The Irvine that is!

This photo was taken by George McMaster.

Irvine, North Ayrshire. Why not check out the story of how these Irvine images fit together at my travel blogpost ... jayzspaze.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/irvine-north-ayrshire.html

Moved onto the SMM slipway on the 24th March, when the museum issued this press release: Exciting New Project Will Turn Spartan Inside Out We have launched an exciting new project to create greater public access to one of the town and Museum’s familiar landmarks – the 1940’s Puffer, Spartan. Through the ‘Spartan: Inside Out’ project, which has been made possible by a grant from Museum Galleries Scotland’s Strategic Investment Fund, the puffer has started her journey from the pontoons on the Irvine Estuary to a new display space in front of the Museum’s striking Linthouse building where she will become a focal point in the Museum’s courtyard area from later this year. In her new position, visitors, including those with mobility issues, will be able to see Spartan up close, viewing her unique flat bottomed hull which allowed her to traverse the canal highways of mainland Scotland and ‘beach’ on the islands and remote coastal regions of Scotland. A new exhibition and event space will be created inside the hold to showcase the variety of items that were transported on the puffers which were a lifeline to Scotland’s islands and coastal towns. Cars, cows, tractors, coal, food and whisky were all carried in the belly of the puffers. The Museum is also currently considering a number of options for an art and sculptural display within the vessel as well as an education space and a space for an artist in residence, who would have access to the vessel’s accommodation for a fully submersive and interactive experience. The removal of the vessel from water will also allow the Museum greater access to conserve and preserve the vessel for future generations. All work carried out on the vessel will be reversible so that the vessel can be returned to the water at a later date if required. Abigail McIntyre, Curator of the Scottish Maritime Museum, says: “We are extremely pleased that the first phase of the ‘Spartan’ project is underway and has attracted so much attention. “This hugely exciting project will allow us to offer our visitors greater access to our collection of historic vessels, allowing them to get on board and explore Scotland’s iconic and much loved little puffer boat in a completely new way.”

This photo was taken by George McMaster.

This photo was taken by George McMaster. In this glorious image, we see the westward view from the River Irvine. The panorama takes in: Cunninghame House and the Rivergate Centre (in the right foreground), the retail park (in the left foreground); the Irvine Harbourside Conservation Area; the historic Irvine Harbour, which was, at one time the principal trading location of 'The Port of Irvine' (until 1881 this stretched from Troon in the south to Largs in the north); the Ardeer Peninsula; in the distance is the curving sweep of Irvine Bay, which incorporates the seaside communities of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston; and, finally, across the Firth of Clyde towards Ayrshire's dramatic backdrop - the Isle of Arran.