ayr, Fishing". clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Lochnevis - History". Ships of Calmac. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Shipyard search results for "1015"". Miramar. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  20. ^ "Vessel list". clydeships.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Records of Ailsa Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Troon, East Ayrshire, Scotland". from Glasgow University Archive Catalogue. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2009.


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