Saltcoats facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saltcoats Scottish Gaelic: Baile an t-Salachar. Saltcoats
Town
Seafront and part of the Saltcoats skyline, 2013
Saltcoats
Population	12,250 (2020)
OS grid reference	NS245415
• Edinburgh	77.6 mi (124.9 km)
Council area	North Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SALTCOATS
Postcode district	KA21
Dialling code	01294
Police	Strathclyde
Fire	Strathclyde
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	North Ayrshire and Arran
Scottish Parliament	Cunninghame North
List of places UK Scotland 55°38′07″N 4°47′23″W / 55.6352°N 04.7896°W / 55.6352; -04.7896

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 of the Firth of Clyde, carried out in small cottages along the shore. It is part of the 'Three Towns' conurbation along with Ardrossan and Stevenston.

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.

Governance

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 MPs until 1987, when the constituency was won by the Labour Party.

Transport

The harbour was designed by James Jardine in 1811.

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, and there is no trace of the station today bar a nearby bridge.

Images for kids

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  Saltcoats Town Hall

See also

In Spanish: Saltcoats para niños