Saltcoats

For other places with the same name see Saltcoats (disambiguation).

Saltcoats (Scottish Gaelic: [Baile an t-Salainn] ) 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, 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.<ref>http://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst2497.html</ref>

Saltcoats is served by regular bus and train services. Primary bus services are provided by Stagecoach West Scotland, while rail services are operated by SPT.

Although Saltcoats currently only has a single railway station, the town was once served by a second railway station to the north of the town, originally as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway. This station closed to regular services on 4 July 1932,<ref>Stansfield, page 7</ref> and there is no trace of the station today bar a nearby bridge.

Government and politics

Saltcoats is in the Ayrshire North & Arran constituency in the House of Commons and Cunninghame North constituency in the Scottish Parliament. The Westminster seat is held by the Labour Party, and the Holyrood seat was gained by the Scottish National Party from Labour in the May 2007 election by a mere 48 votes.

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.

Notable residents

• Alexander Allan, founder of the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers
• Andrew Allan of the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers
• Sir Hugh Allan, of the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers
• Kenneth Campbell, recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Steve Clarke, professional footballer
• Janice Galloway, author
• Colin Hay, musician, singer-songwriter<ref>"The Story Behind Colin Hay's "Maggie"". Milwaukee Public Radio Interview. 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2012-08-01.</ref>
• Bobby Lennox, professional footballer
• Hugh McMahon, professional footballer
• Graeme Obree, cyclist
• George Munro, playwright<ref>http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsM/munro-george.html</ref>
• Hugh Munro, author<ref>http://bearalley.blogspot.ca/2010/10/hugh-munro.html</ref>

References

<references />

External links

• the3towns.com
• Threetowners
• SaltcoatsCommunityAction
• Irvine Bay
• http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S3/committees/stanproc/reports-08/stprr08-03.htm

North Ayrshire
Towns	Ardrossan Beith Dalry Irvine Kilbirnie Kilwinning Largs Saltcoats Stevenston West Kilbride
Villages	Ardeer Auchentiber Barrmill Benslie Dreghorn Drybridge Fairlie Gateside Girdle Toll Glengarnock Longbar Skelmorlie Springside Stanecastle
Hamlets	Barkip Broomlands Bourtreehill Burnhouse Castlepark Crosbie Chapeltoun Cunninghamhead Dalgarven Drakemyre Eglinton Fergushill Fullarton Giffordland Greenhills Hessilhead Highfield Hunterston Kelburn Lawthorn Lylestone Meigle Meikle Auchengree Montgreenan Nettlehirst Perceton Portencross Routenburn Seamill Sevenacres Shewalton Torranyard
Island settlements	Brodick Lamlash Lochranza Whiting Bay Birchburn Blackwaterfoot Catacol Cladach Corrie Dippen Kildonan Kilmory Lagg Machrie Pirnmill Sannox Shiskine Sliddery Whitefarland Millport
Neighbouring council areas	Argyll and Bute East Ayrshire Inverclyde Renfrewshire South Ayrshire