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| November 2007 news ISLE OF CUMBRAE is now at Roseneath. LOCH ALAINN is in service at Colintraive. She departed from Campbeltown at 07.00 and sailed through the Kilbrannan Sound on her way to Bute before changing over with LOCH DUNVEGAN at 11.30. LOCH DUNVEGAN lay at the wires at Gourock together with CORUISK before heading up to the James Watt Dock.
On Friday 2nd LOCH LINNHE departed from Craignure, fuelled up at Oban, and headed down south to the Clyde.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has today (Friday, November 2, 2007) announced an order for a new ferry, which will be operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) on the routes serving Islay from the mainland
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Following the landslip on the A83 between Arrochar and Cairndow at Rest and be Thankful on Sunday 28th October engineers from Transerve Scotland said today (02/11) that the road would remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Road engineers are on site but it is too dangerous to work on and bad weather is making the situation worse.
Transerve Scotland has staff on site but is unable to begin work to re-open the road.
Passengers who are travelling to Kennacraig for the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service to Islay should allow up to forty minutes extra travelling time as the diversion involves a 50-mile loop detour.
Take the A82 north to Crianlarich and then head up for Tyndrum. Head west to Dalmally on the A85 and then take the A813 south to Inveraray where drivers will gain access to the A83.
Alternatively take the CalMac ferry from Gourock to Dunoon and head north on the A815 through Strachur or head for Portavadie and take the CalMac ferry to Tarbert via the B836, A886 and A8003 through Tighnabruaich.
Source: The Herald, Friday 2nd November.
Additional information from Duncan Wilson.
02/11/07.
LOCH LINNHE called at Rhubodach at about 14.00 on Saturday 3rd to unload crew’s cars. She then headed away to Largs.
RAASAY will spend a few days relieving the Argyll and Bute Council ferry, EILEAN DHUIRA, on the Port Askaig – Feolin Ferry route. She was expected to go to Corpach for repairs. LOCH BUIE is expected at Ardmaleish on November 12th for her annual overhaul.
LOCH RIDDON is currently at Rothesay having finished her overhaul. She will be heading north to relieve LOCH BUIE.
LOCH LINNHE left Largs this morning (04/11) heading north.
LOCH DUNVEGAN is in dry-dock having her underside shot-blasted. She should be out in time for the arrival of ISLE OF MULL.
Source: Ships of CalMac www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
04/11/07.
The Oban- Colonsay service was cancelled on Monday 5th due to the weather.
On Tuesday RAASAY sailed from Port Askaig for Tobermory where she arrived
at 19.30.
The Ullapool – Stornoway freight service (MUIRNEAG) is cancelled tonight (07/11). All sailings between Ullapool and Stornoway (ISLE OFLEWIS) are cancelled on Thursday 8th due to the weather.
Gale force winds are expected to sweep over the Western Isles on Thursday.
Source: Ships of CalMac/Caledonian MacBrayne.
07/11/07.
Due to gale force winds on Thursday 8th, which resulted in adverse weather conditions, most of the west coast ferry services were disrupted or cancelled.
LOCH ALAINN departed Gourock at 0900 bound for Ardmaleish boat yard on Friday 9th. She had to wait for about an hour outside while the Corran Ferry CORRAN made ready for her departure.
LORD OF THE ISLES was still in James Watt Dock on Friday morning at 1145 after her overhaul. She departed from the JWD around 1400 and was noted passing Wemyss Bay at 1500 heading south. She was passing Brodick on Arran with an ETA at Oban of 0200 on Saturday 10th. HEBRIDEAN ISLES arrived in at Port Ellen at 2030 on Friday night. She departed at 0415 on Saturday bound for Kennacraig. She then lay at Kennacraig until she departed for dry dock.
ISLE OF ARRAN departed Kennacraig at 0700 bound for Port Ellen. She then commenced the winter HEBRIDEAN ISLES roster. On Saturday LOCH ALAINN made her way to Rhubodach after repairs to free a trapped object at Ardmaleish boat yard. LOCH RIDDON left Rhubodach after swapping over with LOCH ALAINN and headed out through the narrows possibly for Lochranza or Campbeltown.
