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| May 2007 news The following cruise ships will be calling at Western Isles ports during the month of May.
GRIGORIY MIKLEEV – Oban 19th.
ALEXADER VON HUMBOLDT – Stornoway 16th, Tobermory 17th, Iona 17th.
ARIELLE – Stornoway 12th, Tobermory 13th.
ASTOR- Oban 20th, Stornoway 21st.
BLACK PRINCE – Lochboisdale 30th, St Kilda 31st.
HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS – Oban 2nd, 6th, 9th, 17th, 21st, 28th. Crinan 5th. Craobh Haven 31st. Colonsay 3rd, 27th. Iona 26th, 29th. Ulva 4th, 26th. Tiree 30th. Eriskay 10th. Dunvegan 11th. Uig and Portree 12th. Gairloch 13th. Kyle of Lochalsh and Armadale 14th. Rum and Mallaig 15th. Kilchoan and Craignure 16th. Eigg 22nd. Shiant Isles 23rd. Castlebay 24th. Jura 27th.
ISLAND SKY – Inverewe 27th.
POLAR STAR – Iona 18th, Canna and Rum 19th, Loch Scavaig 20th, St Kilda 21st, Stornoway 22nd.
Source: Ships Monthly.
The 10.50 Craignure – Oban (ISLE OF MULL) was cancelled on Tuesday 1st due to engine trouble. LORD OF THE ISLES covered the 11.55 ex Oban and 12.55 return.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
From The Oban Times Those Were The Days Column Thursday May 3rd 1977.
Captain Donald Gunn was the Master of ARRAN when the first baby was born on board a Caledonian MacBrayne ship. Baby James Henderson was born on board the ship during the passage between Craignure and Oban.
Captain Gunn presented a framed picture of the log recording the event and a framed photograph of ARRAN to the Henderson family.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 3rd May.
P S GONDOLIER was built by J & G Thomson Govan for David Hutcheson & Co and launched on Thursday 3rd May 1866. Her Yard No was 87.
GONDOLIER was built for service on the Caledonian Canal between Banavie and Inverness. She served on this route for over seventy years.
Although she was a handsome and well-finished ship her bow and stern tended to spoil her appearance. However she was built with the canal locks in mind, which explains the peculiarly shaped bow and stern.
In 1939 the ship was taken over by the Admiralty. GONDOLIER was towed to Scapa Flow where she was scuttled to block a passage.
Source: Clydesite/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
WAVERLEYdeparted from Glasgow at 07.00 on Friday 4th for her trip around the Western Isles. Her call at Port Ellen was cancelled because two Caledonian MacBrayne vessels blocked the berth. It turned out that one was running late and had just started to load up. The decision was therefore made to cancel the call. Passengers booked for Port Ellen were advised that they may not be able to call but elected to remain on board.
On Sunday 6th the 07.00 sailing from Oban to Fort William was cancelled due to emergency engineering work. WAVERLEY departed from Oban at 12.15 for the Four Lochs Cruise.
Many thanks to John McCormick and Jim McFadzean for the information.
Adverse weather affected a few sailings on Sunday 6th.
The 09.00 ex Berneray and the 10.10 ex Leverburgh were cancelled (LOCH PORTAIN).
Also cancelled was the 10.30 ex Sconser (LOCH STRIVEN).
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
07/05/07
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M V LOCHNEVIS was built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon and launched on Monday 8th May 2000. She is the second ship to bear the name.
LOCHNEVIS was built for the Mallaig – Small Isles service to replace LOCHMOR (1979). Only Canna had a pier. Flitboats were used at Rum, Eigg and Muck. With financial help from the EC slipways were to be built at all the Small Isles. Inverie, on the Knoydart Estate, was also to have a new pier and slipway.
The new ship had to use, not only the linkspan at Mallaig, but also the slipways on the islands. She was therefore designed with this in mind.
As part of her trials she called at Colintraive where the slipway is similar to the conditions she would expect to encounter at the Small Isles and Inverie.
Space was available for twelve cars and 200 passengers. Her engine room and navigating bridge were well equipped, while her passenger accommodation was equally well appointed for a ship of her size.
After LOCHNEVIS entered service on 20th November her predecessor, LOCHMOR, was put on the sale list. With her superior speed of 13 knots the new ship could offer a better service and the timetable was reorganised accordingly. Morning departures from Mallaig were at a more appropriate time for tourists and day trips to the islands, with time ashore, became possible. Her winter employment includes two return trips from Mallaig to Armadale.
