Columba

In her day, the Columba was a magnificent vessel and is perhaps the best known of the steamers that ever sailed on the Clyde. Launched from the yard of J. & G. Thomson at Clydebank on April 11th, 1878, she was over 301 feet long by 27 feet broad and 9 feet in depth, dimensions that were not exceeded for a century. She had a simple oscillating two-cylinder engine served by four boilers that propelled her at 18 knots on her daily schedule from the Broomielaw to Ardrishaig and back. While her engine room was rather old fashioned, in every other way, Columba reached the forefront of convention. Her saloons, fore and aft, were the full width of the hull providing excellent accommodation for her passengers, and her passengers ranged from the simple highlander to the elite of British society making its way to the shooting and fishing estates on the West Coast, to foreign tourists experiencing the delights of the “Royal Route” to Oban and the Western Isles.

She was built for the firm of D. Hutcheson & Co., whose well-established service on the premier and very lucrative Loch Fyne route by the Iona had been threatened by the introduction in the previous year of the Lord of the Isles belonging to the newly formed Glasgow and Inveraray Steam Packet Co. Ltd. The Columba surpassed her rival in every aspect. Her dining-saloon could accommodate 130 at two long tables at a single sitting. Like her rival, she had a Post Office on board, a book stall, a fruit stall and a barber’s shop were also available. Overnight travelers from London could enjoy a bath and a shave as they journeyed north.

Her daily routine in the summer involved leaving the Broomielaw at 7:00 each morning with a call at Partick at 7:15, Govan, Custom House Quay, Greenock, at 8:40 for the mails, Princes Pier at 9:05, Gourock at 9:15, Kirn, Dunoon, Innellan, Rothesay at 10:15, Colintraive, Tighnabruaich, Auchenlochan, Blair’s Ferry, Tarbert and Ardrishaig. At Tarbert, she connected with passengers for Islay at Loch Awe and at Ardrishaig, the Linnet took passengers for Oban and further North through the Crinan Canal.

A very early view of Columba at Ardrishaig

When she first appeared, Columba had two rather squat funnels and no ventilators to interrupt the sweep of her long promenade deck. Within a year or two, two ventilators added aft of each funnel and the funnels were extended in height in the early 1880s. The year after she was built, Columba passed into the ownership of Mr. David MacBrayne who inherited the assets of Messrs. D. Hutcheson & Co.

Columba leaving Rothesay on her way to Ardrishaig. (George Washington Wilson)

Columba at Rothesay in her early guise. (George Washington Wilson)

An Early view of Columba on Loch Fyne

Approaching Tarbert on 25th July, 1884 with her lengthened funnels

Leaving Tarbert on 25th July, 1884 with her lengthened funnels

In 1885, Columba was given a new set of taller funnels and around that time, six “grandfather clock” ventilators on her main deck aft for her dining saloon below; two facing forwards and four facing backwards.

Imagine a day on the Columba around 1890. The steamer sets off from the Broomielaw at her assigned time of 7:00 a.m. and heads downriver, stopping briefly at Patrick Wharf 15 minutes later. Passing the industry and shipyards of the upper Clyde and emerging to the lower river where the vista of the Argyllshire hills can be discerned beyond Dumbarton Rock. At 9:00 a.m. she touches at Princes Pier Greenock.

Columba at Princes Pier

Columba is soon making her way across the Firth to Kirn at 9:25 and Dunoon where she arrives at 9:30 a.m. A stop at Innellan 20 minutes later and then Rothesay at 10:15 a.m.

Heading for Kirn and Dunoon

Off Gourock with Laird’s Holly

Entering Rothesay Bay

Up into the Kyles of Bute with a stop at Colintraive at 10:40 a.m., and through the Narrows to Tighnabruaich 15 minutes later. The long leg round Ardlamont Point comes next and into the new pier at Tarbert where connections to Islay are made at noon.

Approaching Tarbert Pier

Passengers and mails for Islay loading at Tarbert

Columba’s final stop is Ardrishaig at 12:40 p.m. where she unloads passengers for Oban and the connections through the Crinan Canal.

Disembarking at Ardrishaig

Waiting for the return at Ardrishaig

Columba at Ardrishaig (Valentine)

The return trip begins at 1:00 p.m. and retraces the outward route. This is captured in a series of photographs taken on board and issued as stereo-views.