30/01/10.

 

The prospect of hearing two experienced shipping historians discuss The Islay Route brought an excellent turnout to January’s Club meeting on Friday 29^th.

Ian McCrorie and Lawrence Macduff were the speakers with Ian opening the evening by going back to the early days of David Hutcheson & Co and that company’s predecessors, John Ramsey and G & J Burns.

In the late 1820s vessels, including MAID OF ISLAY No 1 and MAID OF ISLAY No 2, would leave Glasgow calling at Islay while en route to Staffa, Tobermory, Isle Ornsay and Portree.

Certain vessels sailed to Islay from Glasgow via Portrush and returned the same way.

Ian brought his talk to a conclusion by discussing the career of PIONEER of 1905, the second vessel to bear the name. She was built for the Islay mail service from West Loch Tarbert. 

In 1944 PIONEER was purchased by the Admiralty and was used as a research ship at Fairlie. In January 1946 she was towed down to Portland Harbour where she was used as a floating laboratory. In March 1958 she was towed away to Rotterdam where she was scrapped.

As Ian pointed out it is not insignificant that Islay was the last Hebridean island to receive a motor ship to provide the service from the mainland.

That ship was LOCHIEL of 1939, which is where Lawrence opened his talk.

Lawrence entertained the Club with an excellent selection of slides depicting all the ships, which have served Islay since 1939.

Not only did he show slides of the vessels at sea, but also of deck and interior scenes.

Many of the slides were taken from his favourite vantage point, Dun Skeig, which overlooks the entrance to West Loch Tarbert.

Among the ships depicted were the Western Ferries vessels, SOUND OF ISLAY and SOUND OF JURA, LOCHNEVIS, LOCHFYNE, SAINT COLUMBA, ARRAN, IONA, CLAYMORE, GLEN SANNOX, LORD OF THE ISLES and the present incumbents on the route ISLE OF ARRAN and HEBRIDEAN ISLES.

An excellent evening very much appreciated by all those present.

Eric Schofield gave the Vote of Thanks.

As an additional point of interest Ian told the Club that CalMac Ferries, who operate the vessels, preferred the name Pioneer for the new Islay ferry currently under construction in Poland. However Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, who own the vessels, preferred to run a competition to find a name. That name turned out to be FINLAGGAN.

Back in the early 1970s the Scottish Transport Group had the name Scottish Ferries in mind for the merged fleets of the Caledonian Steam Packet Co and David MacBrayne Ltd. Thankfully common sense prevailed and Caledonian MacBrayne was born.

The next meeting is on Friday 26^th February. The speaker is Professor Donald Meek whose presentation is entitled “ Martin Orme, John McCallum and Cargo Services to the Hebrides 1850-1950”.

All meetings are held in the Kirk Lounge, Renfield St Stephens Church Hall, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow round the corner from Charing Cross Station.

Duncan Wilson.

 

 

26/01/10.

 

Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing (Guernsey) Limited, which supplies crew for the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet operated by CalMac Ferries Limited around the West Coast of Scotland, is seeking around 120 staff for the 2010 summer season.

 

 

19/01/10.

 

Caledonian MacBrayne are advising their customers that the17.10 sailing from Barra and the 18.15 return from Eriskay may be disrupted or delayed due to adverse weather.

The 15.40 departure from Oban to Barra and South Uist may also be subject to delays or disruptions.

Due to weather conditions and the overnight forecast the 18.00 sailing from Kennacraig this evening has been cancelled. This will mean that the 07.00 sailing tomorrow from Port Ellen has also been cancelled.

The call at Muck tomorrow may be cancelled.

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk 

 

 

16/01/10.

 

As stated below the 06.45 from Craignure to Oban was cancelled. The 08.00 to Craignure was also cancelled resulting in the cancellation of the 09.00 return to Oban.

Normal service resumed at 10.00.

The Sconser-Raasay service resumed at 10.35.

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk

 

Captain Alistair Kernachan, one of Caledonian MacBrayne’s longest serving officers has retired after thirty-one years of service with the company.

