MV Jupiter
Encyclopedia
MV Jupiter was a passenger and vehicle ferry in the fleet of Caledonian MacBrayne
in the Firth of Clyde
, Scotland
. She was the oldest of three "streakers" and the third River Clyde
steamer to bear the name 'Jupiter'. Her open car deck was accessible by stern and side ramps ro-ro. She entered service in 1974, and operated the Gourock
to Dunoon
crossing for much of her career. In 2006, she became the oldest vessel in the CalMac
fleet and operated for longer than any vessel ever in the fleet. Jupiter was sold for breaking in 2011.
. These ships came to be nicknamed the "Streakers" because of their greater speed (compared to what had served the area’s routes previously) and superb manoeuvrability (due to her novel propulsion units, which greatly reduced loading and unloading times at each end of her route).
Just as the 1970s saw the Streakers replace an earlier generation, so they in turn are being replaced by a new generation of CalMac
ferries designed for the Upper Firth. and are now in service and only remains. Jupiter continued on the Gourock-Dunoon run until October 2010 and was thereafter laid up at Rosneath. In June 2011, she was sold to Fornaes Shipbreaking of Denmark to be broken up and recycled in compliance with the DEFRA UK ship recycling strategy. She was towed away down the Clyde on 25 June 2011.
The ship housed two passenger lounges, one with a cafeteria. There was crew accommodation on the upper deck.
The ship sports a “flying bridge”, an additional deck directly above the main bridge with platforms extending to port and starboard to allow crew better views of the ship’s approach to piers during docking manoeuvres. The flying bridge was not an original feature of the Jupiter; it was an innovation integral to the design of younger sister ship (launched in September 1974) that was felt so useful it was retrofitted into Jupiter during her first annual refit.
to Dunoon
crossing on the upper firth. For much of her first decade of operation, the phrase "Gourock-Dunoon Ferry" was emblazoned on her hull. From time to time, she has also operated the Wemyss Bay
to Rothesay route slightly further downriver.
As well as normal car ferry duties, Jupiter also undertook many special, passenger-only cruise voyages to various locations in the Firth of Clyde and surrounding areas. In the 1980s and 1990s such cruises were regular occurrences in the summer months, with destinations such as Largs
and Tighnabruiach seeing visits from Jupiter or one of her sister ships.
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
in the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. She was the oldest of three "streakers" and the third River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
steamer to bear the name 'Jupiter'. Her open car deck was accessible by stern and side ramps ro-ro. She entered service in 1974, and operated the Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
to Dunoon
Dunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
crossing for much of her career. In 2006, she became the oldest vessel in the CalMac
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
fleet and operated for longer than any vessel ever in the fleet. Jupiter was sold for breaking in 2011.
History
MV Jupiter was the first of a new generation of car ferries built in the 1970s to serve the routes on the Firth of ClydeFirth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
. These ships came to be nicknamed the "Streakers" because of their greater speed (compared to what had served the area’s routes previously) and superb manoeuvrability (due to her novel propulsion units, which greatly reduced loading and unloading times at each end of her route).
Just as the 1970s saw the Streakers replace an earlier generation, so they in turn are being replaced by a new generation of CalMac
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
ferries designed for the Upper Firth. and are now in service and only remains. Jupiter continued on the Gourock-Dunoon run until October 2010 and was thereafter laid up at Rosneath. In June 2011, she was sold to Fornaes Shipbreaking of Denmark to be broken up and recycled in compliance with the DEFRA UK ship recycling strategy. She was towed away down the Clyde on 25 June 2011.
Layout
Jupiter incorporated a large open car deck towards the stern, with enclosed passenger accommodation and services towards the bow across three decks. Her design was of the roll-on/roll-off type, with cars driving on via either the stern ramp or via one of the ramps amidships that lower to port and starboard respectively.The ship housed two passenger lounges, one with a cafeteria. There was crew accommodation on the upper deck.
The ship sports a “flying bridge”, an additional deck directly above the main bridge with platforms extending to port and starboard to allow crew better views of the ship’s approach to piers during docking manoeuvres. The flying bridge was not an original feature of the Jupiter; it was an innovation integral to the design of younger sister ship (launched in September 1974) that was felt so useful it was retrofitted into Jupiter during her first annual refit.
Service
Alongside her younger sister ship, , and the third “streaker”, , Jupiter operated the Upper Firth routes from the mid 70s. Jupiter primarily operated the GourockGourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
to Dunoon
Dunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
crossing on the upper firth. For much of her first decade of operation, the phrase "Gourock-Dunoon Ferry" was emblazoned on her hull. From time to time, she has also operated the Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay is a village on the coast of the Firth of Clyde falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The name may derive from the Gaelic uaimh, meaning 'cave'...
to Rothesay route slightly further downriver.
As well as normal car ferry duties, Jupiter also undertook many special, passenger-only cruise voyages to various locations in the Firth of Clyde and surrounding areas. In the 1980s and 1990s such cruises were regular occurrences in the summer months, with destinations such as Largs
Largs
Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic....
and Tighnabruiach seeing visits from Jupiter or one of her sister ships.