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Caledonian MacBrayne has confirmed that Sunday services on the Sound of Harris route will commence on Sunday 9^th April.

As the Uig – Lochmaddy service already runs on Sundays the new service on the Sound of Harris route means that Lewis and Harris will effectively have a link to the mainland on Sundays for the first time.

All sailings to the Small Isles have been cancelled on Wednesday 5^th due to technical problems experienced with LOCH NEVIS today (04/04).

ISLE OF ARRAN returned to the route for which she was built today (06/04) after CALEDONIAN ISLES was with drawn from service due to crew members showing symptoms of the Norovirus (winter vomiting virus).

Caley Isles will be out of service for forty-eight hours during which time she will be deep cleaned by specialist cleaners.

Caledonian MacBrayne advise their customers that, although ISLE OF ARRAN is a smaller vessel, no services will be cancelled.

The Arran departed from Stornoway at lunchtime yesterday and took the 0700 run out of Ardrossan this morning bound for Brodick. When she finishes her stint on the Clyde she will return to Stornoway where she will relieve the freight carrier MUIRNEAG allowing her away for overhaul.

CALEDONIAN ISLES returned to service this afternoon (07/04) although she ran forty minutes late. Her relief, ISLE OF ARRAN, remained at Ardrossan.

Caledonian MacBrayne management are confident that the deep cleaning procedures carried out on the ship has proved to be effective. No further symptoms of Norovirus have been reported during the previous seventy-two hours.

The Claonaig – Lochranza service was suspended for a short period today due to mechanical problems with LOCH TARBERT. The service restarted with the 1545 ex Lochranza.

A 711-signature petition, opposing the Sunday service across the Sound of Harris, has been handed to Caledonian MacBrayne Chairman Dr Harold Mills.

The decision by CalMac to have a Sunday service from Berneray to Leverburgh was announced by Dr Mills on March 29^th.

This has angered Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the islanders and the local branch of the Lord’s Day Observance Society (LDOS) who want to keep the Sabbath holy.

Hugh Dan MacLennan, CalMac’s Head of Communications, said the decision was taken after careful and sensitive consideration of both sides of the argument.

CalMac agreed to the service after receiving a request from Uist councillors so that islanders could travel to Stornoway to see relatives in hospital.

The Lewis branch of the LDOS and the Comhairle say that CalMac has broken a promise not to sail on the Sabbath without prior consultation.

Dr Mills said the new service is evidence of CalMac’s responsibility to provide lifeline services, meeting the social and economic needs of the islands.

The LDOS local branch secretary, Angus MacKay, has written to Dr Mills saying that many people are aghast at CalMac’s rejection of the overwhelming evidence of hostility to such an imposition.

People now feel uneasy about CalMac’s future intentions about other shipping services. Mr MacKay hoped it would not set a precedent for sailings on the Sabbath from Tarbert and Stornoway and wanted an assurance for Lewis and Harris that this would not happen.

The Comhairle will be asking the company to make available full details of its evaluation of the viability of the service.

CalMac has operated the Sound of Barra service seven days a week since it took over the route from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in 2004.

CLANSMAN berthed at the lighthouse pier while repairs were carried out on Friday 7^th. LORD OF THE ISLES took over the Craignure run from 1600 to 1900 in case she was called upon to go to Barra instead of CLANSMAN. ISLE OF MULL took the 1700 to Colonsay while LORD OF THE ISLES carried out the scheduled 2230 run to Craignure. CLANSMAN departed from Oban at 2000, arriving at Castlebay at 0100, and back in Oban at 0620 on Saturday 8^th.

HEBRIDEAN ISLES departed from Kennacraig at 1800 with an extra run to Port Ellen on Saturday. She arrived at 2020 and departed again at 2045. This was due to the United Auctions Easter Sale. Heb Isles carried out another extra sail on Sunday 9^th departing from Kennacraig at 0700 with an arrival time at Port Ellen of 0920.