HEBRIDEAN ISLES departed from Kennacraig on Saturday morning bound for Aberdeen. Her ETA at Aberdeen is 1600 on Sunday 11th November.
ISLE OF ARRAN took up the HEBRIDEAN ISLES roster for the Islay run. LORD OF THE ISLES relieved ISLE OF MULL at 1600 on Saturday. She then took the 1600 to Craignure while ISLE OF MULL moved to Craignure until 2200 when she left for the Clyde. Her ETA for Gourock is currently 0900 Sunday.
As part of the Island Class overhaul it appears the car decks are being sprayed and coated with a non slip surface as found on some of the larger fleet's passenger decks. LOCH RIDDON is the latest example of this safety initiative.
Source: Ships of CalMac www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
The A83 road between Arrochar and Cairndow is open again, but with single file traffic controlled by traffic lights.
Drivers may still encounter delays on this road.
Source: The Herald, Saturday 10th.
10/11/07.
A family came within yards of landing on Colonsay for the funeral of a loved one-but ended up paying £1,500 to charter two planes after their ferry returned to Oban.
The funeral of Margaret Robertson was due to take place on Tuesday 6th, but seventeen mourners including her son, numerous grandchildren and a friend who had travelled from Hong Kong could not get off the ferry on Monday afternoon.
The dead woman’s family were left distraught when Caledonian MacBrayne ordered the ferry to turn back to Oban after trying twice to dock on the island without success due to adverse weather conditions.
After arriving back in Oban after a six-hour round trip the group spoke of their shock when they found that CalMac had failed to have a member of staff at the terminal to answer their questions as promised.
A resident of Colonsay accused CalMac of being “uncompassionate”.
Head of Communications at CalMac, Hugh Dan MacLennan said:” This was due to a weather related difficulty and although it is extremely regrettable, it was unavoidable”.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 8th.
A £24.5 million ferry, to serve between Kennacraig and Islay, will be built in Poland over the next four years.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne last week confirmed plans for the 90-meter, double-decked vessel, which will be able to carry 550 passengers and up to 88 vehicles. The ship will be capable of speeds of up to 16.5 knots.
The new ferry will be built at the Remontowa yard in Gdansk. The yard has already produced two ferries for CalMac, ARGYLE and BUTE.
Passengers will be accommodated on two decks, with access from a passenger gangway and two lifts.
Lawrie Sinclair, CalMac’s managing director said that the new ship’s extra capability was required to meet the demands of a booming economy.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 8th.
Scotland’s new administration has missed a golden opportunity to set up a new Mallaig – Lochboisdale ferry service said a community group.
It now hopes to meet Scottish transport minister Stewart Stevenson to find out what his commitment is to improving the service.
The community group, which bought the South Uist Estate, said the government could have included the route when it announced a new ship for Islay, by re-arranging the timetable using the extra ship, which will become available.
Currently South Uist passengers and freight use Caledonian MacBrayne’s five-hour Oban – Lochboisdale –Castlebay crossing or the Lochmaddy – Uig service, which adds hundreds of miles to their journeys. A Lochboisdale – Mallaig route would take under three hours and give faster access to Inverness and the central belt.
The group added:” All they have to do is use the extra ship they will have in the fleet to move all their ships around to meet demand and give us one appropriate to the service we require”.
CalMac spokesman Hugh Dan MacLennan said they were providing the minister with information about all the routes concerned and that it was a matter for the Scottish government whether any changes will be made to the new contract or not. He added that the deployment of ISLE OF ARRAN, the normal relief vessel, on the Islay route meant that CalMac is currently unable to offer the possibility of a Mallaig – Lochboisdale route for twelve months of the year.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 8th.
