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| March 2005 news CLANSMAN was refloated on Tuesday. Her bridge wing windows have been altered. She is expected to sail straight to the Western Isles allowing her sister HEBRIDES away for overhaul. LOCH PORTAIN is out of drydock. Following up the report from February 27th, the Lismore fuel crisis has been resolved for the time being. Foster Yeoman have made another boat available, THE LADY MORVERN. This small ship carries a dangerous goods licence, unlike THE LISMORE. 3/03/05. The 10th of March 2005 marks the 50th anniversary of the launching of MV CLAYMORE at the Dumbarton yard of William Denny & Brothers Ltd. This is the first time since the new company was formed in 1928 that a ship built for the MacBrayne fleet (apart from the small craft) had received a name other than a “Loch”. Ordered in accordance with the mail contract of 1952, CLAYMORE was a great advance on her predecessor LOCHEARN. With a gross tonnage of 1,024, she was the second largest ship in the fleet. Her twin screws, driven by engines supplied by the builder, drove her along at 12 ½ knots. CLAYMORE was a handsome, well-proportioned ship with a light steel tripod mast erected above the bridge and a light mainmast aft. Near the bow she had a Samson post supporting a 7 ½ ton derrick She had a domed funnel with vertical vents on the front. Three lifeboats were carried, two on the starboard and one on the port side. One was motor driven. Aids to navigation including Radar, Decca Navigation Position Plotter, Echo Sounder and Wireless Telegraphy were fitted during construction. The ship could carry 494 passengers with sleeping accommodation for 56 as opposed to 22 on LOCHEARN. She also had space for 100 tons of cargo, 11 cars and 26 head of cattle. CLAYMORE served Tobermory, Coll, Tiree, Castlebay and Lochboisdale three days a week in each direction, a route with which she was associated for most of her working life. In addition she gave short cruises from Oban on certain summer afternoons. During the summer of 1955 these were usually to the Isles of the Sea on Thursdays and to Salen (Mull) on Saturdays in support of LOCHINVAR on the Sound of Mull route. Other cruise destinations included Colonsay and Fort William. With the appearance of IONA on the Ullapool-Stornoway route in May 1972, LOCH SEAFORTH was cascaded to Oban, replacing CLAYMORE on the Isles run. Although an older vessel (1947), LOCH SEAFORTH could carry more passengers, cars and cargo. CLAYMORE was laid up in Greenock, temporarily as events turned out. During the winter of 1973 LOCH SEAFORTH was on the route from Oban to Coll, Tiree, Barra and Lochboisdale. In March her career came to an abrupt end when she struck a rock in the Sound of Gunna between Coll and Tiree. She was towed to Scarinish Pier, Tiree where she sank, preventing any other ships from berthing. CLAYMORE was quickly reactivated and returned to the island route using a flit boat at Tiree until LOCH SEAFORTH could be lifted from the pier and taken to Troon where she was scraped. The cargo ship LOCH DUNVEGAN assisted that summer by carrying cars to Tiree, as CLAYMORE did not have the capacity to carry the booked cars. In 1974 further vessels were cascaded in quick succession. A rebuilt CLANSMAN, having replaced IONA on the Stornoway run, was in turn replaced by SUILVEN. CLANSMAN moved down to Oban taking over from GLEN SANNOX on the Craignure run. She returned to the Clyde having made only a brief appearance at Oban. During the summer of 1974 IONA served Barra and Lochboisdale leaving CLAYMORE to serve Coll and Tiree. The following winter she included the latter islands in her roster allowing CLAYMORE to be withdrawn from service at last. In 1976 our illustrious ship sailed away to Greece where she was renamed CITY OF HYDRA. She ended her career in 2000 when she sank at her moorings at Eleusis. CLAYMORE is featured on the May page of the 2005 Club Calendar. She is portrayed at Lochaline Pier on 27th July 1973 in a photo taken by the late James Aikman-Smith. The next Club meeting, on April 1st, will include a talk and slide show on the “Two Claymores 1955 and 1978” presented by Robin Boyd and Eric Schofield. 10/03/05. EIGG is still at Corpach where her overhaul is nearing completion. BRUERNISH has been standing in for her on the Lismore run. LOCHFYNE carried two trucks across to Lismore on the 6th, BRUERNISH not having a high bridge like the EIGG. ISLE OF ARRAN is in the Garvel drydock at present while HEBRIDES is at Birkenhead. On the 10th LOCH RIDDON had engine trouble leading to the suspension of the Tarbert-Portavadie service. Weather conditions on the Minch have prevented ISLE OF LEWIS and MUIRNEAG from sailing over the weekend (12,13/03). Due to tidal restrictions on Wednesday 9th, Thursday 10th and Friday 11th the 1110 from Berneray and the 1220 from Leverburgh were cancelled. Caledonian MacBrayne have apologised to members of the Stornoway Running Club who were unable to board LOCH BHRUSDA because the ferry could not carry the forty children and adults in the party. Normally the LOCH PORTAIN is on the route. She has a certificate for more passengers but was in drydock at the time. LOCH PORTAIN is heading back