Sailing on the Caledonian Canal dates from 1820 when travelers by Henry Bell’s Comet, sailing from Glasgow to Fort William, connected by coach at Fort Augustus with the Stirling Castle sailing on to Inverness on the partially completed canal. When the canal was finally opened in 1822, through services from Glasgow to Inverness were offered and continued in this manner for twenty years.

On the centenary of the battle of Culloden, Messrs. Burns placed their new steamer Culloden, on the Inverness service from Glasgow through the Caledonian Canal. Culloden was built by Caird & Co., and at 149 tons, measured 145 ft long by 16½ ft broad. During the season, she was joined by the Shandon and the Dolphin to provide three sailings a week. The schedule was designed for tourists and involved long stops to view local highlights such as the Falls of Foyers. Local transport considerations were of less importance. In that season, there were frequent disruptions to the service as the western section of the Canal was under repair. The potato blight had also struck the local economy, causing much hardship and so the work available for the canal repairs was most welcome.

In March, 1846, Mr. William Ainslie, a Glasgow businessman with connections in Fort William, purchased the Loch Lomond steamer, Lochlomond, and re-named her Glencoe. He also placed her on the Caledonian Canal service, sailing from Banavie and catering more to the tourist trade. Mr. Ainslie advertised a coach service, “Marquis of Breadalbane,” leaving Glasgow at 7 a.m. and reaching Balloch where the steamer, Waterwitch, was joined. After reaching the head of the loch at Inverarnan, the coach journey resumed to Oban with the steamer, Maid of Morven, to Fort William, arriving at 8 p.m. From Fort William, passengers could join the Queen of Beauty at 5 a.m. the next day for Oban, Staffa and Iona, or proceed by coach to Fort Augustus at 8 a.m., to join the Glencoe for Inverness. The fare to Fort William was 17/6d (5/- extra for inside) and to Inverness 30/- (10/- extra for inside).

The Messrs Burns reacted to this threat by transferring the Kilmun steamer Edinburgh Castle to the Glasgow and Liverpool Steamship Company under the management of Messrs Thomson & MacConnell and bringing her north to augment the Caledonian Canal service the following year. Built by Messrs Smith & Rodger of Port Glasgow in 1844, Edinburgh Castle was typical of the smaller steamers of her era, flush decked and 138 ft long. She was initially advertised as sailing from Oban. In 1849, the Messrs Burns purchased Mr. Ainslie’s three steamers, renaming Glencoe as Curlew and Queen of Beauty as Merlin while the Maid of Morven was scrapped. In 1851 the West Highland steamships of Messrs Burns were taken over by Messrs David Hutcheson & Co. While direct sailings from Glasgow to Inverness continued the expansion of facilities at Banavie and the construction of a new inn there opened opportunities to accelerate the Inverness leg of the journey to Inverness by by-passing Neptune’s staircase. Through steamers leaving Oban in the evening would reach Fort William and pass through the lochs to overnight at Banavie, allowing passengers to remain on board or seek accommodation at the Inn. A tourist service between Banavie and Inverness presented a more attractive alternative and the Edinburgh Castle provided this service three times a week.

“At seven o’clock in the evening we reached Banavie, having landed at about half a mile from this excellent new inn. The steamer, which is detained some time in passing a lock—the first on the Caledonian canal—came up in about an hour afterwards, and lay all night opposite the inn, ready for her departure to Inverness on the following morning. I was not aware, till afterwards, that passengers may—and I was informed by the captain, frequently do—remain on board the vessel all night, where they have good accommodation, instead of going to the hotel, which is, however, a very good house, fitted up at considerable expense, and affording every comfort.”

Gondolier as built

In 1866 a new steamer, Gondolier was specifically built for the Banavie to Inverness service, coming from the yard of Messrs J. & G. Thomson at Clydebank. She was 148 ft in length by 20 ft in breadth and continued in partnership with Edinburgh Castle, allowing a daily service in each direction in the season.

Piers on Loch Ness

Gondolier was constructed with a saloon aft that was surrounded by alleyways in the manner of the other MacBrayne steamers of the era. Forward, she had a short promenade deck over the unenclosed main deck. Gondolier was propelled by twin-cylinder oscillating engines similar to those of Iona.

The Gondolier is perhaps the most photographed steamer on the Caledonian Canal route. In the middle of the 1870s she was given a rather crude fore-saloon. The following series of photographs shows the Gondolier at the different parts of the route, starting at Banavie then running into Loch Lochy, through the Laggan Avenue to Loch Oich and down the series of locks into Loch Ness at Fort Augustus.