The new service across the Sound of Harris started as per timetable on Sunday. LOCH PORTAIN arrived at Leverburgh at 1000 with twenty-five passengers and five vehicles on board. A few hardy souls braved the wind and snow to welcome her to Harris. The only signs of protest were a yellow tape across the slipway marked “ caution-do not enter”, and a poster reminding us to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy.

LOCH BHRUSDA has left the James Watt Dock and berthed at Largs prior to returning to the Sound of Barra. This will allow LOCH LINNHE to take up her summer employment on the Tobermory – Kilchoan route. RAASAY, the current vessel on the route, will be held in reserve together with BRUERNISH until required for further service.

Further to the above report CLANSMAN did not sail to Barra on Friday 7^th at 2000 because she was not repaired in time. LORD OF THE ISLES carried out the Barra service while CLANSMAN carried out the 2230 Craignure service and returned light to Oban.

After arriving at Oban on Saturday morning LORD OF THE ISLES sailed light to Craignure in preparation for the 0700 to Oban.

The Glenelg ferry, GLENACHULISH, has won a reprieve following an agreement between the owner, Roddy MacLeod, and the community group who are trying to buy the ferry business.

The group, the Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company (ISFCIC), will charter the ferry for a year while they attempt to raise the outstanding sum of £60,000 required to buy the business. They need a total of £150,000.

Mr MacLeod took over the ferry in 1989 and ran it from Easter to October. He wanted to give up the ferry last year and offered it to the community of Glenelg.They voted 60 to 39 against a community buyout. This would have cost the community £150,000. He therefore ran it again.

Since then the ISFCIC has been formed and is determined to raise the cash to buy the ferry for the community. The ISFCIC includes Kylerea and Lochalsh as well as Glenelg.

The GLENACHULISH was launched yesterday (14/04) and was reported to be doing brisk business despite grounding on the rocks shortly after leaving Glenelg at 1330. A fishing boat towed her back to the slipway where seven passengers and three vehicles disembarked.

More than 10,000 cars used the ferry last year despite tolls on the Skye Bridge being withdrawn suggesting that the ferry is still a popular tourist attraction.

A ferry has run between Glenelg and Kylerea for 400 years. Drovers would swim thousands of head of cattle across the fast flowing Kyle Rhea on their way to markets at Crieff and Falkirk.

GLENACHULISH is reported to be the last turntable ferry in Europe if not the world. She was built in 1969 by Ailsa of Troon for service at Ballachulish and was named after the glen which leads up from the shore on the south side of Loch Linnhe to the west of the old ferry slipway. After the Ballachulish Bridge opened in 1975 she became the relief vessel at Corran, Kyleskue and Kessock before moving to Glenelg.

Although a ferry has existed at Glenelg for four hundred years it was not until 1935 that the first car ferry was established.

It may be of interest to note that both ROSEHAUGH (1967) and MAID OF GLENCOUL (1975 McCrindle Shipbuilding, Ardrossan) both moved to Corran after being displaced by bridges.

ROSEHAUGH was built for service at Kessock at the entrance to Beauly Firth where the Kessock Bridge was opened in 1982. She is named after Rosehaugh Estate on the Black Isle.

MAID OF GLENCOUL was built for service across Loch Cairnbawn from Kylesku to Kylestrome. The Kylesku Bridge opened in 1984.

The wreck of the two-car turntable ferry, MAID OF KYLESKU (mid fifties), can still be seen, abandoned, on the north shore of the loch.

Loch Cairnbawn is an inlet of Eddrachillis Bay. The loch splits in two immediately to the east of the bridge. Loch Glendhu leads into the north while Loch Glencoul, after which the ferry is named, heads to the south.

ROSEHAUGH was retired in 2001 after CORRAN (2001 George Prior Engineering [Yorkshire] Ltd, Hull) entered service at Corran. She was last reported to be working in the Cromarty Firth, with her ramps removed, supplying oilrigs.

