The Latter Years of Columba

on Jun 7, 2017

An account of the early career of Messrs MacBrayne’s Ardrishaig Mail steamer, the stately Columba, can be found in an article of February 2015. In this article, more of an album than an account, the development of the steamer from the 1890s to her demise in 1935 will be traced. Some time in the 1890s, the promenade deck over the sponson houses fore an aft of the paddle wheels was extended and for the first time, Columba appeared with two lifeboats over the rear sponson houses, rather than a single boat aft. Columba with new lifeboats Columba in Rothesay Bay (Adamson) Columba leaving Innellan Columba Minor changes were also incorporated in subsequent years. The forward grandfather-clock ventilators for the aft saloon were turned around to face the stern following reboilering in 1900 and in the following year, a deck awning was erected aft of the funnels to protect the companionway to...

Southbank Grouping and Tartan Lums

on May 21, 2017

The Caledonian Steam Packet Co. Ltd. had all of its steamships called up for duty in World War I and had to rely on chartered vessels for much of the emergency. As with the other companies that had steamers serving, most of those that had survived the dangerous war time duties returned in dribs and drabs during 1919. Two of the steamers, Duchess of Hamilton and Duchess of Montrose, had been lost while minesweeping during the war. At the beginning of April, Duchess of Fife returned to the Clyde, followed a few days later by Caledonia, damaged badly in a collision with a freighter on the Seine. In the last week of the month, Duchess of Rothesay arrived and a few days later, the turbine Duchess of Argyll, while Marchioness of Breadalbane appeared on the first of May. The remaining unit of the fleet, Marchioness of Lorne, did not return until 1921 and was laid up in Bowling Harbour for a...

Neil Snodgrass’ Cigar

on May 14, 2017

An engraving by Joseph Swan in the book Strath-Clutha by John M. Leighton, published in 1839 shows an unusual vessel in the harbour of Glasgow. The vessel looks to have a twin hull with a series of galleries forming the superstructure. It is almost certainly the early iron steamer nicknamed Cigar that was built on an unusual and patent model for Mr. Neil Snodgrass in 1837. In his obituary in the Glasgow Herald of February 5, 1849, we learn a little of the background of Mr. Snodgrass though some of the details are inaccurate and have been added to from other sources. Mr. Snodgrass was born at Craigie in Ayr around 1776 and was educated at Ayr Academy where he achieved high honours in Mathematics. In 1794, he went to work in the cotton factory of Messrs. George Houston & Co., Johnstone, where he developed a plan for heating the factory by steam rather than the dangerous stoves then...

Craigendoran Steamers between the Wars

on Apr 27, 2017

The North British paddle steamers sailing out of their base at Craigendoran were able to maintain services well into the early years of the First World War. In 1915, Waverley continued sailing to Arrochar and Lochgoilhead until September when she was called up to join Marmion which had gone in June. Kenilworth had been reboilered early in the year and appeared that season with her fore-saloon extended to the full width of the hull and her bridge brought forward of the funnel. She served the Dunoon and Holy Loch connection along with Talisman while Lucy Ashton maintained service to the Gareloch piers. Dandie Dinmont was the spare boat. It was 1917 before Talisman and Kenilworth went to war, leaving Lucy Ashton and Dandie Dimont to cover the Craigendoran services for the remainder of the emergency. Dandie Dinmont approaching Dunoon around 1920 (McGeachie)   Kenilworth in Rothesay Bay...

Turbine Steamers Ltd. 1919-1935

on Apr 4, 2017

In World War I, many of the Clyde steamers were called up for Admiralty service, and after the Armistice, it took the fleet many months to return to some semblance of normal peacetime duties. Mr John Williamson was manager of the Turbine fleet that sailed to Campbeltown and Inveraray with the pioneer turbine of 1901, King Edward, and Queen Alexandra, built in 1912 to replace the steamers of the same name. Both steamers had been requisitioned to carry troops across the English Channel and their return was anticipated in 1919. Queen Alexandra required little renovation after the war and she resumed service to Campbeltown at the end of June 1919. Queen Alexandra (Robertson) King Edward (Robertson) However, King Edward was not released until the end of 1919. Both were available in 1920 when Queen Alexandra was placed on the Inveraray route and King Edward sailed to Campbeltown, switching...

Williamson-Buchanan Steamers

on Mar 27, 2017

The Clyde steamers played an important role in World War I, related in an article in February 2015. At the end of hostilities, changes to the different fleets on the Clyde were instituted. This article focuses on the changes that took place with the steamers associated with Messrs Williamson, Buchanan and Turbine Steamers. This part focuses on Williamson-Buchanan steamers. A subsequent article will focus on Turbine Steamers. As the steamers returned to the Clyde in 1919 from their activities during the war, the following announcement appeared in the newspapers. “Amalgamation of Two Firms: The amalgamation is announced of the two well-known firms of Clyde river steamer owners, Messrs Buchanan Steamers (Limited) and Mr John Williamson “Both firms have been associated for a long time with passenger services on the river and estuary, and each has done a great deal to develop this service...