This summer I began rescanning my collection of glass slides and negatives. They are heavy and it would seem that a good digital record might be the best means of preservation. Many show the signs of the fungus that is their bane and required restoration. Although my focus has always been on black and white photographs that I convert to sepia as I find it provides a more pleasing way of capturing detail, I also began to play with colouring software. The high resolution of the slides and negatives (roughly x5 what I can post on this site) makes them good candidates for colourisation. I use an older version of photoshop that I frequently use to set the colours of the background and use the painting palette for the detail, keeping the opacity low to preserve shading in the original photograph. It is an exercise in colouring between the lines for the most part and quite straightforward. I claim no artistic talent and not every aspect of the slide is coloured, many with just a broad stroke or a fine detail added. I must admit that I find this exercise therapeutic in these very trying times. The results are pleasing to my eye, and I’ve put some of the more interesting ones together for this essay. There will be purists that are horrified by these efforts, and to those I beg forgiveness for my indulgence.
The last essay featured mostly postcards of the west highlands and islands and I have continued the theme in this first one of colorized slides, following roughly the same routes and interests. Starting in the Clyde with Columba, the journey by the Royal Route to Oban is illustrated. Future essays will feature the sailings to the western isles and on the Clyde.
Columba in the Kyles of Bute. Messrs MacBrayne’s Columba of 1878 was the main tourist steamer to transport the wealthy to the western highlands and islands. Sailing from the Broomielaw at 7 a.m. for Rothesay, Tarbert and Ardrishaig and intermediate ports, she would be particularly busy in the days preceding August 12, the start of the grouse shooting season.
Columba took over from the Iona of 1864, seen here at Tighnabruaich pier.
In 1877, the Glasgow and Inveraray Steam Packet Company had placed their new steamer, Lord of the Isles, on the Glasgow to Inveraray route, competing with Iona for passengers to the highlands and islands. Messrs MacBrayne replied with the Columba the following year and for over twenty years, the two steamers raced daily for their Loch Fyne destinations. Here Columba and the Lord of the Isles are leaving Rothesay Pier.
In 1891, the original Lord of the Isles was replaced by a new vessel of the same name, seen here with Columba at Dunoon.
On board Columba; note the “grandfather clock” ventillators.
Columba called at Tarbert pier where passengers for Islay disembarked for the short coach ride to West Loch Tarbert.
At West Loch Tarbert, the steamer for Islay awaits. In this case, the Fingal, hiding behind the trees. She was built by Messrs A. & J. Inglis in 1877.
The veteran, Glencoe, of 1846, replaced Fingal, and served Islay into the new century.
In 1905, Pioneer displaced Glencoe. This coloured slide dates from the 1930s.
Columba carried on to Ardrishaig where she is seen arriving.
Another arrival of Columba at Ardrishaig with Iona following astern.
At Ardrishaig, passengers for the north disembarked and joined the Linnet on the Caledonian canal. The cluster of Locks, 5-8, at Cairnbaan provided an opportunity for passengers to disembark, stretch their legs, and walk along the canal bank.
A stop for refreshments “straight from the coo,” while the Linnet passes Lock 5.
Another of Linnet at Carirnbaan Locks with Peter Smith’s grocery.
After Lock 8, most passengers rejoined Linnet to sail across the summit before descending the locks at Dunardry. Linnet was reboilered in 1894, and had her steering platform raied above the deck.
Linnet at the terminus of her journey, Crinan, where the Chevalier of 1866 awaits to whisk the passengers to Oban.
Chevalier in the sunlight at Crinan.
Oban, the crossroads of the highlands and islands, with a good selection of Messrs MacBrayne’s steamers at the piers. At the north pier is Fusiler with Chevalier arrived from Crinan. At the railway pier is Grenadier, generally employed on the sacred isles tour to Staffa and Iona, and at the south pier Lapwing for the outer isles and the smaller Fingal.
A curious craft at the side of Oban’s north pier, likely involved in pumping air for diving work.