This is the third article in the series of negatives and slides from my collection that I have attempted to colourize with the aid of photoshop. This article features some of the Clyde steamers.

The previous two articles featured the steamers of Messrs MacBrayne and the highlands and islands. Commercial software can often provide a reasonably acceptable representation of the background, although not always, and sky and sea colour are frequently problematic. I have also tried smart iterative software (Photorevive) in a few cases but while it generally does better with details and background, it end up with more complex impressionist-like colouring that I personally dislike. The colorings of steamers and their funnels require special attention.

The simplest colourizations are those of the Buchanan and Williamson fleets where funnels are black and white.

Some of the earliest slides of Buchanan steamers in my collection feature the Brodick Castle of on the Ardrossan to Arran station. Built at Paisley by Messrs M‘Intyre in 1878, she was a powerful steamer powered by the original engine of the Eagle of 1864. She is seen here at Brodick Pier with Goatfell in the background.

The Ardrossan steamer called at Lamlash Pier and off Whiting Bay. In this slide by Washington Wilson, Scotia, Brodick Castle’s replacement, is seen crossing Lamlash Bay with Holy Isle in the background.

In 1887, Brodick Castle was sold to sail on the South Coast of England, and is seen here sailing in English waters.

Eagle of 1864 , built by Messrs Charles Connell & Co., Glasgow received a new diagonal engine by Messrs William King & Co., in 1876, and emerged with a single funnel, rather than the two she had sported originally. She served on the Rothesay sailings from the Broomielaw. In 1887, a saloon was added to her raised quarterdeck giving her a top-heavy appearance as seen in this Washington Wilson slide. In 1894, she went to the newly opened Manchester Ship Canal. Photorevive software was used.

In 1892, Messrs Buchanan had a saloon steamer, Isle of Arran, built by Messrs Thomas B Seath of Rutherglen for the Glasgow to Arran trade. Competition from the Railway Companies limited the financial rewards on the Arran Route, and Isle of Arran spent most of her life sailing to Rothesay. She was readily identifiable by the awning on aft of the funnel that served both as shelter and as a life raft in case of sinking. The first slide shows Isle of Arran near Dunoon before the first world war.

This second view, from a negative, shows Isle of Arran near the yard of Messrs Napier & Miller, Old Kilpatrick, with white paddle boxes adopted by Messrs Buchanan in 1913.

In 1895, Messrs Buchanan purchased the Guy Mannering, built as Sheila by Messrs Caird & Co., Greenock in 1877, and renamed her Isle of Bute. She is seen in this view from a glass negative with Cumbrae in the background.

In 1912, Isle of Bute was sold to owners in Morcambe. Although I do not know what her funnel colouring was when sailing in Morcambe Bay, it was a light shade, likely yellow or buff as depicted in this rare view of her in English Waters.

In late Victorian times, the trade from the Broomielaw was hampered by the polluted state of the River Clyde. Efforts to clean the river and reduce the noxious odours met with some success and by the end of the first decade of the new century, there was a resurgence in all-the-way sailings. In 1905, Messrs Buchanan purchased the Duchess of York, and renamed her Isle of Cumbrae. Built as Jeanie Deans by Messrs Barclay Curle & Co., in 1884, Isle of Cumbrae was an advance on the Isle of Bute and is seen in this slide in Rothesay Bay.

This second view of Isle of Cumbrae is also in Rothesay Bay.

Messrs Buchanan’s steamers could be found on excursions to the farthest parts of the Firth. Her an unidentified steamer is on Loch Fyne on her way to Inveraray.

Views of Messrs John Williamson’s steamers are much rarer. The Strathmore, built in 1897 by Messrs Russell & Co., Port Glasgow, is seen leaving Rothesay in this view. At the far end of the pier, the red funnel, perhaps of the MacBrayne steamer Fusilier or one of the cargo steamers, is visible.