ISLE OF MULL arrived at Gourock at 09.25 on Sunday 11th having sailed straight from Oban. Later in the morning she tested her chute and fast rescue craft. ISLE OF MULL and LOCH DUNVEGAN swapped places in the Garvel dry-dock today (12/11). ISLE OF MULL lay off the Greenock Esplanade while LOCH DUNVEGAN vacated the dry-dock and moved into the James Watt Dock. ISLE OF MULL then entered the dry-dock at 12.50 – 13.00.
HEBRIDEAN ISLES arrived at Aberdeen at 16.30 on Sunday.
LOCH RIDDON arrived at Fionnphort at 10.25 today allowing LOCH BUIE away for overhaul. After fuelling up LOCH BUIE departed for Craignure where she is spending the night.
There was an additional 18.00 sailing from Kennacraig to Port Ellen this evening with an 04.15 return tomorrow (13/11). Additional 18.00 sailings will also run on Monday 19th , Thursday 15th and 22nd with corresponding return sailings from Port Ellen at 04.15 on Tuesday 20th , Friday 16th and 23rd.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
12/11/07.
The valiant efforts of West Highland seamen during the Second World War have been formally recognised in Oban.
The Royal British Legion’s Oban branch led a ceremony at the Caledonian MacBrayne terminal paying tribute to the merchant seamen who sailed from the town, which was an important convoy point.
Former seaman John MacLean unveiled a plaque commemorating his comrades while Captain Norman Morrison laid the wreath of remembrance.
Lord Lieutenant Kenneth MacKinnon praised Caledonian MacBrayne and the Royal British Legion for organising the plaque.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 15th.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
Caledonian MacBrayne has received a number of representations from certain groups wishing to see a change to the ferry timetable on Saturdays, requesting, in particular, the opportunity to return later from the mainland on Saturday evenings.
Hopes are high that the ferry link between Mallaig and Lochboisdale could be renewed after a lapse of over thirty years. A new steering group including representatives of both Mallaig and Uist is at present being set up to push for the service to Lochboisdale in South Uist.
Residents of Uist as well as Lochaber are very much in favour of the re-establishment of the route, which would cut travelling time considerably. The steering group will consist of MSPs and MPs, Community Councillors, Transport Executives and representatives amongst others. Fergus Ewing MSP has already had a positive meeting with Caledonian MacBrayne at the beginning of the month and the group have now arranged to talk to Scottish Minister for Transport, Stewart Stevenson, before the end of the month. They are still researching facts and figures in an attempt to find out why the service was not included in the new contract awarded to CalMac earlier this year, when the communities on both sides of the water have made their desires for the service known. The link would save up to three hours travelling time. The route from Oban takes over 5 hours and from Mallaig it would last just over 2 hours. The extra road time from Glasgow is only 30 minutes or so and the improvements intended for the A830, the A82 and at Crianlarich will make it an easier journey. Source: Road to the Isles Online/Ships of CalMac.
The Fast Rescue Craft from HEBRIDEAN ISLES arrived back in Gourock on Tuesday 13th. She is in Aberdeen for her overhaul at the moment.
LORD OF THE ISLES was running twenty minutes late due to the weather and HEBRIDES ran thirty minutes late on the Uig – Tarbert service also on Tuesday.
LOCH BUIE departed from Craignure at 08.00. She was supposed to stay at Kennacraig overnight on Tuesday but ended up at Gigha.
LOCH DUNVEGAN left the James Watt Dock at 13.45 on Thursday 15th. She tied up at Gourock before re-entering service at Colintraive.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
16/11/07.
The 40th Anniversary Newsletter No. 76 has now been published and sent out to the Club members.
An extract from the Newsletter featuring HEBRIDEAN ISLES has been posted on the Newsletter Page on this website.
The Newsletter includes a history of the Club written by Robin Love, Club President 2002-2004.
The Club’s first meeting was a visit on 4th December 1967 to KING GEORGE V in Queens Dock, Glasgow at which the four members present were shown round the vessel by the Mate, a well know figure, John McCallum.