ISLE OF CUMBRAE has moved to the Tarbert – Portavadie run for the summer. LOCH RIDDON is now at Largs supporting LOCH ALAINN also for the summer. LOCH BHRUSDA has returned to the Sound of Barra allowing LOCH LINNHE to carry out her summer roster on the Tobermory – Kilchoan route.

ISLE OF ARRAN has returned north to Stornoway to relieve MUIRNEAG carrying out a few freight runs to Islay on the way.

MUIRNEAG left Stornoway at 2100 on Sunday 16^thfor her annual overhaul on the Mersey where she arrived the following day. She passed an inward bound ISLE OF ARRAN, which will be employed on freight duties until her return.

HEBRIDEAN ISLES departed from Kennacraig thirty-five minutes late on Thursday 20^th due to a ballast problem. She had made up ten minutes by the time she departed from Port Askaig and arrived at Port Ellen on time at 2020.

The Lochranza – Claonaig service was cancelled today (24/04) due to adverse weather conditions at Claonaig.

KING GEORGE V was launched eighty years ago on Thursday 29^th April 1926 at the Dumbarton yard of William Denny & Bros Ltd.

Built for Turbine Steamers Ltd, she was transferred, by the London Midland Scottish Railway, to the MacBrayne fleet on Thursday 3^rd October 1935 together with QUEEN ALEXANDRA, later to be re-named SAINT COLUMBA.

KING GEORGE V was placed on the Oban – Iona – Staffa service in 1936. Apart from appearing on the Royal Route to Ardrishaig during the summer of 1946, when SAINT COLUMBA was not released on time, she was very much identified as the Oban excursion steamer.

In 1970 she was chartered by the Highlands and Islands Development Board. During this period she recorded unusual calls at Kyle of Lochalsh, Portree, Aultbea, Ullapool, Rum and Mallaig.

She was taken out of service at the end of the 1974 season having spent two seasons in the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet. When KING GEORGE V departed from the Oban scene, the West Highland Steamer Club lost something, a symbol, which has never been replaced.

KING GEORGE V was scrapped at Tiger Bay, Cardiff after being destroyed by fire, a sad end to a ship, which took part in the evacuations of Dunkirk in May 1940.

A feature on KING GEORGE V will appear in Newsletter No. 73 including a series of photographs depicting the ship in the waters she made her own-the West Highlands and Islands.

KING GEORGE V features strongly in the 2006 Club Calendar. A colour photo on the front cover, taken by Robin Love, depicts her sailing down the Clyde passing the former yard of Barclay Curle in 1971.

She is shown, on the January page, arriving at Tighnabruaich in Turbine Steamers Ltd livery. Photo courtesy of the H M Stewart Collection.

The August page depicts her sailing down the Sound of Kerrera, in Caledonian MacBrayne livery, in a photo taken by the Late Jim Aikman-Smith, Secretary WHSC 1969-1996.

The President, Duncan Wilson, read out his report after receiving apologies and the Minutes of the Thirty Seventh Annual General Meeting.

The President was happy to report that all the meetings during the previous seven months had seen excellent attendances as a result of an interesting and varied Syllabus.

This has been a difficult year for the Club.The success of the season has been overshadowed, not only by the untimely passing of Hamish Stewart, the Club’s Photo Editor, but also by the serious illness which struck down the Newsletter Editor, Derek Crawford.

Ian Colquhoun stepped into the Editor’s position and did an excellent job at editing Newsletter No. 72. Our thanks also go to his sister and niece who helped with the typing of the text.

Ian McCrorie has, once again, been working behind the scenes producing information for the Newsletter, (or the Wee Red Book as it is more affectionately known) while Robin Love has had a difficult time trying to get the Newsletter out on time.

Robin reported to the Meeting that the text for Newsletter No. 73 is ready. The problem this time has been assembling photos suitable for publication.