The colours of Messrs John Williamson were carried by the pioneering turbine steamer, King Edward. The King Edward was built in 1901 by Messrs Denny, Dumbarton, with engines from Messrs Parsons, and managed by Messrs Williamson as Turbine Steamers Ltd. She is seen in this slide approaching Rothesay Pier.

King Edward at Strachur Pier, returning from Inveraray, colored with Photorevive software.

In 1902, King Edward was joined by the Queen Alexandra that took over the long sail to Campbeltown from Greenock and Fairlie. She seen here at Prince’s Pier in a slide taken from on board Columba, and colored with Photorevive software

Queen Alexandra of 1902.

The Broomielaw is shown here in a slide, with Messrs Buchanan’s Eagle III, built by Messrs Napier & Miller, Old Kilpatrick in 1910 with Messrs Williamson’s Queen Empress, built by Messrs Murdoch & Murray, Port Glasgow in 1912. Both steamers served in both the first and second world wars.

Eagle III of 1910 is seen to good effect from another steamer in this photograph from a negative.

The steamers of Messrs Willamson and Buchanan catered mainly to the good folks of Clydeside travelling to and from Rothesay, Largs, Millport, and Arran. The turbine steamers extended the range to Campbeltown in Kintyre and to Inveraray on Loch Fyne. The Campbeltown Steam Packet Company also provided a regular, though slower but year-round service between Campbeltown and Glasgow.

The Campbeltown steamer Kinloch with few on deck.

Many of the slides and negatives have blemishes and the addition of colour can aid in the restored presentation. I know that marine artists pay meticulous attention to details such as the colour of the ship’s ventillators, inside and out, the colour of the hull at the waterline and the exact shade of the funnel, hull, or the saloon paneling. I have no great skill and used some license to obtain what I find to be a relatively pleasing result to my own eye.

The Clyde also had tourist steamers in private hands. Although they also served the local populace very well, their target patrons were the middle and upper classes, especially tourists on the grand tour of Scotland. Their saloon accommodation was superior to that available with the Williamson and Buchanan boats.

The second Lord of the Isles was frequently photographed. Built by Messrs D&W Henderson in 1891, she succeeded the 1877 vessel of the same name, from the same yard, on the trip from the Broomielaw to Inveraray. The frequent races of both steamers with the Ardrishaig mail steamer, Columba, through the Kyles of Bute, are legendary. Here, Columba, built in 1878 by Messrs J&G Thomson of Clydebank, and the 1877 Lord of the Isles are making a fast get-away from Rothesay Pier.

The magnificent Columba

When she first appeared, the Lord of the Isles of 1891 had an open fore-deck. Here she is seen to good effect in Rothesay Bay in a slide by Adamson.

Lord of the Isles of 1891approaching Rothesay Pier early in her career in a slide by Washington Wilson.

In 1895, the promenade deck of Lord of the Isles was extended to the bow, giving the steamer a more modern appearance and increasing her accommodation. By that time she was competing with the turbine steamer King Edward that also had Inveraray as her destination. Here she is approaching Tighnabruaich.

Lord of the Isles on a dreich day passing Colintraive.

Better weather as Lord of the Isles leaves Rothesay.

On board Lord of the Isles. Some help with the popular colours for ladies fashion in the Victorian and Edwardian eras would be useful.

The alternative route to Inveraray involved sailing to Lochgoilhead. Here the Lochgoilhead steamer Edinburgh Castle is waiting for a berth at the Broomielaw on a gloomy day with the morning sun trying to breakthrough the overcast sky.

The final tourist steamer is the Ivanhoe. Built in 1880 by Messrs D&W Henderson, she was run on temperance principles and was known as the teetotal steamer. She sailed from Helensburgh (later Craigendoran) to Greenock, Dunoon, Rothesay, through the Kyles of Bute to Brodick and Lamlash. She is seen here off the Cowal coast.

Ivanhoe in Rothesay Bay

The final two views are an original colourized slide by Washington Wilson, and the same slide colourized with more modern technology.

Ivanhoe in Brodick Bay colourized by Washington Wilson

Ivanhoe in Brodick Bay.