On the 23rd of the same month the outing was to Tarbert, Loch Fyne on the mailboat LOCH FYNE. During this cruise Captain Dugald McCallum invited the members for a visit to the bridge.
The first indoor meeting was held in East Kilbride at the home of Andrew Lindsay on 10th January 1968.
Robin continues by giving a history of the Club from those early days to the present day. In his article he not only talks about the different Speakers who have entertained the Club, but also gives an account of the many visits and special occasions, which have taken place including the 21st Anniversary Lunch onboard GLEN SANNOX (14th January 1989), 25th Anniversary Lunch on board ISLE OF MULL (27th March 1993) and cruise on board CLAYMORE from Kennacraig to Gourock (Sunday 4th October1992).
The 40th Anniversary Lunch took place on Saturday 6th October 2007 on board ISLE OF MULL. The Club presented Captain Kenny Elder with a framed photograph of the ship to mark the occasion.
The Club has suffered from two devastating blows during its history. The first was the sudden death of the Secretary Jim Aikman-Smith in March 1996. At the time he was the Club and produced the calendar, newsletter, syllabus, photographs for sale and arrangements for meetings.
At a Committee meeting in Largs later in the month, with Ian McCrorie in attendance, the Club was put on a new footing with the Committee members taking on some of the duties so that things could carry on. Ian McCrorie along with Derek Crawford agreed to produce the newsletter, which is at the heart of the Club, and Hamish Stewart assumed the role of photographic editor.
The newsletter, which was started by the Late Jim-Aikman-Smith and for which the Club is well known, has grown from strength to strength since his death through the efforts of Ian McCrorie collecting the bulk of the raw data and Derek Crawford who then writes the newsletter as an excellent half yearly booklet.
In March 2006 the Club suffered from another blow when the photographic editor, Hamish Stewart died suddenly. Ian McCrorie gave an excellent eulogy at his funeral. There was a large turnout on this occasion, which was a mark of the high esteem in which he was held. Hamish will always be remembered for his photography, which was unsurpassed for its quality and often uniqueness.
Gordon Law is also worthy of special mention for the excellent work he has done in producing the calendar since the 1997 edition. The 2008 edition is better than ever.
Robin’s article has shown how the Club grew from strength to strength particularly in the period when Jim Aikman-Smith was Secretary and before that when he was a Committee member. It is, however, a summary of some of the highlights and not an exhaustive story of everything about the Club’s forty years.
Sadly Clydeport have cancelled the visit to the Greenock Control Tower, part of the 40th Anniversary Celebrations, which was to have taken place on Friday 23rd November 2007. No revised date can be given.
The 40th Anniversary theme continues, however, with the next Club meeting, which takes place on Friday November 30th. The meeting, entitled “A night with our former Office-Bearers”, features three Speakers namely Mr Peter Reid Club Secretary 1969 – 1971, Mr Robert Warnock Club President 1980 – 1982 and Mr Eric Schofield Club President 1986 – 1988.
The meeting takes place, as usual, in the Kirk Lounge, Renfield St Stephens Church Hall, Bath Street, Glasgow commencing at 19.30.
Source: West Highland Steamer Club Newsletter No. 76.
Additional information from Duncan Wilson.
LOCH LINHHE appeared at Rothesay on Thursday 15th and spend the next morning receiving minor welding repairs to her ramps. She then departed again for an overnight berth at Campbeltown.
She departed from Campbeltown on Saturday morning (17/11) and headed round the Mull of Kintyre and north to Craignure to spend the night then presumably onto Barra.
LOCH TARBERT is to relieve LOCH BHRUSDA early in 2008. LOCH LINNHE was not due to go to Barra at all this winter, as she can only carry twelve cars and they ideally need an eighteen-car vessel. She's also no longer due to relieve at Raasay. It is now expected that LOCH RIDDON will be doing that once she is able to get away from Iona relief. It is therefore thought that LOCH LINNHE is on her way to cover for LOCH BHRUSDA and allow her away either for maintenance or to cover on the Sound of Harris. The Fionnphort – Iona service was subjected to weather related delays on Saturday.
