The Stornoway ferry gangway was only fixed after spare parts were bought on internet
site E-
Scottish Government agency Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) was forced to hunt down replacements on the web auction site after a serious fault with the ferry gangway for MV Isle of Lewis.
Passengers could not board the vessel properly for over a week because the shore access link at Stornoway was defective.
Travellers had to get on and off the MV Isle of Lewis via the car deck at the beginning of this month.
The fault caused delays in the ship’s turnaround making her run late for a few days in a row.
CMAL owns the ship and charters it to Caledonian Macbrayne.
It also owns the large covered gangway which is used for passengers when the ferry docks in Stornoway harbour.
Lorna Spencer, CMAL’s director of Harbours and Piers, said: "The Stornoway gangway had to get spare parts.
"We were ordering things on E-
She revealed that the local Lews Castle College also "helped us out" by fabricating a replacement part.
Ms Spencer highlighted the gangway "is very old and needs to be replaced."
A new gangway is expected to be in place when a modern ferry comes onto the route in 2014.
E-