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| January 2008 news Happy New Year.
A number of shipping and enthusiast organisations are issuing calendars for the forthcoming year.
The Ships of CalMac calendar is on sale through the website (www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk) at a cost of £6.00 including post. The A4 calendar features ships in the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet throughout the network.
The Caledonian MacBrayne calendar is on sale through their website (www.calmac.co.uk) and also on board the ships of the fleet at a cost of £4.95. The A4 calendar features the CalMac ships set against beautiful island images.
The Clyde River Steamer Club calendar is on sale at Club meetings at a cost of £6.50 or by post at a cost of £7.50. Overseas postage will cost £9.00. The A4 calendar is also on sale through the website (www.clyderiversteamerclub.org.uk). The front cover has a colour picture of the CalMac vessel ARGYLE while the back cover features the former Isle of Man Steam Packet vessel MANXMAN, again in colour. The inside pages feature black and white pictures of many old favourites including LOCHNEVIS (1934), KING GEORGE V, KENILWORTH (1936) and JEANIE DEANS.
The Waverley Calendar is on sale at a cost of £7.95 through the Waverley Excursion Ltd website (www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk) and also at Paddle Steamer Preservation Society meetings and on board WAVERLEY. The calendar shows the paddle steamer in Scottish waters.
The West Highland Steamer Club calendar is on sale through this website by going to the calendar page and clicking on “ I would like to order a West Highland Steamer Club Calendar”. The A4 calendar is on sale at Club meetings at a cost of £6.00. The cost including postage is £7.00. The calendar is also available in limited numbers in a 12-page format at a cost of £8.50 including postage. Most of the pictures are in colour and include WAVERLEY making her maiden call at Scalasaig, Colonsay on Saturday 12th May 2007. The front cover portrays LORD OF THE ISLES at Craignure.
Duncan Wilson.
On the 1st January 1906 a new company, David MacBrayne, Ltd, was established with David Hope MacBrayne as Chairman. His father, David MacBrayne, retired at the same time but retained a 50% share in the ships and still visited the office at 119 Hope Street, Glasgow every day. He was to live for one year only, his death occurring on 26th January 1907 at the age of 92. His shares were then transferred to David MacBrayne, Ltd.
His youngest son, Lawrence MacBrayne, had already sold his 25% share to David Hope MacBrayne in December 1905.
LOCHINVAR was the third motor vessel on the Company’s books, the first two being COMET (III) 1905 and SCOUT 1907. She was designed and built as a successor to P S CARABINIER on the Oban – Sound of Mull mail service. Though having comparatively fine lines and a well-designed hull, LOCHINVAR was no beauty, but had good, though restricted, passenger accommodation. The dining room was decorated with eight panels painted by J Carey representing the adventures of Young Lochinvar.
She was built on the Clyde by Scott & Sons, Bowling 100 years ago in 1908. At 150 ft she was one of the larger members of the fleet.
Originally she came out with a single tall thin funnel near the stern and a cargo winch and crane amidships. Forward of the bridge was a single pole mast. Later a separate exhaust pipe was provided for each of the three sets of engines. Finally these pipes were diverted and carried into a short large-diameter funnel forward of the cargo space. At the same time an electric crane made by Chambers, Scott & Co., Motherwell was fitted in place of the original and worked over the top of the funnel.
Her career with the Company was spent on the same route, namely Oban – Sound of Mull – Tobermory, carrying passengers, mails and cargo all the year round, apart from occasional relieving duties on the Tarbert – Islay or Loch Goil mail routes. She was on the latter in October-November 1942, February-March 1943, July-August 1944 and January-March 1945. She lived long enough to have become endeared to many folks in Argyllshire for her consistently good work on the service for which she was specifically designed.
She was re-engined in 1926 and 1949, becoming twin screw in the latter year. The machinery then fitted consisted of two sets of six-cylinder Davy Paxman motors with dimensions the same as those of the twelve-cylinder motors fitted in that year to LOCHEARN and LOCHMOR, and with parts inter-changeable with theirs. As in their case a spare complete engine was kept ashore for LOCHINVAR, ready to be installed when either of those in use required an overhaul.
