When the Caledonian Railway took over the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway in August 1851, the relationship between the railway and the steamboat owners had reached a low point. However, matters on the water had also greatly changed with the withdrawal of Messrs. G. & J. Burns from the river trade and the proliferation of new ownership. In the following year, 1852, the Caledonian Railway made a determined effort to run its own steamers to the coast resorts and bring the revenue earnings of the railway closer to their potential. “We observe the Caledonian Company have advertised frequent trains to run on the Greenock section of their line after 15th April, which will afford great facilities to our citizens and to the inhabitants of Paisley who reside during the summer months on the coast, by means of these trains and the present steam vessels on the river, as also a superior...