LOCHNEVIS has only made one call so far at Inverie. That was on August 24th 2006 when the Transport Minister at the time, Tavish Scott, opened the new pier and slipway.
LOCHNEVIS is featured on the November page of the 2007 Club Calendar. She is pictured at Colintraive during her trials. Also in the picture is the regular Colintraive – Rhubodach ferry, LOCH DUNVEGAN (1991). Photograph by J G Law.
Source: Ian McCrorie-CalMac Ferries
West Highland Steamer Club Newsletter No 62.
ISLE OF ARRAN left Port Ellen thirty minutes late at 16.00 due to the volume of traffic today (08/05).
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
08/05/07.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
CalMac Ferries Ltd has confirmed that it has, in accordance with the procedures laid out in the Scottish Executive’s Invitation To Tender (ITT), formally lodged the documentation detailing the company’s bid to provide Clyde and Hebridean Ferry Services (CHFS).
P S IONA (III) was built by J & G Thomson Govan and launched on Tuesday 10th May 1864. Her Yard No was 77.
Built for David Hutcheson & Co she entered service on the Ardrishaig run until COLUMBA replaced her. IONA was employed on both the Clyde and among the Western Isles. The Caledonian Steam Packet Co, Ltd chartered her for a short period during the First World War.
After a long career of seventy-two years she was sold in March 1936 to Arnott, Young & Co (Shipbreakers) Ltd and was broken up, along with COLUMBA, at Dalmuir.
Source: Clydesite/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
S S CHIEFTAIN was built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Ayr and launched on Saturday 11th May 1907.Her Yard No was 182.
CHIEFTAIN was built for David MacBrayne, Ltd and was the largest ship built for the company to date. She was employed on the Glasgow – Stornoway service up till 1919 when she was sold to the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Co Ltd. After serving a number of different owners she was broken up at Spezia on 8th January 1952.
Source: Clydesite/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
CLANSMAN has missed her 1530 sailing to Barra this afternoon (12/05) for reasons as yet unknown, although it could well have something to do with the unusually large amounts of thick black smoke seen coming from her funnel this afternoon. LORD OF THE ISLES sailed in her place at 1945 The return sailing, scheduled for 0920 tomorrow has been retimed for 0130 tomorrow morning to allow LORD OF THE ISLES vessel to return to her schedule as normal tomorrow with the 0900 sailing to Coll and Tiree.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
Despite the excellent weather and good visibility only around 300 people were onboard WAVERLEY as she made her maiden call at the Island of Colonsay on Saturday 12th. She departed from Oban at 10.00 after sailing in from Tobermory where she spent the night.
WAVERLEY arrived at Scalasaig Pier shortly after her advertised time of 12.30 offering passengers one hour ashore.
She returned to Oban by sailing up the west coast of Iona and past the Treshnish Isles before entering the Sound of Mull. After a brief call at Tobermory WAVERLEY cruised down the Sound back to Oban where she arrived at 19.45.
By good fortune LORD OF THE ISLES was departing from Oban at the same time as the paddler was arriving back. The two ships passed at close quarters outside Oban Bay giving each other a hearty blast with their horns.
Colonsay was very much the domain of McCallum, Orme & Co until 1st January 1948 when the assets and goodwill of that company were taken over by David MacBrayne Ltd. Up until 1948 the island was served by cargo and passenger steamer from Glasgow.
From April 1949 the island was served from West Loch Tarbert with the extension of sailings by LOCHEIL onward from Port Askaig to Colonsay.
Subject to confirmation the call by WAVERLEY is possibly the first ever by a paddle steamer at Colonsay.
With the exception of the missed call at Port Ellen on Friday 4th and the cancellation of the early morning sailing from Oban to Fort William on Sunday 6th WAVERLEY carried out a full programme of sailings among the Western Isles.
Monday 7th was a special day for the Island of Coll as WAVERLEY, LORD OF THE ISLES and HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS all arrived at the island’s pier within twenty minutes of each other. This is perhaps the most unusual grouping of ships to gather at an island pier since 5th May 1984 when WAVERLEY, together with the Fred Olsen cruise ship BLACK PRINCE, GLEN SANNOX and COLUMBA all met at Craignure.
WAVERLEY returns to the Clyde on Monday 14th when she sails from Oban to Ayr.
