Campbeltown Steamboat Company

on Oct 16, 2016

The Campbeltown and Glasgow Steam Packet Joint Stock Coy. Ltd., had a long history, stretching back to 1826. Rather than writing a separate account, I have chosen to use the company history that was published for the centenary in 1927 and illustrate it with some of the original illustrations augmented with some photographic material of my own. The Campbeltown route by the west coast of Arran has a special place in my family’s history. My mother was brought up in Tangy, just north of Campbeltown, and later removed to High Dougarie farm on the west coast of Arran. The family travelled often on the Campbeltown steamers. The steamers were particularly handsome with their well recognized funnel-coloring: black-red-black. With black hulls and pink water-line, they presented an attractive picture, particularly the yacht like Kintyre and Kinloch. Funnel colors and houseflag The period...

The Steamers of John M‘Callum and Martin Orme

on Sep 30, 2016

For many years, sailings from Glasgow to the West Highland and Islands was carried out by the steamers of John M‘Callum & Co., and Martin Orme & Co. Perhaps the most famous was the Dunara Castle, owned by Martin Orme & Co. Built by the yard of Blackwood and Gordon at Port Glasgow in 1875, she originally sported two-funnels but was reboilered in 1894 and emerged with a single red colored funnel. She was 180 ft long. Sailing on a weekly roster that alternated with the Outer Hebrides on one week and the Inner Hebrides on the other, she was well liked on the service carrying both passengers and cargo. Dunara Castle Dunara Castle was popular for cruising and these would reach as far as the remote St. Kilda, and she took part in the evacuation of St. Kilda in 1930. Two-funneled Dunara Castle at Tarbert, Harris (Washington Wilson) Dunara Castle Dunara Castle at Lochskipport Dunara...

Caledonian and Southwestern Advances

on Aug 28, 2016

By 1894, the resurgence of the Glasgow & Southwestern Railway connections had eclipsed the efforts of the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. at Gourock to dominate the Clyde Coast trade. A new station edifice at Princes Pier was nearing completion and the fleet of modern steamers, well designed for the routes that they supported, were quickly supplanting the steamers initially purchased from the Turkish Fleet. That year, Neptune was placed on the popular Arran by way of Rothesay service from Princes Pier, taking over the route from Buchanan’s Isle of Arran. By sailing on the outward leg through the Kyles and returning by Garroch Head, she was in direct opposition to James Williamson’s Ivanhoe. The route also provided a circular tour to Arran where passengers could return by the Glen Sannox to Ardrossan. Neptune in Rothesay Bay (McGregor, Kilmarnock) Early in the year, Captain James...

Marchioness of Graham

on Jul 4, 2016

The Marchioness of Graham was launched on March 6, 1936 from the Govan yard of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. She was 220 ft long and 30 ft in the beam with a draught of 10 ft and her two screws were driven by four steam turbines. She was designed for the Arran route from Ardrossan where the turbine predecessor, Atalanta, that she replaced, had a long career. She was indeed similar to Atalanta with a single tall funnel and had significant deck space that would allow her to carry motor vehicles. Marchioness of Graham on trials with Fairfield flag on the main mast (Salmon) Marchioness of Graham on trials (Robertson) Marchioness of Graham on trials (Adamson) This is a photographic salute to the Marchioness of Graham. Her history was largely uneventful and was mainly of the Arran service though she was also popular on excursions. Marchioness of Graham in the Kyles of...

Up and Down Harbour Steamers

on Jun 22, 2016

The Clyde Navigation Trust obtained powers from Parliament in the late 1870s to run steamers up and down the river in the harbour area over which they had jurisdiction. These powers added to those that allowed the Trust to provide cross-river ferries at the various points, but were not immediately translated into action. At its meeting of January 7, 1879, the subject of contracting for boats for the service was deferred for at least a year while the Trust studied the issue in some detail, examining the feasibility of the project. At the meeting of August 5, the Ferries’ Committee was urged to take action to remedy the inconvenience of the workers engaged on the many engineering projects that were taking place in the harbour at that time. At the December 2 meeting, they considered an offer from Messrs Peter Denniston & Co., to run a service between Stockwell Street and the Kelvin...

Macbraynes on the Caledonian Canal

on Jun 10, 2016

Sailing on the Caledonian Canal dates from 1820 when travelers by Henry Bell’s Comet, sailing from Glasgow to Fort William, connected by coach at Fort Augustus with the Stirling Castle sailing on to Inverness on the partially completed canal. When the canal was finally opened in 1822, through services from Glasgow to Inverness were offered and continued in this manner for twenty years. On the centenary of the battle of Culloden, Messrs. Burns placed their new steamer Culloden, on the Inverness service from Glasgow through the Caledonian Canal. Culloden was built by Caird & Co., and at 149 tons, measured 145 ft long by 16½ ft broad. During the season, she was joined by the Shandon and the Dolphin to provide three sailings a week. The schedule was designed for tourists and involved long stops to view local highlights such as the Falls of Foyers. Local transport considerations were of...