A Presentation on Ferry options.

Posted byiainlawson27Posted inUncategorizedTags:, , ,

This is a presentation by Dr Alf Baird to the SNP Branch in Orkney. While he is discussing the Orkney Ferries the comparisons he uses are equally true for other ferry routes in Scotland. It is produced on YFS with the kind permission of Dr Baird and Mike Robertson from the SNP Branch in Orkney. It is relatively short lasting 16 minutes.

There really is no excuse for continuing with the failed and hugely expensive ferry programme based on outdated and much less efficient designs. It is just failure and expense for no logical reason other than an unwillingness to accept they got this wrong, badly wrong.

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland.

Advertisement

19 thoughts on “A Presentation on Ferry options.”

    1. Thanks for posting this, Clootie. unfortunately i fear robin is correct in his conclusions, whih is very depressing. for scotland and for me personally. in my mid 80’s, I see not prospect of independence this year or next and do not expect to be here by the General Election after.
      I can only hope that Robin’s alternative propsals will turn out to be something that all of us who want Scotland to be free of Westminster rule can get behind.
      If his ideas are similar to those of Salvo and the long suppressed constitutional position of Scotland, they might work.

      Liked by 7 people

  3. Sadly good sensible knowledgeable people like Alf are not part of Nicola’s in-crowd. Fair play to the SNP branch in Orkney for inviting him to enlighten them.

    Liked by 10 people

  4. In my opinion Catamarans overwhelmingly win the argument and Alf’s presentation backs this up. Having lived in both Orkney, living in Kirkwall, teaching in the North Isles and Shetland living and teaching in the North Isles, ferries are a vital lifeline to these communities.Having been on the Pentilina from Gills Bay, near John O Groats to St Margarets Hope in Orkney I have been on a catamaran ferry and was most impressed by it. They are seldom unable to sail due to adverse weather conditions which is a huge advantage to island life ie food supplies, medical emergencies etc.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Here is a summary today by Roddy Macleod of where we were when Salmond handed over the reins.

      ” She inherited from Alex Salmond everything that was required to take Scotland out of the Union. A slick well oiled Government succeeding in every aspect of Scottish governance. True progressive policies enacted like free University education, free prescriptions, bus passes, free home care for the elderly, and many more too. She had a party with 115,000 members and growing. A YES Campaign group in the tens of thousands that was the envy of political parties throughout the democratic world. They were ready at the drop of a hat to campaign for independence, indeed, in 2015 they proved that when the SNP won 56 out of 59 Scottish Parliamentary seats at Westminster.

      A united political party with a healthy bank balance and a country ripe for the next phase of its independence struggle. *

      As a summary its absolutely bang on. That’s where we were and that is where we could be again. The enthusiasm for independence has not gone away. And that is where we could be again. But we nerd to get rid of Sturgeon and the frustraters.

      And we will.Her and her ilkd time is coming to an end and the dogs in the street know it. Our Gauleiter has played her last bad card.

      And the ferries. We’ll there’s a bigger issue than that and it’s called the Green Ports recently announced.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Willie. Out driving today I only heard a few of the speeches made by the SNP MPs in Westminster regarding Westminster’s “interference”.I heard passion, indignation and anger such as I have never heard from them when discussing independence. All very telling. They need to go.

        Liked by 5 people

  5. Brilliant stuff Alf.

    Everywhere we look, we are suffocated with nonsense from a deluded SNP, and it’s so refreshing to hear and see a cogent presentation of good sense and practical application.

    I think you’re an ideas factory Alf, something that Scotland desperately needs. If you were a Scottish Minister for Trade and Industry, Scotland wouldn’t currently be threatened by the haven smuggling and piracy of a Green Freeport designed to plunder Scotland’s Tax take and accelerate de-convergence of standards in port facilities owned by Hedge Funds, nor would we be embarrassed by Scotland’d ferries debacle. What a disgrace.

    Instead, we’d have Scottish made Ballantyne catamaran ferries already in the water, running efficient services to our island communities, a shot in the arm for Scottish shipbuilding, a new passenger terminal at Cockenzie opening links to Europe, and a massive Bulk Container processing facility at Scapa Flow, perhaps with Scottish built ferries running in and out of there too.

    And that’s just the start. The opportunity these ventures open up is humbling.

    I forget why now, but a wee while ago, I was reading up about Scotland’s Clyde Puffers, and how these wee boats were shallow enough draft, but sturdily built, to beach themselves on the sandy shorelines of island communities, and off load cargo while the tide was out.

    There aren’t any puffers any more, smaller communities, a combination of better ferries and reduced reliance upon coal I believe, but you’d think that a more vibrant island community and infrastructure might support a well liked tradition and maybe bring some element of it back. I don’t know if the Spanish John is still sailing, a WW2 Landing craft if I remember right. (I see on Google there’s a “new” Spanish John 2, itself laid down over 20 years ago…).

