Retiring driver John ‘Hammy’ Hamilton has sailed the equivalent of 10 times around the world on the Arran ferry…
ONE of CalMac’s most prolific passengers is retiring after sailing the equivalent of more than 10 times around the world with the company.
John ‘Hammy’ Hamilton, who lives in Shiskine, is estimated to have completed at least 8,500 return journeys on the ferry from Brodick to Ardrossan and back during his 27 years as a truck driver with Arran Haulage.
That equates to a total of around 250,000 miles of crossings, almost exactly 10times the circumference of the earth around the equator.
Hammy is a well known character with CalMac crew and port staff who sent him off on his final crossing with a travel voucher for £150 in recognition of his custom over the years.
“The sheer number of journeys Hammy has made shows just how much of a reliance our island communities have on the ferry getting goods to and from their destination”, said CalMac’s port manager in Brodick, Colin McCort.
“He has been a daily fixture around the port for pretty much three decades and he has to be the company’s most well travelled passenger, he’ll be missed.
“I and everyone else who has dealt with him during this time wish him a long and happy retirement.”
CalMac is the UK’s largest ferry company and last year transported more than 5.3 million passengers and 1.4 million vehicles across 27 island and remote mainland locations.
I love Arran. The last time I was there the bobbies were crossing over to attend an accident that had blocked the road. I thought that was amusing because you just have to turn round and go round the other way! Happy retirement bud!
Met Hammy loads of times, mostly in at Mundells yard in hillington. Mundells yard was tiny with hardly enough room to swing a cat. Guy in there insisted you had to come in and try and struggle to get turned round before he would tip you. Normally I was just dropping a pallet off for one of the islands. If Hammy was there, he’d always watch you got turned ok, but if he was driving the forkie, he used to come and tip you outside the gate to save you the hassle of getting turned. Doubt you’ll see this Hammy, but if you do, enjoy your retirement big chap!!
Good for that man…i hope he enjoys his retirement as much as he did delivering to the little islands…i notice the truck belongs to the same company as the ferry…so as a good will gesture, i will agree that a free pass for life would have been better, although when i retired ( pension ) i got absolutely sweet fanny adams…so a £150 voucher was still a nice thought.
truckyboy:
Good for that man…i hope he enjoys his retirement as much as he did delivering to the little islands…i notice the truck belongs to the same company as the ferry…so as a good will gesture, i will agree that a free pass for life would have been better, although when i retired ( pension ) i got absolutely sweet fanny adams…so a £150 voucher was still a nice thought.
The truck is owned by Arran Haulage and the ferry is operated by CalMac, they’re 2 different companies.