On Monday 19th the 18.00 sailing from Kennacraig to Port Ellen was cancelled due to the weather. As a result the 04.15 return on Tuesday was also cancelled.
Source: Ships of CalMac. www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk
20/11/07.
A major parliamentary inquiry into ferry services to the islands could be up and running by April next year.
The Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee agreed a broad timetable for the probe last week, which will be a first step into consulting widely with ferry users on what issues they think the enquiry should cover.
That consultation could begin as early as next month, with leaflets being made available on ferries and at terminals, and at other locations in communities that depend on ferries.
The public will also be able to contribute suggestions online and the exercise will be published through national and local media.
Areas likely to come under scrutiny include Clyde and Hebrides service tendering processes, the effectiveness of existing routes and the potential for new ones, fares and frequency of sailings.
Only last week residents of Mallaig and South Uist secured a meeting with transport minister Stewart Stevenson to investigate the possibility of starting up a new direct ferry service between Mallaig and Lochboisdale.
If agreed the new service would cut sailing times to under three hours. The existing Oban – Lochboisdale – Castlebay service takes five-and-half hours.
To ensure the widest possible range of views on what areas the enquiry should cover, a reporter could host a series of meetings round the coast in January and February 2008.
The committee would then finalise the enquiry remit in March and oral and written evidence would be gathered during April and May.
The draft report would be consisted in June before the committee published its findings at the end of the month.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 22nd.
Caledonian MacBrayne announced last week that they are to review the scheduling of ferry services between Ullapool and Stornoway.
The review is in direct response to calls for changes to the ferry timetable on Saturdays, in particular the opportunity to return from the mainland later on Saturday evenings.
Two suggested alternative timetables are being investigated, one involving a later start on Saturday mornings from Stornoway and one altering the times of Saturday afternoon sailings.
CalMac have engaged the services of an independent market research company who travelled on ISLE OF LEWIS on Saturday 18th and will do so again on the following three Saturdays.
CalMac said they welcomed the opportunity, now that a new contract has been signed, to consider such requests from communities in order to improve timetables where possible.
No changes would take place without detailed consultation with connecting coach operators to ensure that their services would be adjusted to suit.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 22nd.
CalMac Ferries Ltd Operations Director Mr Phil Preston has written to The Oban Times clarifying the circumstances in which the Oban – Colonsay service was disrupted on Monday November 5th.
Mr Preston reiterates that Caledonian MacBrayne very much regret the weather disruptions on Monday particularly as a funeral party was travelling to Colonsay to attend a burial service on the island the following day.
Decisions to cancel or abort sailings are always made by the Master of the ship and are never taken lightly and are always considered in the interests of passenger safety and the safety of the ship and its cargo. Where weather and other factors effecting sailing conditions are concerned the final say is always that of the Master. In this case the Master only finally aborted after making several attempts at berthing in increasingly adverse weather conditions.
Mr Preston stresses that Caledonian MacBrayne bosses did not “order the boat to turn back to Oban”. No one on shore would ever instruct or direct a Master to take a particular course of action where adverse weather is concerned.
Customers on board were kept fully advised of the situation by the ship’s staff at the time. The Colonsay timetable for the winter period has three scheduled return sailings each week, as has been the situation for some years.
Mr Preston concludes his letter by stating that all the other ships were committed to serving other communities and were not available to give an additional sailing to Colonsay.
Source: The Oban Times, Thursday 22nd.
25/11/07.
The board of Caledonian MacBrayne met in Fort William on Wednesday 28th to consider the “thousands of requests” they have received for a seven-day service from Ullapool to Stornoway. However, 3,760 people-equivalent to one in six of the combined population of the islands of Lewis and Harris-have signed a petition to register their strong opposition to any Sunday ferry service to Lewis, and returns are still coming in.
CalMac says it has had thousands of representations for and against a Sunday service and that is why it was on the agenda.