She had a very extensive refit, including new decks, a wheelhouse, an observation shelter and considerable renewal of hull plating, and resumed the Sound of Mull run in October 1949. From 1955 she became spare and performed short excursions from Oban, relieving in winter, and some years laid up in summer. In 1959 she was placed on the Portree mail run where she was not particularly well received. On 28th May 1960 she performed her final MacBrayne run from Tobermory to Oban and was sold on 3rd June to Timbacraft Ltd, Shandon, at whose yard she lay till after her sale to an owner in the south. She returned to Greenock in October and had the words “Brighton Bell” painted on her bow and stern evidently without authority. Her old name had been restored when she left Greenock on 28th October. She opened a service between Sheerness and Southend under the name ANZIO I, which lasted until the end of the 1963 season, after which she was laid up on the Thames. In the spring of 1966 she was on her way back to Scotland to run for Cromarty Cruises Limited between Inverness and Invergordon, but met with disaster by being wrecked at Donna Nook, south of the Humber on 3rd April 1966 with the loss of her whole crew including some of the directors of her new owners.
LOCHINVAR is pictured off Craignure on 26th June 1950 on the June page in the 2008 Club calendar, courtesy of the Ian McCrorie Collection
Sources:
Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
Ian McCrorie-Royal Road to the Isles.
The 17.10 ex Ardmhor and 18.15 return ex Eriskay sailings (Sound of Barra) were cancelled on Friday 4th due to the weather conditions.
All sailings between Fionnphort and Iona were cancelled on Friday. On Saturday 5th the scheduled service started in the morning but was cancelled by mid-afternoon due to worsening weather conditions.
The Monday 17.20 sailing from Kennacraig and the 07.00 Tuesday morning return from Port Askaig will operate to and from Port Ellen until further notice due to the on-going pier work at Port Askaig. The additional timetable will be slightly reduced from Saturday 26th January to Saturday 16th February.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk
The New Year promises to be an exciting and challenging one for Arisaig Marine Ltd, with a major upgrade of their harbour facilities planned to take place in time for the 2008 summer season.
The £140,000 project will see a spacious new boatshed and small slipway built at Arisaig Harbour. A £28,000 building grant towards the cost of the project has been awarded by HIE Lochaber. HIE Lochaber development manager Helen Cameron said that they had been delighted to support the re-development. She commented: "This project will provide the quality and range of facilities which yacht owners expect nowadays. It will also modernise and improve the efficiency of an established business in a remote area of Lochaber and enable them to take advantage of the growing niche market of marine leisure tourism." Established over 30 years ago by Murdo Grant, Arisaig Marine has been run for the last four years by his daughter, Susan Grant and fellow director, Graham Maclellan. 'We've made quite a few changes over the years to our equipment including providing a pontoon and causeway, but this will be the first time that any major structural work has been carried out. Our present buildings have been there since the 1970s and are in drastic need of replacing,' Susan said. 'We're really very excited about the project which is the first phase in a series of improvements we are planning. We eventually hope to build a new harbour office with a chandlery, showers and laundry facilities. We feel leisure boating is a growing pastime and want to be ready to meet the demand. Over the last few years our business has steadily increased. We can't compete with bigger marinas but we feel we offer a personal service possibly lacking in larger operation and which our customers enjoy.' Arisaig Marine specialises in the leisure cruising market, offering 60 summer moorings, private charters, winter boat storage and a boat repair service in addition to running a small chandlery. During the summer the company runs cruises to the Small Isles on their boat, SHEERWATER, which also doubles as an essential ferry service for island residents. For more info on Arisaig Marine go to www.arisaig.co.uk Source: West Word. www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/westword/
The Caledonian MacBrayne vessel LOCHNEVIS called at Inverie, Knoydart to deliver a bottle bank recently. This is possibly her first call at Inverie since the new pier was opened in August 2006. Why it wasn’t delivered by the Knoydart Estate workboat SPANISH JOHN 2 is not known.
Bruce Watt’s boat WESTERN ISLES was called upon to carry the Mallaig Fire Service to Inverie to assist the local fire fighters after fire broke out in a gillie’s bothy. Rumours about CalMac providing a scheduled service to Inverie are still doing the rounds. However locals would still prefer the excellent service currently given by Bruce Watt.
Source: West Word www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/westword/
06/01/08.
ISLE OF LEWIS arrived in Greenock on the afternoon of Sunday 6th at 15.00 for her overhaul. After calling at Gourock she moored in the James Watt Dock prior to dry-docking. Her roster on the Ullapool – Stornoway route has been taken up by CLANSMAN.
Source: Clydesite-Various.
