Messrs MacBrayne provided a lifeline to the communities of the western highlands and islands. In addition to the Royal Route by swift steamers the larger vessels sailing from the Clyde round the Mull of Kintyre brought passengers and goods to villages and lodges around the coast.
Cavalier at Custom House Quay, Greenock. Cavalier dated from 1883 and was built to the maximum length fitting the locks on the Caledonian Canal for the service to Inverness. Astern of her is the Islay of 1872. She was built as Princess Louise for the Stranraer to Larne service, and in 1890, was acquired by Messrs MacBrayne, and renamed Islay. She sailed from Glasgow round the Mull of Kintyre to her namesake island. In 1902, she ran aground at Port Ellen. Approaching the pier is Messrs Campbell’s Meg Merrilies.
Cavalier on the Caledonian Canal.
Sailing round the Mull of Kintyre was not without its dangers. Messrs MacBrayne acquired the Glendale in 1902. She was built in 1875 as the Paris for the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway’s Channel connection. In 1905, Messrs MacBrayne placed her on the Islay service and she was wrecked on the foggy Kintyre coast in July that year. The puffer Zephon is attending the salvage operation.
Close-up of above
The most important sailings from Glasgow to the outer isles were maintained for many years by the Clansman of 1870, seen here at Stornoway, shortly before she was withdrawn in 1909. (From a photographic postcard)
Clansman was joined in the service by the Claymore in 1881, seen here at the North Pier in Oban. The puffer is the Witch. There is much activity at the site of the Railway Pier. The railway reached Oban in 1880.
Handa was built as Aros Castle in 1878, and purchased by Messrs MacBrayne in 1887 to provide a cargo service to Oban, Mull, Loch Sunart, and the inner isles. She was small enough to sail through the Crinan Canal, and is seen here at the Railway Pier, Oban.
A good selection of Messrs MacBrayne’s steamers at the Oban 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.
Priests for the Hebrides.
Lapwing sailed to the outer isles, and is seen here at Lochboisdale.
A conversation at Lochboisdale.
Chevalier dates from 1866, and was best known for the service between Oban and Crinan. She is seen here leaving Oban Bay.
The most popular tourist excursion from Oban was the Sacred Isles Cruise to Staffa and Iona. Here the Chevalier, normally on the Crinan station, is embarking at Iona.
Grenadier was built in 1885 and spent much of her career on the Sacred Isles cruise to Tobermory, Staffa and Iona. She was destroyed by fire at Oban in 1928
Grenadier off Staffa
The continuation of the Royal Route to Inverness involved the sail from Oban to Corpach from where passengers joined the Caledonian Canal steamers at Banavie. For many years, Mountaineer provided this service. Built for Messrs Hutcheson as early as 1852 before the company was taken over by Messrs MacBrayne, she was an attractive vessel, seen here in Oban Bay.
Mountaineer at Corpach.
Another of Mountaineer with Ben Nevis dominating the background.
The first Mountaineer ran aground on Lady Rock in Loch Linnhe in 1889, and as a replacement, Messrs MacBrayne purchased the old Hero of 1858, and, after fitting her with a clipper bow, renamed her Mountaineer. She is seen here at Corpach.
Other vessels could be spied at Corpach. Here Grenadier is on the service.
After the demise of the first Mountaineer, Fusilier was generally to be found on the Fort William sailing. She was built in 1885, and is seen here on Loch Linnhe.
Fusilier at Oban with a horse as cargo.
Gondolier was built in 1866 for Messrs Hutcheson’s Caledonian Canal service. She remained a well-loved member of the fleet until the outbreak of World War II, when she was taken as a block ship for Scapa Flow. She is seen here near Banavie.
The locks at Fort Augustus saw the Gondolier descending to the level of Loch Ness.
Gondolier making her way through a lock at Fort Augustus.
Leaving Fort Augustus on Loch Ness.
Gondolier at Foyer’s Pier on Loch Ness.
Gondolier had joined the Edinburgh Castle of 1842 on the Caledonian Canal. The Edinburgh Castle, originally one of the Castle Fleet of Messrs G. & J. Burns became part of Messrs Hutcheson’s fleet in 1851 and subsequently the property of Messrs MacBrayne in 1878. She was renamed Glengarry, and sailed on the Canal until 1927.
Glengarry at Muirtown, the Inverness terminus of the canal sailings. On the right is Gondolier.
Glengarry at Fort Augustus Pier
In 1894, Messrs MacBrayne purchased the Ardmore, formerly the Sultan of 1861, and after she was shortened and provided with a canoe bow, renamed her Gairlochy to serve on the Caledonian Canal service. She is seen here with Gondolier at Muirtown.
Messrs MacBrayne operated the mail service, an important source of revenue. Oban was clearly an important center for transferring mail from the railway to steamers. The railway also reached Mallaig in 1901, and it also became an important transfer point for Mail to Skye and farther north. The Campbeltown steamer, Gael of 1869, passed through a number of hands before her purchase by Messrs MacBrayne in 1891 for the service from Oban to Gairloch that include a call at Portree where she is seen here. (from a colourized photographic postcard)
Around the time when Mallaig was opened, Gael was fitted with a raised foc’sle. She is seen here approaching Mallaig.
Gael reversing from the pier at Mallaig. She remained on the service until the start of World War I
When Glencoe was replaced by Pioneer on the Islay service in 1905, she was placed on the Mallaig to Portree mail service, calling at Kyle of Lochalsh where she is seen here. The railway connection at Kyle dates from 1897, shortly before Mallaig.
On the Loch Coruisk cruise, a colored slide
Glencoe also conducted the Loch Coruisk cruise, taking passengers into the spectacular Cullin Mountains in Loch Scavaig to be landed by rowing boat.
Landing by boat.
The Stornoway service also moved to Kyle of Lochalsh in 1897 from Strome Ferry where Messrs MacBrayne had placed Lovedale when purchased in the early 1890s. Lovedale date from 1867 when, as Great Western, she was built for the Cork service from Milford. The steamer astern is Clydesdale.
“The old woman of the mist,” Lovedale, sailing to the western isles.