Duncan Wilson. Additional information from Iain Quinn.
LORD OF THE ISLES arrived in Castlebay at 0050 with the delayed 1530 sailing from Oban in place of CLANSMAN She loaded with vehicles for the mainland and left Barra at 0110 this morning (13/05).
CLANSMAN meanwhile spent today in Oban at the south pier. It turns out that something went wrong yesterday while attempting to leave Oban. She was forced to go back onto the linkspan and offload her traffic and lie in the bay while other vessels moved in and out. This afternoon's sailing to Barra and Lochboisdale was been delayed until 1730 and was taken by LORD OF THE ISLES once again. The 1730 sailing to Colonsay was delayed by half an hour and was carried out by ISLE OF MULL. Source: Ships of CalMac www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
Due to tidal conditions the following sailings on the Sound of Harris route have been cancelled.
Tuesday 15th 12.05 ex Berneray 13.30 ex Leverburgh.
Wednesday 16th 10.40 and 13.30 ex Berneray 12.05 and 14.45 ex Leverburgh.
An extra sailing will depart from Berneray at 09.40 and from Leverburgh at 10.50.
Thursday 17th 12.05 ex Berneray 13.30 ex Leverburgh.
Source: Caledonian MacBrayne www.calmac.co.uk
14/05/07.
M V LOCHNEVIS was built by William Denny & Bros Dumbarton and launched on 15th May 1934. Her Yard No was 1273. She ran trials on 28th June and her designed speed of 15 knots was achieved.
LOCHNEVIS was built and designed along the same lines as LOCHFYNE. She is a smaller ship, however, with one funnel. She was not as noisy and did not suffer from the problems with vibration, which afflicted the 1931 vessel. LOCHNEVIS carries cargo in a hold forward of the passenger accommodation. She has one derrick located forward of the mast. The motors could be controlled from either the bridge or engine room.
The passenger accommodation, originally two-class, consisted of lounges, smoke rooms and dining rooms. Since the vessel was built for daytime service only no sleeping berths were provided.
LOCHNEVIS was built for the Mallaig – Kyle of Lochalsh – Portree mail service, which operated all year round. She also provided evening cruises to Loch Torridon and Gairloch from Portree and to Loch Scavaig from Mallaig. These trips proved to be very successful.
During the Second World War she was re-named HMS LOCHNEVIS and became a minelayer. She was handed back to her owners in June 1944 and was employed on the Ardrishaig route.
She resumed her roster on the Portree mail service, but the Outer Isles ship carried out the Loch Scavaig cruise. In 1952 she received a mainmast.
After traffic declined on the Portree route LOCHNEVIS was transferred south to Oban and employed mainly on relief work. During the winter she relieved LOCHFYNE on the Gourock – Tarbert route.
LOCHNEVIS was withdrawn from service in October 1969.
LOCHNEVIS is pictured arriving at Kyle of Lochash on the September page in the 2007 Club Calendar. Photograph by Dr Struan Robertson.
Source: Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
M V LOCHMOR was built by Ardrossan Dockyard and was launched on Thursday 15th May 1930. Her Yard No was 349.
LOCHMOR was one of a genuine pair of sister ships the other being LOCHEARN which was launched at the same shipyard on 29th April 1930.
LOCHMOR was placed on the Outer Isles service from Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig. Her roster included calls at Eigg, Rum, Lochboisdale, Lochmaddy and Tarbert (Harris).
After HEBRIDES entered service on the Uig – Lochmaddy – Tarbert service in 1964 LOCHMOR was transferred to the Mallaig – Armadale ferry route until CLANSMAN replaced her.
Together with her sister LOCHMOR was sold to Greek owners on 26th August 1964.
Source: Clydesite/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
The annual gallery cruise on board ISLE OF MULL featuring the work of John Lowrie Morrison raised more than £2,850 for the North Argyll Carers Centre on the evening of Friday 11th when travellers and art enthusiasts enjoyed a cruise to Colonsay.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 17th.
20/05/07.
M V LOCH SEAFORTH was built by William Denny & Bros Ltd and was launched on 19th May 1947. Due to delays in obtaining certain equipment she did not take her place on the Mallaig – Kyle of Lochalsh – Stornoway run until 6th December 1947.
LOCH SEAFORTH was ordered under the terms of the 1938 Mail Contract, which stipulated that the company would provide two new vessels, one for the Islay route and the other for Stornoway. The former, LOCHEIL, entered service in 1939.However, due to the outbreak of the Second World War; the latter was very much delayed.
