The naturally sheltered waters of Oban Bay, enclosed by the Island of Kerrera to the south and west and farther off, the Islands of Mull and Lismore to the north attracted the earliest steamboats on the West of Scotland trade. The quay at Oban was a low stone built affair and by the middle of the nineteenth century was proving inadequate for the traffic and the expansion of the tourist trade. Around 1848, a ship, the B.C. Bailey, foundered off Lismore at Kilcheran, and the wreck was brought into Oban Bay and lay at the quay for a time until it was built over to form the North Pier. In the first of the old photographs, the outline of the hull can be seen below the pier construction.
Oban in the 1850s
In the second photograph, the pier is a little more advanced and there are some buildings upon it. The third photograph is from a different angle and shows the corner of the bay.
Oban around 1860
Oban around 1860
When Messrs. Hutcheson took over the West Highland trade in 1851, they inherited a number of important all-year-round passenger and cargo services that served the communities around the highlands and islands in addition to seasonal tourist routes. Many of the year-round services originated in Glasgow, and the larger vessels such as the Duntroon Castle sailed round the Mull of Kintyre, while others, such as the little steamers, Cygnet and Lapwing that served Inverness, were small enough to fit through the locks of the Crinan and Caledonian Canals.
Plover or Cygnet at Oban around 1880
The Cygnet and Lapwing were of an unusual design with their paddle wheels flush with the sides of the vessels, increasing their cargo capacity but somewhat detrimental to their sea-going qualities. The Lapwing was lost in a collision in 1859 and was replaced by a similar craft dating from 1849, Maid of Lorn, that was renamed Plover. Built of iron by Wingate & Co., and engined by Robert Napier she was 83 ft long by 15 ft broad.
Plover berthed outside a sailing ship at Glasgow in the early 1860s
Cygnet was wrecked in 1882 and Plover was sold around the same time. One of these unusual craft can readily be identified in the photograph of the North Pier at Oban above.
Pioneer at Oban around 1870
The Pioneer was brought into the fleet of Messrs. Burns when they purchased the steamboats of the Greenock Railway in 1847. Subsequently passing to Messrs. Hutcheson, she was given an impressive clipper bow in 1868. She was used on a number of tourist routes including the Glen Coe tour on which she is seen waiting at Ballachulish in 1872 after her main mast was removed.
Pioneer at Ballachulish around 1872 when her main mast was removed
At the end of 1875, Pioneer was lengthened and provided with saloon accommodation. Her clipper bow was removed and she acquired a second funnel. Thereafter, she became associated with the Iona and Staffa service until withdrawn in 1883.
Pioneer as modified in 1875 at Corpach
Pioneer at Oban (Poulton)
Pioneer on the Staffa service
Pioneer off Staffa
When Mountaineer was displaced from the Ardrishaig mail run by the Iona in 1855, she moved to Oban and took up the services to Staffa and Iona, alternating with sailings to Fort William and Corpach.
Mountaineer at Corpach around 1870 (Valentine)
Mountaineer as modified in 1876 at Corpach (Valentine)
Mountaineer in Oban Bay around 1880
Mountaineer after 1883 at Corpach with Cavalier in the Caledonian Canal Sea Lock (Valentine)
Like Pioneer, Mountaineer was lengthened in 1876 and provided with saloon accommodation. Inward bound from Gairloch to Oban on September 27, 1889, Mountaineer ran on to Lady Rock off Duart Castle in fog and was stranded. Just over a week later, in bad weather, she broke in two and was lost.
Mountaineer at Corpach (Poulton)
Mountaineer approaching Fort William (Washington Wilson)
Mountaineer stranded on Lady Rock in 1889