History / Restored slipway at heart of Shetland Bus events
THE HISTORIC bond between Shetland and Norway will be in the spotlight again this week, with a reconstructed slipway in Scalloway at the heart of it all.
The restored Prince Olaf slipway, near to the Malakoff pier, will be formally opened on Thursday at 2.30pm.
It is a replica of the one which was built in 1942 and used to carry out essential repairs to boats used in the Second World War’s covert Shetland Bus operation.
The restored slipway essentially acts as a wartime exhibit and further highlights Scalloway’s role in the Shetland Bus.
Meanwhile a former Norwegian fishing vessel, which is now a museum boat, is also in Shetland this week.
The Haugefisk will be open to the public at Victoria Pier in Lerwick on Wednesday between 10am and 4pm, and between 10am to midday on Thursday.
The father of skipper Svein Sandvik was involved in the Shetland Bus operation.
The restored sub-chaser boat Hitra, which took part in the operation, was due to visit Shetland this week but had to cancel due to the weather.
After the commemorative event at the slipway on Thursday there will be a ceremony at the Shetland Bus memorial in Scalloway at 3.15pm.
Wreaths will be laid to remember the 44 men who lost their lives in the Shetland Bus operation.
Scalloway’s Main Street will be closed between 2pm and 4pm for the events.
Entry to the slipway itself at Thursday’s event is by invitation only but the public are welcome to watch from the road.
There is also expected to be a wreath laying ceremony at Lunna on Friday.
It comes after a series of Shetland Bus-related events in May to mark VE Day, including a ‘Liberation Convoy’ of boats which sailed from Norway.
Under the cover of darkness, small boats – collectively known as the Shetland Bus – ferried people and weapons between Shetland and Norway during World War II, with Scalloway ending up being used as the operational base after initially starting at Catfirth before moving to Lunna.
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