Saltcoats

Saltcoats
Saltcoats
Saltcoats shown within North Ayrshire
Population

11,260 [1] (2001 census)

est. 11,730[2] (2006)
OS grid reference NS245415
 Edinburgh 77.6 mi
 London 430.8 mi
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SALTCOATS
Postcode district KA21
Dialling code 01294
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Saltcoats (Scottish Gaelic: Baile an t-Salachar) is a small town on the west coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is derived from the town's earliest industry when salt was harvested from the sea water of the Firth of Clyde, carried out in small cottages along the shore. It is part of the "Greater Ardrossan" or "Three Towns" conurbation along with Ardrossan and Stevenston.

Transport

The harbour was designed by James Jardine in 1811.[3]

Saltcoats is served by regular bus and railway services. Primary bus services are provided by Stagecoach West Scotland, while rail services are operated by Abellio ScotRail.

Although Saltcoats currently only has a single railway station, the town was once served by a second railway station located in the north of the town, originally as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway. This station ceased regular passenger services on 4 July 1932,[4] and there is no trace of the station today bar a nearby bridge.

Government and politics

Saltcoats is part of the Ayrshire North & Arran constituency in the House of Commons and Cunninghame North constituency in the devolved Scottish Parliament. Both seats are held by the Scottish National Party.

Historically, Ardrossan has been part of the UK parliament constituencies North Ayrshire (1868–1918), Bute and Northern Ayrshire (1918–1983) and Cunninghame North (1983–2005). These constituencies traditionally returned Conservative or Unionist MP's until 1987, when the constituency was won by the Labour Party.

History

In the late-eighteenth century, several shipyards operated at Saltcoats, producing some sixty to seventy ships. The leading shipbuilder was William Ritchie, but in 1790 he moved his business to Belfast. By the early-nineteenth century, the town had stopped producing ships.

Notable residents

References

  1. "Comparative Population Profile: Saltcoats Locality". Scotland's Census Results Online. 2001-04-29. Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 16, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  3. "James Jardine: Overview of James Jardine". Scottish-places.info. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  4. Stansfield, page 7
  5. "News and events - The University of Manchester - Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics". www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  6. "The Story Behind Colin Hay's "Maggie"". Milwaukee Public Radio Interview. 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
  7. James Manson (engineer)
  8. Steve (2010-10-04). "Bear Alley: Hugh Munro". Bearalley.blogspot.ca. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
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