PENTALINA B (ex Caledonian MacBrayne vessel IONA), which has been maintaining a twelve passenger only service since mid November when fleet-mate CLAYMORE was taken out of service for dry-dock and annual survey, left Orkney on Sunday 6th bound for the Dover – Dunkirk livestock trade.
As CLAYMORE is still at St Margaret’s Hope undergoing engine overhaul since her return from overhaul at the end of November there will be no St Margaret’s Hope – Gills Bay service till she is operational, which is expected to be towards the end of the week.
Source: Gary Andrews-Ferries of Northern Europe.
07/01/08.
The 17.10 from Ardmhor and the 18.15 return from Eriskay (Sound of Barra) were cancelled today (08/01) due to the strong winds. Normal service will resume tomorrow.
However strong winds are expected to sweep across the Western Isles and much of the country tomorrow and Thursday possibly causing cancellations and disruptions to ferry services.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne www.calmac.co.uk
08/01/08.
Pentland Ferries resumed a full passenger service on Friday 11th January when CLAYMORE returned to service following dry-docking and an engine overhaul, which started on 19th November.
PENTALINA B maintained a twelve passenger and freight service until Saturday 5th January when she returned to the Dover – Dunkirk livestock trade thus leaving no service over the Pentland Firth for five days.
Source: Gary Andrews-Ferries of Northern Europe.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Stewart Stevenson today announced the appointment of two new members to the David MacBrayne Ltd Board.
As expected ferry services throughout the Caledonian MacBrayne network were disrupted on Wednesday 9th.
The 12.00 sailing to Colonsay from Oban was cancelled. The next sailing to the island was as per schedule on Friday 11th.
The Oban – Lochboisdale/Castlebay – Oban service on Thursday 10th faced disruptions, again, due to the weather. LORD OF THE ISLES sailed direct to Lochboisdale omitting the call at Castlebay on Thursday night. Normal service resumed at 08.00 on Friday morning when she sailed for Castlebay and Oban.
The Ullapool – Stornoway freight service (MUIRNEAG) was cancelled on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th.
The Outer Isles service from Oban is facing disruptions again after the 21.05 from Castlebay to Lochboisdale was cancelled tonight (15/01). Weather permitting LORD OF THE ISLES will sail to Lochboisdale at 06.00 tomorrow and pick up a delayed 07.30 service to Castlebay and Oban.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk
15/01/08.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has today (Wednesday) released the proposals offered to the Scottish Government for a ferry service between Mallaig and Lochboisdale with its bid for Clyde and Hebridean ferry services.
Ferry services throughout the Caledonian MacBrayne network were disrupted or cancelled again on Friday 18th.
CORUISK made her way up the river from the James Watt Dock to the King George V Dock on Sunday 20th for laying up.
LOCH TARBERT and LOCH RANZA are at Ardmaleish for overhaul. LOCH LINNHE is on the Tayinloan – Gigha route, while LOCH RIDDON is on the Tarbert – Portavadie – Lochranza winter service.
ISLE OF LEWIS is due out of dry-dock on Thursday 24th and will head back to Stornoway on Sunday 27th. This is her first visit to the Clyde since 1997, two years after she entered service on 31st July 1995.
CLANSMAN is relieving on the Stornoway route, while LORD OF THE ISLES is covering on the Oban – Coll – Tiree – Barra – Lochboisdale route.
Source: Ships of CalMac/Caledonian MacBrayne. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk www.calmac.co.uk
Additional information from Ian Somerville.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has confirmed that it has to defer discussion on two key aspects of its Stornoway to Ullapool service, pending consideration of the outcome of the study into the proposed RET pilot commissioned by the Scottish Government.
A new ferry's propulsion unit has been identified as one of the causes of damage to a slipway.
Urgent repairs need to be done to the Nether Lochaber slipway during early summer so the Corran Ferry can continue to run, council officials report. They have asked Highland councillors to approve an allocation of £650,000 towards the work. Officials said the ferry's propulsion was more powerful than the previous vessel. The age of the slipway and strong currents were also to blame. The ferry, which takes vehicles, is deemed essential in providing access to Ardgour and the Ardnamurchan peninsula. A report on the situation will go before Thursday's transport committee.
The ferry concerned is CORRAN. She was built by George Prior Engineering (Yorkshire) Ltd, Hull and entered service in 2001.
CORRAN plies the route across the Corran Narrows halfway up Loch Linnhe between Nether Lochaber and Ardgour.
Source: Gary Andrews-Ferries of Northern Europe/BBC Scotland News.
Additional information from Duncan Wilson.
