Buchanan Steamers

on Jan 3, 2016

The early years of Captain William Buchanan’s career as a steamboat owner on the Clyde have been documented in the articles dealing with W. F. Johnstone, Railways and Racing, and Early Arran Steamers. Captain Buchanan’s steamers carried a black funnel with a white band, a remnant of their origins with the Castle Company’s steamers. The hulls and paddle boxes where black providing a rather utilitarian look. The Eagle of 1864 is a good place to start the remainder of the story. From the yard of Messrs Charles Connell & Co., she was an impressive vessel with two funnels forward of her paddle boxes but her engines, by Messrs Henderson were too powerful for her hull and her early career involved many adjustments, including lengthening the hull by 16 feet in 1866. Eagle at the Broomielaw around 1866 (Annan) Nevertheless, the Eagle was a reliable steamer and earned...

Early Arran Steamers

on Dec 30, 2015

It was in 1834 that the Castle Company introduced a service from the Ayrshire coast to the Island of Arran. The veteran Inverary Castle sailed to Brodick from Troon where she connected with the horse-drawn railway from Kilmarnock. Ardrossan was included as a call in 1834 and the following year, Ardrossan was the Ayrshire terminus with a connecting coach from Kilmarnock. Although the Inverary Castle was described as extensively improved in both speed and comfort, she had been advertised for sale in the Spring, and was disposed of the following year when M‘Kellar’s Hero appeared on the route. The hull of the Hero was built by William Denny in Dumbarton in 1832 and her machinery was produced by Robert Napier. Duncan M‘Kellar added a larger and more successful vessel, the Victor, in 1836 so that Hero was available for the Arran service. Plan of the Glasgow, Paisley, Ardrossan and Ayr...

Campbell and Kilmun

on Nov 29, 2015

The pier at Kilmun, the first on the Cowal peninsula, dates from 1828 when David Napier purchased land on the north shore of the Holy Loch. Napier’s vision opened up the feuing of the region and he built a number of villas along the shore. It also opened up a new route to Inveraray by way of Loch Eck and Strachur and his efforts to popularize this route will be found in other articles on this site. In Napier’s biography an advertisement of 1829 is quoted “At Kilmun there is now a substantial quay built, where passengers can land at all times. Houses to let, ground to feu,” and Napier had his steamers Kilmun and Earl Grey built to serve the needs of his feuars and the new route patrons. The boiler explosion of the Earl Grey steamer in 1835 signaled the end of David Napier’s interests in owning a steamboat fleet on the Clyde. The steamers, Kilmun, Saint Mun, Cupid, and the wreck of the...

Two birds: Merlin and Plover

on Nov 15, 2015

The invention of a new method for the propulsion of steamships was news of importance for the shipbuilders and ship owners on the Clyde. Like many others, the idea presented by John Kibble was not entirely new and had been tried in a form on the steamboat Highland Lad on the Lochgoil route as early as 1826. Kibble’s proposed use of a continuous belt of small paddles instead of the normal paddle wheels had some merit, and as events evolved, showed some promise in the steamboat that he had built to demonstrate the invention. It eventually failed but the story and subsequent happenings are well worth examination. The patent submitted by Kibble has the details of his invention. “Specification of the Patent granted to John Kibble, of Glasgow, Gentleman, for Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling Vessels.—Sealed November 2, 1843. “With an engraving. To all to whom these presents shall...

The Turkish Fleet

on Oct 23, 2015

In earlier articles the history of Captain Alexander Williamson’s career has been detailed. He and Captain William Buchanan owned the Eagle in the 1850s but the partnership dissolved around 1861 and Captain Williamson struck out on his own in 1862 with the Sultan,a fast river steamer built the previous year. (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/clyde-steamer-ps-sultan-86484) Sultan (Williamson) The Sultan was put on the Rothesay and Kyles of Bute station, sailing from Glasgow with a connection at Greenock with the Glasgow trains.  In the winter she sailed from Kamesburgh or Port Bannatyne as it is better known nowadays but during the season she sailed to Tignabruaich and Ormidale. Her schedule meant an early morning sailing from the Kyles of Bute, connecting with a train at Greenock before sailing to Glasgow.  In the afternoon, the journey was repeated in the...

Kilmun—David Napier on the Severn…and briefly on the Clyde

on Oct 21, 2015

The saga of David Napier’s rotatory steamer, Dumbarton, on the Clyde, and his frequent references to the success of a steamer on the rotatory principle on the Severn merits investigation. Napier had moved his business dealings to London in the middle of the 1830s but by 1850, he was living in Gloucester, though he maintained connections in London and Glenshellish near Loch Eck. He also owned and fued land in the vicinity of Kilmun where had built and still owned the pier. David Napier The first attempt to bring a steamboat to the upper reaches of the Severn in 1850 appears to have had limited success.  The Star was too long for the locks and the twisting navigable channel. The improved patent suggests that the Star might have had a rotary engine. “Passenger steamer on the Severn.—A steamer has arrived in the Severn from Glasgow. She is named the Star, and is intended to trade between...