LOCH SEAFORTH was very much larger than LOCHNESS, her predecessor on the Stornoway route. She was faster with better passenger accommodation for all classes. With a raked stem, cruiser stern, recessed anchors and two masts she was quite a handsome looking ship, the only drawback being the rather short funnel, which was invisible from forward. Her cargo holds were forward of the passenger accommodation. The foremast had two derricks one of which was removed in the later years. She was the first MacBrayne vessel to be fitted with radar, which was installed in May 1949.
LOCH SEAFORTH was very much a one-route ship until May 1972 when IONA (1970) took up the Stornoway service. LOCH SEAFORTH sailed south to Oban where she replaced CLAYMORE (1955) on the Coll – Tiree – Barra’ boisdale route with Colonsay added to her roster. This eased the pressure on the Outer Isles route with immediate effect as the bigger ship could carry more cars as deck cargo. CLAYMORE was laid up in Greenock.
The old mailboat’s new career came to an abrupt end in March 1973 after she struck a rock in the sound of Gunna, which separates Coll and Tiree at six in the morning.
An inspection revealed that the ship was holed below the engine room and was taking on water fast, covering the engines. The order was given to abandon ship. Distress signals were sent out and the few passengers were lowered into a lifeboat in the care of a senior officer and crewmembers. Once ashore the Master, Captain Gunn, climbed a small hill and surveyed the scene. He decided that the ship was still afloat and called for volunteers to return in a bid to save the ship. To a man the entire crew stepped forward and with a selected few Captain Gunn returned. With the assistance of a tug, which answered the distress call, LOCH SEAFORTH managed to limp into Gott Bay and tie up at Scarinish Pier.
Technical staff were called in from Gourock to inspect the damage and advise on the action to be taken. A skeleton crew was retained and the remainder returned to Oban on board COLUMBA. At this stage there was a hope, albeit slim, that LOCH SEAFORTH could be repaired and returned to service. This was a forlorn hope, however, for overnight a bulkhead collapsed causing the adjacent compartment to flood and LOCH SEAFORTH settled on the seabed.
The ship was declared a total loss. After being lifted by a floating crane LOCH SEAFORTH was kept afloat by temporary buoyancy and towed away to Troon where she was scrapped after a career of twenty-six years with David MacBrayne Ltd and Caledonian MacBrayne.
LOCH SEAFORTH is depicted at Lochboisdale on 31st May 1972 on the October page of the 2007 Club Calendar. Photograph by Lawrence MacDuff.
Source: Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers/John Whittle-Speed Bonny Boat
Ian McCrorie-Royal Road to the Isles.
21/05/07.
A new mail contract, the text of which was issued on 9th April 1952, provided for a subsidy to David MacBrayne Ltd of £360,000 per year, subject to certain conditions, including the construction of two new vessels. The duration of the agreement was from 1st January until 31st December 1961.
The first of the two was CLAYMORE, a passenger and mail vessel, launched at the Dumbarton yard of William Denny & Bros Ltd on 10th March 1955. The second of the two vessels was LOCH ARD, a cargo vessel, launched at the Port Glasgow yard of Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd on 23rd May1955.
After completion she entered service in June succeeding HEBRIDES (1898) on the fortnightly Outer Isles cargo service from Glasgow.
Although similar to LOCH CARRON (1951) in many respects, the new ship had certain innovations. The most obvious, externally, was the self-supporting bipod mast, with derricks fore and aft, capable of lifting five and ten tons respectively.
Until LOCH ARD entered service her sister, LOCH CARRON, had the distinction of having the most powerful lifting gear of any of the Company’s ships – 7 ½ tons.
Heavy loads were expected to be carried to the Outer Isles over the next few years in connection with major construction work – causeways, bridges etc hence the need for the increased lifting power.
Being a versatile ship, LOCH ARD was readily adaptable for the transportation of livestock – including up to 130 head of cattle – and had plenty of space for deck cargo. Buses, lorries and cars could often be seen on her cargo hatches.
Two attractive staterooms provided accommodation for four passengers.
The Company’s house-flag, worked in metal, was affixed to the front of the bridge – another innovation credited to the ship. She was fitted with the same navigational aids as CLAYMORE.