Gondolier at Banavie

Gondolier leaving Banavie

Gondolier at Gairlochy

Gondolier in Laggan Avenue

Approaching Fort Augustus, there is a chain of Locks on the canal to descend to the level of Loch Ness.

Gondolier at Fort Augustus Pier

Gondolier heading south from the Fort Augustus locks

Gondolier heading north in the locks at Fort Augustus

Gondolier heading north in the locks at Fort Augustus

Gondolier heading south in the locks at Fort Augustus

Gondolier heading northbound leaving the locks at Fort Augustus

Gondolier heading southbound entering the locks at Fort Augustus

Gondolier heading north to the pier at Fort Augustus

In Loch Ness, there were a number of calling places.

Gondolier at Fort Augustus pier

Gondolier at Invermoriston pier

Gondolier at Foyers pier

Gondolier at Inverfarigaig pier

Gondolier at Temple pier

Gondolier at Temple pier

Gondolier near Inverness

Gondolier at Muirtown wharf

In 1875, Edinburgh Castle was given a complete overhaul that involved lengthening the hull to 148½ ft, straightening the stem and moving her funnel forward of the paddle boxes. She had short deck saloons fitted forward and aft, although apart from a small area around the paddle boxes, there was no promenade deck. She was renamed Glengarry.

Glengarry

Glengarry at Muirtown

Glengarry at Muirtown

Glengarry at Inverness

Glengarry at Temple Pier

Glengarry at Fort Augustus

Glengarry at Fort Augustus

Glengarry at Fort Augustus in 1891 (Valentine)

Glengarry

A new steamer for the direct Glasgow to Inverness service by way of the Mull of Kintyre was built in 1883. Named Cavalier, she was a handsome steamship produced from the yard of Messrs Aitken & Mansel of Glasgow and at 151 ft long and 25 ft in breadth, maximized cargo carrying within the constraints of the locks on the Canal. Although no greyhound, she served a number of routes and was disposed of in 1919.

Cavalier at Fort Augustus

Cavalier

Cavalier on the Caledonian Canal

Cavalier shared the Glasgow and Inverness route with Ethel, bought second hand by the company in 1885 but built in Belfast five years earlier. She was a pleasant looking steamer 150 ft long and almost 23 ft in breadth, and eventually became the third Clansman for the fleet when she was renamed in 1910, but by that time she was on other routes.

Ethel on Loch Lochy

In May, 1885, the Caledonian Canal trade had grown to such an extent that an additional steamer was required for the Loch Ness mail run and excursion work out of Muirtown. MacBraynes purchased a down-at-the-heel Sunday breaker, Lough Foyle, originally built as Lochgoil in 1853. The Company altered her by shortening the hull, fitting a new bow and constructing short saloons, for the Loch Ness service. She was re named Lochness.

Lochness near Inverness

Lochness at Aldourie

Lochness at Invermoriston pier

Lochness at Invermoriston pier

Lochness at Fort Augustus pier

Another old Clyde steamer, Sultan, then called Ardmore, was acquired in 1894 and also shortened with a canoe-type bow added. Renamed Gairlochy, she had better saloon accommodation for the tourist trade and was the main partner of Gondolier during the season, allowing Glengarry to relieve Lochness.

Gairlochy receiving a touch-up at Inverness

Gairlochy on Loch Ness

Gairlochy leaving Temple Pier

Gairlochy on Loch Oich

Gairlochy near Gairlochy

The steamers on the service passed each day in Loch Oich.

Gairlochy from Gondolier on Loch Oich

Gondolier passing Gairlochy on Loch Oich

In 1912, Lochness was replaced on the mail run by another steamer of the same name. This was the ex-Clutha No. 12 that had previously seen service on Lough Neagh, and on Loch Leven as Loch Leven Queen.

Lochness at Temple pier

Lochness at Aldourie pier

Service was curtailed during World War 1 and in its aftermath, on 24th December 1919, the Gairlochy was destroyed by fire at Fort Augustus.

Gairlochy, burned out at Fort Augustus in 1930 (Valentine)

Thereafter, the tourist service was maintained by Gondolier and Glengarry.

Gondolier at Muirtown wharf

Gondolier in locks Fort Augustus

Gondolier in locks Fort Augustus

Gondolier in locks

In 1927, Glengarry was scrapped leaving Gondolier to carry on the service on her own. Trade was not strong and the mail steamer, Lochness, was scrapped in 1929. Gondolier was given a new saloons with larger windows in 1935 and a deckhouse on her promenade deck the following year. She survived until the service was withdrawn in late 1939 when Gondolier, stripped of her engines and fittings was towed to Scapa and sunk as a blockship.