20/01/08.
The Berneray - Leverburgh (Sound of Harris) service is facing disruptions and delays due to tidal conditions. On Thursday 24th and Friday 25th of January there will be an amended timetable due to low tides.
On Thursday 24th the 1405 sailing is cancelled and there is an amended sailing at 1130. On Friday 25th the 1405 is again cancelled, with an amended sailing at 1200. All other sailings are as per timetable.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk
LOCH RANZA is presently at Rothesay Pier completing her annual overhaul.
Source: Scotships.
22/01/08.
LOCH RANZA set sail from Rothesay today (23/01), calling first at Largs for crew cars and then at Lochranza for an overnight berth. She is due to resume service at Gigha allowing LOCH LINNHE to return north to Mull.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
The overnight freight service between Stornoway & Ullapool tonight (23/01) has been cancelled due to adverse weather.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk
23/01/08.
The first meeting of 2008 was on Friday 25th with Gordon Law, Club President 1992-94, offering a presentation entitled “ CalMac in the Mull Area”.
Club President Arthur McDonald opened the meeting by giving a warm welcome to Mr Malcolm MacRonald, National Chairman of the Coastal Cruising Association, which held their Annual General Meeting in Hunter’s Quay on Saturday 26th.
Gordon was brought up in Largs where he still lives. He has fond memories of watching ships of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company calling at Largs Pier. Vessels such as TALISMAN, MARCHIONESS OF GRAHAM, ASTON, LEVEN, COUNTESS OF BREADALBANE and the “Maids” were all regular callers at Largs.
It so happened that Gordon’s father was a Consultant Lawyer for David MacBrayne Ltd. His position meant that he was required to drive up to the West Highlands on a regular basis. This whetted Gordon’s appetite to expand his horizons.
During a visit to Oban in the early seventies Gordon spotted a poster advertising The West Highland Steamer Club, which he joined in 1973.
Gordon’s presentation took the form of his personal reminiscences of Oban and Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services from Oban and around Mull during the 1970s and 80s.
The membership was treated to a superb collection of slides portraying ships throughout this twenty-year period. Among the ships featured were COLUMBA, GLEN SANNOX, CALEDONIA (ex STENA BALTICA), CLAYMORE (1978) and PIONEER. The Island Class vessels shown included COLL, EIGG and MORVERN. It is remarkable to think that these vessels were the mainstay of routes such as Lochaline – Fishnish when you consider the carrying capacity of the present vessel on the route, LOCH FYNE.
Gordon continued his talk with slides of ISLE OF MULL and LORD OF THE ISLES under construction at Port Glasgow and in service with CalMac.
A talk and slide show about shipping around Mull would not be complete without a few slides of WAVERLEY and Gordon did not disappoint the assembled audience.
However it was COLUMBA, which featured strongly in his talk. One of Gordon’s favourite days out would be to drive to Lochaline where he would board COLUMBA and sail on her to Tobermory. Having taken a few photographs he would board the bus back to Fishnish and take the ferry across to Lochaline from where he would drive back home.
In addition to those already mentioned locations featured included Craignure, Iona, Fionnphort, Mingary, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, Castlebay, Lochboisdale, Port Askaig, Jura and the Gulf of Corryvreckan.
Gordon paid tribute to the Late Jim Aikman-Smith with a rare slide of CALEDONIA at Tobermory.
He went on to tell a story about how he met Jim in Craignure. Having recognised Jim’s car he was surprised to see the windows all steamed up. Gordon knocked on the window, which was rolled down to reveal Jim boiling water on a primus stove on the passenger seat in preparation for cooking noodles. Gordon invited Jim into the Craignure Inn for a bowl of soup, but no, Jim was quite happy to eat his noodles in his car.
Gordon also paid tribute to another faithful servant of the Club, the Late Hamish Stewart.
Gordon and Hamish were colleagues at work for many years. Every now and again someone would be on the phone looking for them only to be told they were out on site. This actually meant they were out taking photos of ships.
Many of you will know that Hamish had a flat in Oban. His family were never surprised when Hamish went out saying that he was going to” where the action is”. This, of course, was another euphemism for taking photographs of ships.
One of Hamish’s favourite places was below Dunollie Castle from where he could watch ferries, yachts and other craft coming and going from Oban Bay.
His family have placed a seat, dedicated to Hamish, at this site. On the brass plate is the inscription: where the action is.
Gordon showed a slide of ISLE OF MULL taken from Pulpit Hill in memory of Hamish.