From1964 she was employed principally on the Glasgow – Islay service. However, in 1968, Western Ferries opened a service between Kennacraig and Port Askaig using the stern-loading ferry SOUND OF ISLAY. She soon ate into MacBrayne’s traffic, which was carried by LOCH NEVIS (1934) and LOCH EIL (1939).
The Company fought back by chartering ARRAN, one of the pioneering ABC ferries, from the Caledonian Steam Packet Ltd. Resplendent in the MacBrayne livery, she opened the traditional service from West Loch Tarbert using her hoist loading facility. She soon won a proportion of the traffic back from Western Ferries.
Unfortunately this meant the end for LOCH ARD. In 1970, at only fifteen years old, she was withdrawn from the fleet – a victim of the changes sweeping over the ferry services to the Western Isles.
Source: Ships of CalMac/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers
Ian McCrorie-Royal Road to the Isles.
A new late-night ferry on Saturdays may be introduced to the winter timetable.
If Caledonian MacBrayne’s bid is successful a ferry will leave Oban at 21.45 and arrive in Craignure at 22.30. The train from Glasgow, which arrives in Oban at 21.25, will have more time to connect with the ferry.
Islanders will be able to spend seven hours in Glasgow or fourteen hours in Oban.
The proposed addition to the timetable will also help sports clubs on the island, as they will no longer have to stay away overnight.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 24th.
Ferry services were affected by adverse weather conditions on Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Tuesday 22nd. On Tuesday CORUISK sailed bow first in order to utilise her stabilisers as a heavy swell was running through the Sound of Sleat.
ISLE OF ARRAN carried out an abandon ship and lifeboat drill on Sunday 20th.
A temporary timetable operated on the Kennacraig – Port Ellen – Colonsay – Oban route on Wednesday 23rd (LORD OF THE ISLES).
Spaces were limited on LOCHNEVIS on Saturday 26th as a major sporting event was taking place on Rum.
The Tobermory – Kilchoan service (LOCH LINNHE) was suspended this morning (28/05) due to mechanical problems. The service resumed at 11.30 but was running late with considerable delays.
Source: Ships of CalMac/Caledonian MacBrayne
28/05/07.
The Tobermory – Kilchoan service was disrupted again today (29/05) due to mechanical problems with LOCH LINNHE. This time the service did not resume until 16.00.
Source: Ships of CalMac.
P S MOUNTAINEER was launched on Saturday 29th May 1852. She was built by J&G Thomson Govan for David Hutcheson & Company and placed on the Ardrishaig route.
She was transferred to Oban in 1855 where she maintained the Staffa, Iona and Fort William services. She also performed some excursions from Oban to Loch Coruisk. During the winter months she returned to the Ardrishaig route. In the early 1860s she sailed down to Crinan.
In the course of her life she was lengthened by twenty-one feet and given a deck saloon.
It was on 27th September 1889 that her career came to an end through stranding.
MOUNTAINEER was on the Oban – Gairloch route when weather conditions deteriorated near Lismore light causing her to veer off course and run ashore.
Although the hull was not badly damaged bad weather closed in and on 7th October 1889 she broke in two.
Source: Clydesite/Duckworth and Langmuir-West Highland Steamers.
29/05/07.
Oban - Colonsay - Port Askaig - Kennacraig (HEBRIDEAN ISLES)
Due to essential Pier Work at Port Askaig all sailings will operate to & from Oban. A temporary timetable from Oban - Colonsay will operate today (30/05) using LORD OF THE ISLES 1530 dep Oban 1750 arr Colonsay 1805 dep Colonsay 2025 arr Oban Kennacraig - Port Askaig - Colonsay (HEBRIDEAN ISLES) Due to essential Pier Work at Port Askaig all sailings will operate to & from Port Ellen. A temporary timetable from Kennacraig - Colonsay will operate today (30/05) 0745 dep Kennacraig 1005 arr Port Ellen 1025 dep Port Ellen 1305 arr Colonsay 1720 dep Colonsay 2000 arr Port Ellen 2020 dep Port Ellen 2240 arr Kennacraig Source: Ships of CalMac www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has opened a new facility in Fort William to develop key aspects of its business in the Lochaber area and beyond.
ISLE OF ARRAN sailed to Port Askaig today (31/05) in order to carry out berthing trials at the new linkspan. The trials were believed to be a success.
Source: Ships of CalMac.
Thursday 31st May 2007.
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Contact WHSC: info@westhighlandsteamerclub.co.uk