The Club is extremely grateful to all those concerned with the production of the Newsletter. Without a Newsletter we do not have a Club.

As the Club Committee changes every two years it is time for Duncan to demit the President’s Office. As he stepped down he congratulated the new President, Arthur McDonald upon entering Office and wished him the best of luck for the future.

The following year, 2007, marks the fortieth anniversary of the West Highland Steamer Club. This is a major milestone by any standards. The Committee is working hard, not only to produce another excellent Syllabus, but also to find material to celebrate the fortieth anniversary. The Committee are looking forward to another successful season during this important year for the Club.

When she emerged from the yard of James Lamont & Co Ltd in May 1936 she was barely recognisable. The upper deck had been extended aft and a second mast was added. A third funnel had also been added. This was considered a masterstroke by MacBraynes as the Cunard liner QUEEN MARY had recently entered service. SAINT COLUMBA was immediately regarded as a Mini Cunarder. The three funnels were stepped in the same style as those on the larger ship. She is the only Clyde steamer to have carried three funnels. The third was a dummy and used as a store for deck chairs.

SAINT COLUMBA was employed on the Royal Route to Ardrishaig, leaving Bridge Wharf at 7.11 every morning except Sundays.

In 1937 she was converted to burn oil, the first Clyde steamer to do so and the second of the MacBrayne fleet, the first being LOCHNESS (III).

She was employed as an accommodation ship for Boom Defence personnel from 1939 to 1946 in East India Harbour, Greenock.

After being reconditioned by Lamont’s she reappeared in the spring of 1947. She was restored to the Ardrishaig route in May although she now operated out of Gourock.

Her time came at the end of the 1958 season. She was towed stern first to the Port Glasgow yard of Smith and Houston on 23^rd December 1958 where she was broken up.

Snippets of information arising from the Meeting. Rumour has it that if BUTE has to go into dry-dock for an extended period ISLE OF ARRAN may go to the Islay run when MUIRNEAG returns from the Mersey and HEBRIDEAN ISLES will go to the Clyde to stand in on the Rothesay run. The two-ship service to Islay does not start until the middle of May. Engineers are being flown over from Poland to sort out the problem. This may affect WAVERLEY’s dry-docking. She is going into the Garvel as soon as she returns from Oban.

The new ship for Islay, as yet un-ordered, may be built with a hoist. This is believed to be a form of insurance. HEBRIDEAN ISLES and LORD OF THE ISLES are the only ships left with hoists. Link spans are always going to need maintenance and CalMac need to ensure that ships are available to serve the islands.

LORD OF THE ISLES is not going to be extended. CalMac have decided that she would have to be re-engined and so the cost is going to be prohibitive.

BUTE will not be paired up with CORUISK for roughly a ten-week period over the winter. One of the Streakers will run in tandem with her until the new ARGYLE appears on the route. Note the spelling of ARGYLE. It is not Argyll as in MAID OF ARGYLL. She is the third ship to carry the name, the second being the Clyde paddler of 1866. The first ARGYLE was a ferry operating between Strachur and Inveraray in 1849. (Duckworth and Langmuir-“Clyde River and Other Steamers”).

The Session 2006-07 will commence on Friday 27^th October 2006 when the Speaker will be Donald Meek, Professor of Scottish and Gaelic Studies, Edinburgh University.

For any visitors to this website who are not members of the Club and would like to join please go to the Subscriptions Page and click on “I would like to join the West Highland Steamer Club”. A PDF Membership Form will appear. Print a copy of the form and send it to the Treasurer, Robin Love.

Members will be entitled to receive two Newsletters per year in April and October. They will also be given the opportunity to buy the photographs published in the Newsletter.

Club Calendars will be available at the meetings at a price of £4.50. The Calendar, if ordered by post, will cost £5.00.

All meetings take place in the Kirk Lounge, Renfield St Stephen’s Church Hall, Bath Street, Glasgow starting at 1930 and finishing by 2130.