Overview

For most of the twentieth century, the little turntable ferry -- an ingenious, local invention, able to load at any state of tide and sparing motorists the bother of reversing -- was a Highland institution, bearing carts and cars, locals and tourists, over the straits and sea lochs of Scotland's western seaboard. By the late 1960s, alas, they had become a victim of their own success; and rapidly gave way to much bigger vessels, bypass roads and bridges. Today, only the doughty Glenachulish still sails, as the seasonal Kylerhea ferry and a popular 'back door' crossing to the Isle of Skye. She is now community-owned, at last recognised as a national treasure and now officially a Ship of Historic Interest -- the last in a distinguished line of characterful wee boats, beautiful places, gifted local mariners, memorable events and characters and a past, gentler way of Highland life. Here - for the first time -- Robert Beale and John Hendy tell the tale of these sturdy wee ships, the routes they served and the men who sailed them. If turntable ferries had not the glamour and elan of the great Clyde steamers, they abounded nevertheless in character; they linked isolated communities; they opened the West Highlands to the motorist -- and bequeathed today's flourishing tourist industry.

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9781906608699

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John Hendy was raised and educated in Dover and grew up within the sight of some of the finest short-sea vessels ever built. He published his first ship history in 1965 and since then has written extensively about the industry. In 1996, John was awarded a Masters degree by the University of London for his thesis which has since been published as Ferry Port Dover.Taking early retirement from a career in teaching, he is now able to devote more of his time to writing and lives with his wife on Romney Marsh in Kent. Robert Beale was born in Swansea and has spent his working life afloat, latterly as skipper on Miss Lakelandand Tern on Windermere. He is a regular visitor to the other lakes, and pursues his hobbies across the UK. His other interests include the Scottish islands and local shipping, and the industrial archaeology of the Lake District, especially the mines, quarries, gunpowder mills and Cumbrian railways. His first two books on Lake District steamers were published in 2011 and in 2013 Ferry Publications published his book on Scotlands Turntable Ferries, jointly written with John Hendy. Robert lives in Kendal with his wife Kim and his sons Lewis and Alfie.

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