Alistair, who lives in Tarbert (Loch Fyne), served on many vessels and routes and is particularly well known to passengers to Islay, Colonsay and the Small Isles.

The last vessel on which he served was HEBRIDEAN ISLES.

Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 14^th January.

 

 

15/01/10.

 

The overnight freight service between  Stornoway and Ullapool is cancelled due to adverse weather

Caledonian MacBrayne are advising their customers that various routes may be subject to weather disruptions tomorrow. The routes affected are as follows:

Mallaig - Eigg - Muck - Rum – Canna, Barra-Eriskay, Oban-Coll and Tiree, Oban-Craignure.

Tomorrow’s 06.45 sailing from Craignure to Oban has been cancelled.

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk

 

 

12/01/10.

 

A number of sailings have been hit by bad weather today, which has had a knock-on affect into tomorrow.

The 17.35 sailing from Ullapool to Stornoway was cancelled . As a result the 07.00 sailing from Stornoway to Ullapool tomorrow has also been cancelled as the ship is stormbound in Ullapool. Weather permitting the next sailing will be from Ullapool at 10.25 tomorrow morning.

Tonight’s freight service between Stornoway and Ullapool has been cancelled.

The 15.40 sailing from Oban to the Outer Isles will now leave at midnight. The following timetable will operate: Dep Oban 00.00, Arr Lochboisdale 07.00, Dep Lochboisdale 07.30, Arr Castlebay 09.10, Dep Castlebay 09.20, Arr Oban 14.30. All times are approximate and  subject to the weather.

The Sound of Mull service between Lochaline and Fishnish finished for the day at 15.19.

The 18.00 sailing from Kennacraig to Port Ellen tonight has been cancelled. This means that the 07.00 sailing from Port Ellen tomorrow has also been cancelled.

Caledonian MacBrayne are advising their customers that sailings from Mallaig to Eigg and Muck tomorrow could be subjected to disruptions due to the weather.

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk

 

 

07/01/10.

 

Lawrie Sinclair, Chief Executive of the David MacBrayne Group, which includes ferry operators CalMac Ferries Ltd and NorthLink Ferries Ltd, has announced he is to retire from his post at the end of June 2010.
Prior to its major restructure in October 2006, Mr Sinclair had been Managing Director of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd since 2000, and oversaw its separation into Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd and CalMac Ferries Ltd. He then led the company's successful bids to provide lifeline ferry services for both the Northern Isles and the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contracts. His contract was due to end in April 2010, but he has agreed to extend it by a few months to manage the handover to his successor.
David MacBrayne Chairman, Peter Timms, said: "For the last 10 years Lawrie has successfully steered the company through some of its most challenging times, and has done much to transform it into a modern commercial business which puts the needs of its customers first."
Lawrie Sinclair said:"My time with CalMac has been one of the most challenging and rewarding times of my life, and I leave with very mixed feelings. However, I do believe that as we approach the retendering of the contracts for both the Northern Isles and Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services, the time is right to pass the baton onto someone else to take the David MacBrayne Group forward."
Prior to joining CalMac, Lawrie enjoyed a successful career in shipbuilding and repair, culminating in being appointed Managing Director at three different yards from 1981 to 2000.
Peter Timms added:"The search for Lawrie's successor will begin immediately with advertisements being placed in the national media from this week."

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk

 

 

05/01/10.

 

The 10.25 sailing from Ullapool and the13.50 return from Stornoway were cancelled today due to the weather conditions. Weather permitting the service resumed from Ullapool at 17.35 .

Tonight’s freight service is cancelled.

The 09.40 from Uig to Lochmaddy and the11.45 return trip were cancelled today , again, due to adverse weather.

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk

 

 

02/01/10.

 

The Berneray - Leverburgh (Sound of Harris) route is facing disruptions over the next two days  due to tidal conditions.

The 13.30 sailing from Berneray and the 14.40 return  from Leverburgh are cancelled tomorrow.

The same sailings are also cancelled on Monday 4^th. Additional sailings on Monday will leave  Berneray at 11.00 and return from Leverburgh at 12.10.

Source: Caledonian MacBrayne. www.calmac.co.uk