Following the meeting it was revealed that the Scottish Government would not intervene to prevent CalMac introducing a Sunday service.
In the end CalMac deferred a decision on whether to introduce Sunday sailings to and from the traditionally sabbatarian island of Lewis. However they added that when a decision is made it will be for commercial reasons.
Source: The Herald Monday 26th, Wednesday 28th, and Thursday 29th.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
The West Highland Steamer Club calendar is available for sale either at Club meetings or through the post.
The price, including post and a stiff backing board, is £7.00, however, if purchased at Club meetings the price is £6.00.
The calendar is also available, in limited numbers, in a twelve-page format at a price of £8.50.
For full details about the calendar go to the Calendar Page on this website. To order a copy click on: I would like to order a West Highland Steamer Club calendar.
Duncan Wilson.
Link to Caledonian MacBrayne.
The David MacBrayne Group, which comprises the operators of both the Clyde & Hebrides and Northern Isles ferry services, has emerged from a year of considerable change, which has resulted in one of the most significant periods in the history of Scottish ferry services, according to the Group’s Chairman Peter Timms.
The 40th Anniversary theme continued with the November meeting, which took place on St Andrews Day.
The meeting was entitled “ A night with out former Office-Bearers” and featured three speakers.
First up was Peter Reid. Peter was Secretary and Treasurer from 1969-1971. He was also Chief Accountant with David MacBrayne Ltd and Company Secretary with MacBrayne Haulage.
Peter opened his talk with a slide of him in his youth standing in front of a well-known paddle steamer at Gourock Pier. His next two slides, however, were splendid shots of LOCH FYNE departing from Gourock on her way to Ardrishaig.
Peter was introduced to the ships of the Western Isles by Lawrence MacDuff, Club President 1971-1972 and from 1996-1998 and first sailed among the islands in 1967. Over the course of his talk we saw slides of LOCH NEVIS, LOCH EIL, KING GEORGE V and many other well-known ships of the MacBrayne fleet.
The next speaker was Eric Schofield. Eric was Club President from 1986-1988. He entitled his talk “A Personal History of KING GEORGE V”.
Eric first became acquainted with KING GEORGE V in 1965 when he saw her in the West India Harbour, Greenock.
He continued his presentation with 120 slides of the ship from many different locations around Oban and the Sacred Isle Cruise.
The last speaker was Robert Warnock, Club President from 1980-1982. Robert joined the Club in 1970 and concentrated on showing slides during the time of his Presidency.
Starting at Kennacraig, and finishing at Ullapool we saw slides of IONA, PIONEER, CLAYMORE, MORVERN, KILBRANNAN, LOCHALSH, KYLEAKIN, SUILVEN and CLANSMAN arriving at Ullapool in the snow.
Ian Somerville gave the vote of thanks. It was a pleasure to welcome back to the Club three speakers who obviously took a great pride in showing their slides and talking about the MacBrayne fleet of the Western Isles.
After the formal business of the evening was over tea and coffee was offered together with a 40th Anniversary Birthday Cake baked by Iain Quinn’s mother, giving the members a chance to have a blether and socialise together rather than simply leave straight after the meeting. This was an excellent meeting enjoyed by everyone.
The next meeting is on Friday December 21st. This is the joint meeting with the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in which the two Associations take turns to host the meeting.
This year it is the turn of the PSPS to host the event. Their speaker is Iain Quinn and his chosen subject is “ Waverley Round Britain”.
The meeting will be held in The Kirk Lounge, Renfield St Stephens Church Hall, Bath Street, Glasgow commencing at 19.30.
Sadly, due to the weather, Saturday’s Club cruise from Ardrossan to Brodick and back on board ISLE OF MULL was abandoned as the ship was diverted to Gourock.
However a number of Club members gathered at Gourock Pier to exchange news and take a few photographs of ISLE OF MULL as she arrived at 10.30 and departed at 11.00.
Duncan Wilson.
Saturday 1st December 2007.
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Contact WHSC: info@westhighlandsteamerclub.co.uk