    That’s not for nostalgia, but for stimulating commerce and prosperity. I wonder too whether there’s an opportunity for drones and aerial light freight activity.

    It’s not just the notion to rekindle the romance of bygone ages, but a wee fleet of wee boats need building, the boats need crews, maintenance, mechanics, operators, shore facilities, … and suddenly you’re creating the chance for a community to exist and base itself wherever it suits, and neglected jetties and harbour infrastructure suddenly needing an overhaul… more jobs.

    Personally, stonework is my field, but I’d like to see regulations something along the line like low cost housing; maybe for every 10 bridges or walls built in concrete, maybe 1 has to be built with traditional skills and methods, and thus we regenerate another tradition, and diversify the viability of another career for our youth. ALL of these traditions, trades and crafts badly need root and branch revitalisation.

    Suppose too, that Scapa Flow wasn’t just a bare bones functional terminal, but planned to become a prestige development, maybe construction deliberately staggered over decades, but designed with the express intention of showcasing Scottish skills, engineering and traditional craftsmanship, and our wee Scottish ferries docked at wee Scottish ports with a wee bit thought and flare in their design. Maybe Scottish designers would approach these “functional” design briefs the way Hector Guimard once applied himself to the “prosaic” function of an entrance to the Paris Metro… not to copy Paris, but exhibit Scotland’s own capacity for flare in design.

    When the Lord of the Rings films came out, almost as good as the films were the supporting DVD’s detailing how the designers created distinctive individual styles and architectures for dwarves, elves, hobbits, plains based horse masters, and a bespoke civic scale advanced architecture… And all of that for “just” a film. But suppose we drew inspiration from that, from Paris, maybe Fortingall, and actually developed a modern and identifiable Scottish aesthetic befitting of Scotland’s Independent resurrection….

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Hi Breeks the puffers are not coming back but smaller coastal shipping is a thing again here on the West coast shipping bulky cargo like timber from the remote areas of the highlands and islands. Not only is it an efficient way to move a bulky cargo it also saves our roads and on this island our creaking ferry service from hundreds if not thousands of lorry journeys per year.

      Liked by 4 people

  6. Lets turn Salvo into the new Peoples Party, we need their passion and desire to serve the country rather than themselves or the party, the Launch of a new party will be hard for MSM to ignore, and when folks here Alf and Sarah, and others talk, then they will have our ‘Wallace’ we Scots a re a passionate lot, look at the tears chocked when singing Flower of Scotland in unison, we need that passion brought back to the people, I think we already have the talented folk to do it.

    Liked by 4 people

  7. Do you people not realise that we, the SNP/SG, are under attack from the Tories and don’t have time for diversion. We, the SNP, have drawn our lines and GRR will not be reversed by the Tories or courts.
    We can’t be diverted from our main task!!!

    Like

    2. Frank I wish they had taken such a strong and immediate stance against the SC decision, not wait nearly 6 months for answers that s they had plenty of time to formulate.

      I know some of these guys support Alba, not me, I support and Independent Scotland, and could care less about the politicians, I have been an SNP voter all my life, and even though I’m disappointed in how they have and are handling things I would still vote for them if they are the best strategy, but you guys really need to get your finger out, we don’t have the time for this nonsense, lets just bloody well leave and let them try to stop us.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Do you not realise that Nicola Sturgeon and her cohorts are not interested in independence? She has dithered for eight years and made it abundantly clear to all but the wilfully blind that she has missed opportunity after opportunity while turning the SNP into a bunch of mesmerised donkeys while ridding herself of anyone who might challenge her. What are your red lines then? The GRR before anything else? Is that your main task while independence which used to be your main mission is put aside yet again?

      Liked by 6 people

  8. Breaking the laws of Scotland will have consequences, people will have to face this if it is found that they have acted against the Scottish people and our legally binding constitution. Oh aye, it is the law, they tried to hide that from us, but its cumin fur them noo.

    Liked by 3 people

  9. Just another example of Sturgeons misrule under the direction of our colonial masters, the agenda behind this is to make it look as though we cant run our own affairs. The Ferry debacle and GRA is theatre being controlled by the puppet masters in Westminster. It also suits the UK Government as it makes the lunatic Torys look sensible for once , although I suspect this is a temporary condition.
    Dissolve this pantomime Union.

    Liked by 4 people

  10. Many years ago I lived and worked in Stromness which meant I had to cross on the OLA when I visited my parents in Sutherland. I’ve never been happy on the sea so a winter crossing meant a trip spent in the toilets. and a summer crossing on deck in the fresh air. Perhaps the catamaran would have solved my problem! But I must say the Orcadians are fortunate to have Alf Baird resident on the Mainland of Orkney. His knowledge and expertise should surely persuade those in power to finally move into the 21st century.

    Liked by 2 people

Comments are closed.

%d bloggers like this: