Film-maker’s hunt for old Ballachulish ferry
A hunt is on to find the former Ballachulish Ferry, Glen Loy.
Edinburgh based-writer and director Graham Kitchener is working on a documentary film about the last three ferries of Ballachulish and has been trying to track down the Glen Loy.
So far he has uncovered the fate of two of the ferries that last served the route, but the third is proving elusive.
He said: ‘The Glenachulish is still working at Glenelg doing the Skye crossing and I found the wreck of the Glen Duror on the shore of Mull, near Ulva, but the last record of the Glen Loy is when she was bought and stripped down to a barge by Helensburgh man William Sutherland.
‘She was a turntable ferry at Ballachulish until mid-1975. Mr Sutherland bought her from a chap in Camusnagaul, who had salvaged her after she had been brought ashore during a January storm outside Fort William in early 1976.’
He continued: ‘On June 1 1979, William Sutherland put the Glen Loy up for sale. At this point she is just a flat deck barge-like vessel, having had her turntable car deck and stern wheelhouse removed.
‘From what I can deduce, he used it as part of a marine contract on the West Coast which was now finished, hence he was selling it.
‘He took on a contract in Saudi in 1980 and the trail goes dead there. The members of his family I have traced and spoken to are not able to give me any more information about what happened to the Glen Loy or to whom he sold it.
‘I need to find out where William kept her and who bought her.
‘Failing that, if no one bought her, what happened to her?
‘I would be grateful for any information that will help in the hunt.’
It is hoped the finished documentary will be premiered in Ballachulish later this year, so time is running out.
Anyone who can help with information, can contact Mr Kitchener on 07710 530733.
Mr Kitchener is creative director of Film Academy Edinburgh and an award-winning corporate drama-narrative film maker.