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...

Culzean Castle

on May 28, 2016

“The New Service to Campbeltown—Opening Cruise of Culzean Castle “On Saturday a new service to Campbeltown was inaugurated. In recent years this somewhat remote burgh has been comparatively neglected as a short holiday or week-end resort. No doubt this has been due largely to the want of adequate facilities, and if that be so, this drawback has been removed for the present at least, by the enterprise of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company and the Glasgow, Ayrshire, and Campbeltown Steamboat Company (Limited). The directors of these companies have just completed and put into force arrangements by which Campbeltown as well as Lochranza and the west side of Arran have been brought within the range of a day’s excursion from Glasgow. The steamboat company mentioned, which has been only recently formed, have been fortunate in securing Mr Clark as manager, and in acquiring a steamer...

Williamson’s Glasgow, Rothesay and Kyles of Bute Steamers

on May 25, 2016

The fortunes of the Turkish Fleet owned by Captain Alexander Williamson, Snr., were affected in negative fashion when the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. entered the steamer trade in 1899 and appointed Captain Williamson’s son, Captain James Williamson, as their Marine Superintendent. For a number of years, the Turkish Fleet had run railway connections for the Glasgow & Southwestern Railway and as part of their response to the Caledonian company in 1891, the Glasgow & Southwestern Railway purchased the steamers of the Turkish Fleet to form the nucleus for their service and appointed Captain James Williamson’s brother, Captain Alexander Williamson, Jnr., as their Marine Superintendent. Benmore Glasgow Herald, December 15, 1891 With the sale of his steamers, Captain Alexander Williamson, Snr., retired from business in 1891 and later that year, a third son, Captain John Williamson,...