Gordon is a retired Quantity Surveyor, but is now working as a driver delivering sports goods. It is a remarkable coincidence that his work takes him, among other places, to the West Highlands. He always takes a camera with him wherever he goes. Long may he continue to do so.
The Club is very much looking forward to listening to Gordon’s reminiscences and viewing his excellent slides from the 80s up to the present day.
On such a night it was fitting that another Club stalwart, Robin Love, should give the vote of thanks.
In his vote of thanks Robin remarked that the ferries of the 70s and 80s looked like toys when compared with the ferries of today.
The next Club meeting is on Friday 29th February when the Speaker will be Mr Donald Booth, Cowal and Bute Area Manager, West Coast Motors.
All meetings are held in The Kirk Lounge, Renfield St Stephens Church Hall, Bath Street, Glasgow.
Duncan Wilson.
ISLE OF ARRAN left Port Askaig at around 12.15 on Friday afternoon (25/01) and commenced the long sail round to Aberdeen where she is to undergo her annual overhaul. She passed Craignure at around 15.00 and is expected to arrive in Aberdeen around 18.00 on Saturday.
ISLE OF LEWIS is reported to have left the James Watt Dock shortly after 10.30 this morning (26/01) in order to conduct trials, collect crew cars and then head up to Stornoway to relieve CLANSMAN for her own overhaul. It is expected that CLANSMAN will leave Stornoway tonight after completing her scheduled sailings and head for the Mersey.
Due to a technical problem with her bow ramp, CLANSMAN was still sitting in Stornoway harbour at 17.00. Her crew are assessing the problem and an update is due later on regarding the status of the 13.45 sailing which is already over 3 hours late. CLANSMAN departed Stornoway at 17.40 (3hrs 45mins late). She is expected to depart from Ullapool at approx 21.30 hrs and arrive in Stornoway at approx 00.30 hrs.
The weather has not been kind to Caledonian MacBrayne again over the last few days. Services throughout the ferry network were cancelled or disrupted on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th.
The Sconser - Raasay service is cancelled for today (26/01) due to adverse weather. Normal service will resume tomorrow, weather permitting.
The Mallaig - Eigg - Muck - Rum - Canna service is liable to disruptions due to weather conditions. There will be a reduced service on the Kennacraig-Islay route between Saturday 26/1/08 to Saturday 16/2/08 inclusive. The 09.45hrs sailings Mondays to Fridays and the 17.20hrs sailings Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Kennacraig have been withdrawn. The 07.00hrs sailings on Tuesdays and Fridays, the 09.45hrs sailings on Sundays, The 14.00hrs sailings on Mondays and Thursdays and the 18.00hrs sailings on Tuesdays and Fridays from Islay have also been withdrawn.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne/Ships of CalMac www.calmac.co.uk www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
26/01/08.
The Mallaig – Small Isles service ( LOCHNEVIS) included a call at Muck today ( 29/01) on the return trip from Canna to Mallaig. The service ran as follows: Mallaig – Rum – Canna – Muck – Mallaig. The 1600 service from Mallaig to Armadale was delayed due to the knock on effect from the Small Isles sailing, therefore the 1645 sailing from Armadale was also be delayed.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne’s annual refurbishment programme has taken a significant step towards its closing stages with the completion of work on the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry MV Isle of Lewis, which has returned to her west coast station this week.
29/01/08.
Due to adverse weather tonight (30/01) the 18:00hrs sailing from Kennacraig – Port Ellen has been cancelled. This will mean that tomorrow’s 04:15hrs sailing has also been cancelled.
The Ullapool- Stornoway freight service is cancelled tonight. The Uig – Lochmaddy service may be subject to disruptions tomorrow.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk
30/01/08.
SS SHEILA was built by A & J Inglis, Glasgow and launched on Saturday 30th January 1904. She ran her trials on 9th March.
SHEILA became closely identified with the Kyle of Lochalsh – Stornoway route venturing out in fair weather and in foul carrying mails, passengers and cargo.
In 1921 she was employed on the Mallaig – Kyle – Outer Isles service and was in Oban at the end of the First World War.
Sadly, on the inward passge from Stornoway in the early hours of Saturday 1st January 1927, SHEILA ran aground in darkness at Cuaig Bay just south of the mouth of Loch Torridon.
Source: Clydesite/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
Thursday 31st January 2008.
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Contact WHSC: info@westhighlandsteamerclub.co.uk