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The 2005 Season of the Jacobite Steam Train has opened marking 21 years of a regular steam train service from Fort William to Mallaig. The service operates from Monday to Friday until October 14^th and on Sundays from July 24^th to August 28^th. The train does not operate on Saturdays.

The railway runs for 42 miles from the foot of Ben Nevis to Mallaig, a busy fishing and ferry port from where Caledonian MacBrayne sail to Armadale on Skye, The Small Isles of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna. Sailings to the rugged and remote Knoydart Estate also depart from Mallaig. Bruce Watt provides this service.

Construction of the railway began in January 1897 and, due to the difficult terrain, took four years to complete. The line opened on April 1^st 1901.

After leaving Fort William the railway climbs into the mountains reaching Glenfinnan where the railway crosses the 21 arch Glenfinnan Viaduct. The Viaduct was the first concrete built viaduct in the world. It is 416 yards long and stands 100 feet high. From the middle of the viaduct passengers can look down upon The Glenfinnan Monument and Loch Sheil. An excellent museum can be found at Glenfinnan Station.

Towards the end of the line the train reaches Arisaig, Britain’s most westerly railway station. From here the Small Isles of Eigg, Rum, Muck and Canna can be seen shimmering in the sunlight. Shortly before arriving at Mallaig the railway crosses Britain’s shortest river, the Morar, which rises in Loch Morar Britain’s deepest inland loch of over 1000 feet deep.

On arrival at Mallaig passengers will have over an hour to explore this bustling fishing and ferry port.

The Friends of the West Highland Lines is a group involved in promoting the railways from Glasgow to Oban, Fort William and Mallaig. Established in 1984 after the railway was threatened with closure north of Crianlarich, the FWHL has been snapping at the heels of Scotrail successfully ensuring the line’s survival.

Glenfinnan is the departure point for Loch Sheil Cruises on board the MV SILEAS. This vessel is a 52ft ex Admiralty Pinnace or harbour launch built by James A Silver Ltd of Rosneath, Scotland in 1940. She is though to have been in Admiralty service at Invergordon until the mid sixties.

when the new road opened from Lochailort to Acharacle, which lies 17 miles from Glenfinnan, at the south end of the Loch.

The Company employed two launches, MV ROSALIND/LOCHSHEIL (II) and MV LOCHAILORT on the service.

The best-known vessel to sail on Loch Sheil is SS (and after 1926 MV) CLANRANALD II. Built at Rutherglen, she maintained the service from 1900 until 1953.

The future of Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd of Port Glasgow is under threat as The Scottish Executive is refusing to bend the rules by which ships are put out to tender.

The Executive is set to order two new fisheries vessels but insist that under EU rules they have to be put out to tender.

In England mine- sweepers are used as fishery protection vessels. As such they are classed as “grey vessels”, part of the Royal Navy.

In Scotland, however, fishery protection vessels have always been operated and owned by The Scottish Office, now The Scottish Executive. Under rules imposed by Brussels ships, which are unarmed, have to be put out to tender.

Ferguson has launched the JURA, the second last fisheries ship on their order books with no new orders on the horizon.

It is feared that the new ships will be built in Poland where shipyards are thought to be subsidised.

A new ferry slipway on the Island of Raasay is at risk due to a row over where the terminal should be built.

Scottish Natural Heritage and Historic Scotland are objecting to the construction of the slipway in front of Raasay House, which is used as a tearoom and outdoor centre. The shore in front of the House forms a natural harbour and has been used as a landing place for many years. In 1973 a public enquiry ruled that this would be the best place to build a slipway. In the end a slipway was built next to the Iron Works Pier. It was only intended to last for 20 years.

Two new boats will be offering short trips from Oban this year. The varnished PURPLE HEATHER, belonging to Alan Strang, replaces his smaller SCEPTER, which has left Oban to concentrate on sea angling off the Irish Coast. Mr Strang acquired PURPLE HEATHER in Bangor, Ireland.

The largest and oldest of the small boats will still be MacAllister’s classic launch the DUCHESS. She cruises twice a day from the Oban Times Slip on the Esplanade to Duart Castle on Mull.

A boat, which sank in Loch Eynort and lay on the seabed for two years, has been restored to her former glory.

THE MAY is thought to have been built at John Henderson’s yard in Mallaig in 1953 for John MacDonald from Tarskavaig, Sleat. After passing through a couple of owners she was bought by John Alec MacKinnon who used her for family fishing trips over a period of 20 years.

Age began to catch up with her and in 1997 she sank to the bed of Loch Eynort. Two years later, in 1999, John Alec’s son Peter and boat builder Alan Sillence raised THE MAY. After six years of hard work, during which time 85 % of the boat was renewed, THE MAY is back on the water.

Transport Minister Nichol Stephen has given the go-ahead for a new linkspan to be built at Oban. Caledonian MacBrayne has greeted the news with delight. However objectors, who are concerned about health and safety issues, will hold The Scottish Executive responsible for any damage or injury to property or people. Mr Stephen has asked the Company to liaise with local fishermen and others who use the Pier to ensure that all concerned can safely work together.

The safety issues were raised by Oban Port Users and Argyll Charter Boat Association at a Public Enquiry held in February.

Detailed planning for the new facility, which will cost £3 million, will start immediately. CalMac expect to be on site early next year with the new linkspan becoming operational towards the end of 2006.

The project will also include construction of covered walkways from the terminal building to the ships.

From The Oban Times Those Were The Days Column comes this snippet from Thursday 21^st June 1985. The report tells us that preparations are underway for the launch of a new ferry for Caledonian MacBrayne.

The ship, built by Cochrane Shipbuilders, will be launched sideways into the River Ouse. The Duchess of Kent will perform the launch ceremony.

The Loch Etive cruise ship ANNE OF ETIVE was chartered by the Taynuilt Gaelic Choir on Saturday 18^th for a Midsummer Ceilidh Cruise to the head of the Loch to raise funds to finance the Choir’s trip to the Royal National mod in Stornoway in October.

An unusual visitor to Oban set the rumours into overtime recently. The 295ft AIR has been causing a stir with its black hull and white superstructure not to mention the futuristic shape of the ship.

The truth is quite mundane. The ship, launched only four weeks ago, belongs to a Swiss banker who is touring the Western Isles with friends and wishes to remain anonymous.

AIR comes complete with a helicopter and is designed to be environmentally friendly. A contradiction in terms perhaps?

It looks as if the fixed link to the Island of Easdale has been dropped. However residents of Luing are urging Argyll and Bute Council to consider a fixed link to their island.

Caledonian MacBrayne are to be allowed to register crews with offshore companies to avoid national insurance payments.

As this website reported in December of last year CalMac was considering making the change in order to save costs helping the Company to win the tender to continue operating all its routes.

Crews working in harbours, estuaries and inshore waters such as the Firth of Clyde will not qualify for the exemption. Around 650 crewmen working among the Western Isles would, saving up to £9 million over a six-year tender period.

Potential competitors, who may tender for routes currently operated by CalMac, do not pay 12% national insurance contributions by registering crews with offshore companies.