north having berthed at Campbeltown over night (11/03). The former Gairloch-Portree passenger ferry, SPIRIT OF SKYE, is laid up at Dochgarroch Lock at the north end of Loch Dochfour where the Caledonian Canal enters the loch. Many thanks to Inverness resident, Alec MacLean, for the above information. The Northern Lighthouse Board will continue an old tradition by naming their new ship PHAROS, the ninth ship to carry the name. Unlike the present ship, she will have a large aft working area and a helicopter deck forward of the bridge. Mr. Lawrie Sinclair, Managing Director of Caledonian MacBrayne, has told staff that industrial action could benefit the company’s competitors. Ballot papers calling for industrial action were issued on February 25th and the ballot is due to finish on Monday14th. The Government has refused to budge over its decision to make Caledonian MacBrayne’s services go out to tender. Lismore has until 1st of April to find a way of getting fuel to the island. Foster Yeoman, which ran the ferry on a contract for Argyll and Bute Council, has given notice that it will stop running the ferry on that date. Meanwhile a letter has been published in the Oban Times calling for two ferries to run from Lismore, one to Port Appin and one to Oban. The Crinan-based cruise boat GEMINI is under new ownership with Mike Murray handing over to Hamish Angus after 25 years at the helm. GEMINI also provides a water taxi link between the mainland and Jura. This writer is among many who have used the service. The twin-hulled vessel has been out of the water since October for maintenance. 12/03/05. Yesterday (12/03) the 0715 Stornoway-Ullapool, and the 1715 Ullapool-Stornoway sailings were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. The 1110 from Berneray and the 1220 return sailings were cancelled due to low tides. Also cancelled, for the same reason, were the 1240 from Lochaline and the 1305 return sailings. 13/03/05. Following the result of the strike ballot Caledonian MacBrayne crews will stage a 12 hour strike on Wednesday March 23rd. The 403 members voted 155 to 81 that they would be prepared to take strike action and by 195 to 44 that they would be prepared to take industrial action short of strike action. The management of CalMac are reported to be extremely disappointed with the outcome of the ballot held by the RMT Union on strike action. This writer finds it hard to understand why a vote of 155 should take priority over a vote of 195. Perhaps the Union leader Bob Crow is just looking for a fight? 14/03/05. The 1600 Mallaig to Armadale and the 1640 return sailings were cancelled today (16/03) due to weather conditions. 16/03/05. EIGG has left Corpach and is now covering for the Isle of Jura ferry EILEAN DHUIRA between Port Askaig and Feolin Ferry while she is away for overhaul at Ardmaleish. Following discussions held in Glasgow today (17/03) between Caledonian MacBrayne and the RMT union, the proposed strike scheduled for Wednesday March 23rd will be suspended to allow further talks to take place. 17/03/05. The 19th of March 2005 marks the 120th anniversary of the launching of PS GRENADIER from the Clydebank yard of J & G Thomson, the last steamer built for David MacBrayne by this yard. GRENADIER was, without doubt, a pretty ship being a saloon steamer with clipper bow, bowsprit, two funnels and one mast all in keeping with traditional MacBrayne style of the period. She was fitted with two cylinders, one h.p. and the other l.p. which drove an oscillating engine resulting in a healthy speed of 18 ½ knots. The choice of machinery was strange because by 1885 oscillating engines were obsolete even allowing for the fact that they were of the compound type. GRENADIER was built for the summer service from Oban to Skye and Gairloch replacing GLENCOE. However she became much better known for the Iona and Staffa cruise on which she replaced CHEVALIER (1866) and for the winter service from Greenock to Ardrishaig. In 1902 the ship was fitted with a pair of haystack boilers and new funnels of a larger diameter resulting in a more pleasing appearance. After the winter season 1902-03 GRENADIER remained on the Clyde. David MacBrayne changed the roster of IONA to allow her to make two runs from Ardrishaig to Greenock Princes Pier leaving at 5.45 am and to Wemyss Bay leaving at 1 pm. COLUMBA maintained the Royal Route to and from Glasgow with services supplemented by GRENADIER from the Kyles of Bute to Glasgow. During the summer season sailings to Staffa and Iona were taken by GAEL. Following the outbreak of the First World War GRENADIER was the only MacBrayne paddle steamer requisitioned for war service. Under the name HMS GRENADE she departed from the Highlands and headed to the North Sea where she was employed as a minesweeper from 3rd of July 1916 to 23rd October 1919. The paddler safely returned to the West Coast and her old haunts. In 1927 David MacBrayne Ltd faced a series of disasters. On New Years Day SHEILA, inward bound from Stornoway, ran aground while well off course when attempting to make her regular call at Applecross . There were no casualties apart from the ship herself, which was declared a total loss. Further disaster followed in March when