SS/MV St Clair in the time of RAF Saxa Vord

As mentioned in an early section: http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.com/2009/11/from-scotland-to-shetland-by-sea.html there were 4 separate ships called the St Clair which operated the route between Lerwick & Aberdeen during the life time of 91SU/RAF Saxa Vord. They were:

 St Clair (2) from 1937 to 1960 (after which she was renamed the St Magnus)
St Clair (3) from 1960 to 1977
St Clair (4) from 1977 to 1992
St Clair (5) from 1992 to 2002

After 2002 the route was taken over by company called Northlink and the name St Clair was not adopted by the new company. For the last few years of RAF Saxa Vord the route was operated by the MVs Hjaltland & Hrossey
Since I wrote the first section on travel between Scotland & Shetland by sea I have acquired a few more photos of the 4 St Clairs. In a subsequent section I will add some photos of the views which could be seen on a trip south from Lerwick to Aberdeen. In the meantime I have added the previously unpublished pictures below:
St Clair (2) to 1960

St Clair (3) 1960 to 1977

St Clair (4) 1977 to 1992 (the first RoRo Ferry on the route)

St Clair (5) 192 to 2002

In a subsequent section I plan to publish some pictures which were taken between Lerwick and Aberdeen, of the views seen from the deck of the St Clair



CONTENTS LIST

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/contents-list.html



Information Booklet 1973

Once again I’m grateful to Pete Brindley, this time for sending me his copy of the RAF Saxa Vord Information Booklet (1973). It certainly brings back memories for me having left Unst in 1969 – not much had changed. The main Married Quarter patch at SHE had only been open for a few years. The information about heating quarters is fascinating in retrospect. At the time the RAF Power house was supplying electricity to the area and there was a limit to the output. Still, there were remote parts of the Highlands & Islands without any form of mains electricity at the time.
Pete was also good enough to send the 1977 booklet at the same time and I will issue that some time in the future. If anyone has similar information from other periods and is prepared to lend or part with the documents, I would be pleased to hear from them – gordon.carle@gmail.com

CONTENTS LIST

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/contents-list.html

Event with Children – 1998

I’m not sure what event the following photos commemorate. My best guess is that the 2 children involved had won a competition and had been given the freedom of the Station for a day. The event took place in late 1998 and the two children appear to be a Miss Laurenson and a Master Smith. If anyone can provide more information or identify any of the people in the pictures I would be pleased to hear from them.
gordon.carle@gmail.com  (Left click on pictures to enlarge).

CONTENTS LIST

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/contents-list.html