Askomel Ferry

[rarmour]

Does anyone know where the ferry from Askomel went to and from?

Thank you

Ron Armour

[Mack]

As far as I know, the ferry sailed between the Old Quay and Dalintober Pier. Makes sense prior to the infilling of the Mussel Ebb.

[lochend]

I am intrigued by Mack's reference to the "Mussell Ebb" I know the restaurant of that name exists but what was the mussell ebb? I am guessing that given the position of the said eating place it must refer to the area of tidal marsh before the sea wall was built on the esplanade? If this is correct when did it happen and did the long defunct canal for carrying coal reach that far?

[rarmour]

The reason I asked was that my relative Dugald Robertson, a fisherman, lived at Low Askomel Ferry House Cottage in 1891. I also wondered if this cottage could still be identified.

[skrik]

1878 Esplanade embankment road opened to traffic
1880 Work completed on reclaiming the Mussel Ebb
1881 The Mussel Ebb is ploughed and seeded with grass

[lochend]

1878 Esplanade embankment road opened to traffic
1880 Work completed on reclaiming the Mussel Ebb
1881 The Mussel Ebb is ploughed and seeded with grass

Thanks for the info skrik.

[Mack]

I am led to believe that the canal terminus was at Roading. Everything was transported overland from here to the piers for shipping - mainly coal.

[EMDEE]

To my knowledge the canal terminated at the gasworks, and carried coal for the production of gas.

[Mack]

Coal from Machrihanish/Drumlemble wasn't high enough in quality to produce gas to the required calorific level. The coal for the Gasworks was transported in. I worked at the old plant and it was still the same until conversion to natural gas in the early 1970s. I also worked at the Pit, and local coal was sent to Northern Ireland for industrial use - power stations etc. But the old-timers used to tell me about the coal canal which terminted just above the Gasworks in Roading. That's about the extent of my knowledge.