CHEVALIER ran aground off Barmore Island just north of Tarbert while relieving on the winter Ardrishaig service after a paddle wheel jammed caused by a broken float. At 61 years of age the Company decided she was not worth repairing and had her scrapped. The end for GRENADIER was sudden and tragic. Just before 1am on the 1st September 1927 a disastrous fire broke out while she was berthed overnight at the North Pier, Oban. Some of her crew lost their lives including her Master, Captain A McArthur, who had commanded the ship for many years. She sank at her berth but was raised and taken to Ardrossan on the 11th May 1928 where she was scrapped. Another example of the lovely creations the Clyde produced in its heyday had gone. The story of the GRENADIER is not yet over. Her boilers, fitted in 1902, still had some mileage left in them. One of them was placed in the veteran GLENCOE, the same ship she displaced in 1885. The other went to the Caledonian Canal steamer GONDOLIER thus ensuring that the heart of our noble ship did not die that tragic night in Oban. A photo of PS GRENADIER, courtesy of John Bell per Ian McCorie Collection, can be seen on the April page of the Club Calendar where she shown in the Sound of Iona landing passengers for the “Sacred Isle”, a cruise she performed throughout the summers of her career. LOCH RIDDON had a spell on the Tayinloan-Ardminish run during the week after LOCH RANZA returned to the Clyde with engine problems. She was supposed to go to Largs having been relieved by ISLE OF CUMBRAE on the Tarbert-Portavadie run but ended up going to Gigha instead. LOCH PORTAIN is back on the Sound of Harris run. VIC-32, the last coal fired Puffer in operation, has been awarded a grant of £100,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The grant will be used to buy a new boiler so that VIC-32 can be kept in working order with Highland Steamboat Holidays at Crinan. Holidaymakers can stay on board and take an active part in the running of the vessel. During the summer she will be docked on the Crinan Canal and will be open to visitors at the weekends. VIC-32 was built in 1943 and commissioned by the Admiralty as part of a fleet of 100 Victualling Inshore Craft (VICs), which carried supplies to warships during wartime. From the Oban Times “Those Were The Days” column comes this snippet from 25 years ago. Caledonian MacBrayne announced that the Outer Isles ferry would no longer be calling at Lochaline much to the disappointment of the local Community Council. CalMac stated that the number of people using the service no longer justified the call. In future Bowmans, the Mull bus operators, would run a bus from Fishnish to Craignure connecting the ferry service between Fishnish and Lochaline and between Craignure and Oban. Bowmans said the bus service was on a trial basis only and there was no guarantee that the service would continue. 19/03/05. CORUISK left Greenock for Mallaig at 0730 this morning (21/03). 21/03/05. Caledonian MacBrayne’s summer timetable comes into effect today (25/03). 25/03/05. A canoeist has been picked up by the ISLE OF LEWIS today (26/03) while on passage from Ullapool to Stornoway. He set of a flare, after becoming separated from the rest of his group, which was spotted by passengers on board who informed the ship’s Master, Captain Alexander Morrison. Captain Morrison ordered the fast rescue craft to be launched. After searching for an hour the man was found off the island off Tanera Mor. A spokesman for CalMac described the rescue as a textbook operation. 26/03/05. Most of the CalMac ships are on their summer rosters. HEBRIDES is back on the Uig-Tarbert (Harris)-Lochmaddy run allowing CLANSMAN to return to Oban and take over the Tiree and Coll route. LORD OF THE ISLES is on the Barra-‘Boisdale run. LOCH LINNHE has returned to Tobermory from where she sails across to Kilchoan. RAASEY is in Oban as spare vessel. EIGG remains on the Jura service. ISLE OF ARRAN is on the wires at Gourock until required for the Islay service. The Sound of Harris service is facing disruption due to low tides. The following services are cancelled: Thursday 7th April 1205 from Berneray and the 1330 from Leverburgh, Friday 8th April 1205 from Berneray and the 1330 from Leverburgh, Saturday 9th April 1205 from Berneray and the 1330 from Leverburgh, Monday 11th April 1330 from Berneray and the 1445 from Leverburgh. 28/03/05. The islanders of Colonsay are once again able to go out for a drink following the re-opening of the Isle of Colonsay Hotel. Locals feared the Hotel would be sold as a private house after it closed down three months ago. A four-man consortium headed by the island laird, Alex Howard, son of Lord Strathcona, has bought the Hotel. The Hotel is important to the fragile economy of the island. Now locals and tourists alike have a focal point where they can meet and have a drink or a meal while staying on the island. Caledonian MacBrayne serves the island of Colonsay from Oban, Kennacraig and Port Askaig throughout the summer months. A link to CalMac can be found on the links page on this website. Duncan Wilson 31st March 2005.
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Contact WHSC: info@westhighlandsteamerclub.co.uk