Postcards in the Edwardian era were a good form of advertising the merits of a company or the beauty of an area. The Caledonian Railway had produced cards for a number of years before the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. produced a series of beautiful cards in 1906 featuring their most important steamers and routes. For this, they went to Messrs William Ritchie & Sons Ltd., Edinburgh and the cards appeared as coloured collotypes in their Reliable series. Some of the cards were reissues of existing Reliable series views but most of the steamers and the Caledonian piers were new. The Reliable series had featured Caledonian Steamers in the past. One shown here, Galatea, was not featured in the Caledonian official cards as she was sold in 1906.

Other steamers in service at the time but not featured were the Caledonia and Marchioness of Bute, service steamers that were not used on the longer cruising routes. The cards all contain the slogan “On the Routes of the Caledonian Steamers via Gourock, Wemyss Bay, and Ardrossan” or some variant thereof that was repeated on the back of most cards.

Two examples of the Caledonian Railway cards are shown.

The new pier at Wemyss Bay was opened in 1890 and extended in 1899. the multiview shows the arrival of a Caledonian express at the platform and the Caledonia on the Rothesay berth and the pioneer turbine King Edward leaving on her way to Fairlie around 1901.

Victoria Street in Rothesay in the early 1900s.

2553—Duchess of Hamilton, the flagship of the Caledonian fleet, built in 1890 by Messrs Denny at Dumbarton for the Ardrossan to Arran route. She was about to be displaced on that route by the new turbine Duchess of Argyll.

2554—Duchess of Rothesay, was the Caledonian’s answer to the Glasgow and South Western Railway Co.’s new steamers. She was built at Clydebank in 1895 and was the regular steamer on the Arran by way of the Kyles route that the Ivanhoe had popularized.

2555—Duchess of Fife, the last of the paddle Duchesses was built at the Fairfield yard in 1903. She was designed more as a utilitarian member of the fleet but far surpassed expectations in terms of speed.

2556—Duchess of Montrose was built at Clydebank in 1902 and was the quasi-sister of Duchess of Fife. She was used mainly on the Rothesay station.

2557—Marchioness of Lorne was designed as an all-year-round vessel and dated from 1891 when she appeared from the yard of Messrs Russell of Port Glasgow. She carried on the winter service from Ardrossan to Arran and in summer could be found on the Millport or Rothesay service.

2558—Ivanhoe, the original tee-total steamer was a product of Messrs D. & W. Henderson’s yard at Partick in 1880 for the Frith of Clyde Steam Packet Co., Ltd. She popularized the sailing to Arran by way of the Kyles but when the Glasgow and South Western Railway steamers began to compete with the new Jupiter in 1896, she was purchased by the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. The picture shows here in Frith of Clyde colours. When taken over by the Caledonian, her paddle-boxes were painted white and her facilities were updated to include a bar. She served on ferry duties and excursions, with an association with the Arrochar route.

2559—Marchioness of Breadalbane was the first of two sister ships built by Messrs J. Reid & Co., Port Glasgow, in 1890, for general ferry duties out of Wemyss Bay. She took up sailings to Rothesay and Millport but could also be found in sailings to Loch Goil and various other destinations in winter when the larger steamers were laid-up.

2560—General Saloon of Duchess of Hamilton is aft, measuring 60ft. by the entire breadth of the ship. The woodwork of this saloon is of walnut with mahogany pilasters, enriched with hand-painted gilt panels. The ceiling is very pretty, the colours being cream and gold. Spring-stuffed settees, affording a most luxurious seat, are placed athwart-ships in the saloon, and are arranged in the form of bays, suitable for small parties. There are also a writing and reading table, while the heating of the saloon is effected by means of a very handsome stove. The floor is laid with carpets and carpet runners; the curtains and spring blinds, in terra cotta and tan, harmonize well with the general decorations, as do also the settees, which are covered with a new material, figured moquette.

2561—Dining Saloon of Duchess of Hamilton has seats for ninety persons. There is the usual accommodation, and the light is good. The cushions are in old gold frieze velvet, and the curtains on the ports are in blue and tan silk damask. The table covers are in silk tapestry, woven specially to the size of the table, and having gold borders all round.

2562—Dunoon Pier from Douglas Hotel shows the Galatea of 1889 at the pier. Never the success that she might have been, she was laid up at the end of 1905 and sold to owners in Italy the following year.

2563—Disembarking at Gourock from the Duchess of Fife

2564—Wemyss Bay Pier with the Duchess of Montrose at the Rothesay Berth.

2565—Kyles of Bute with Torpedo Flotilla.

2566—Brodick Bay.

2567—Lamlash Bay with the Duchess of Rothesay at the pier on her Arran by the Kyles cruise.

2568—Whiting Bay making use of an older Reliable Series card with the Glasgow and South Western Railway Co’s steamer Jupiter of 1896 at the pier. The Jupiter’s funnel is coloured yellow in the Caledonian card

2569—Marine Parade, East Bay, Millport.

2570—Loch Ridden with Duchess of Fife on an afternoon cruise.

2571—Loch Striven.

2572—Loch Goil and Carrick Castle using an older Reliable series image with the Edinburgh Castle leaving the pier.

2573—Goatfell from the Rosa, Brodick showing the footbridge over the Rosa Water.

2574—Loch Long, near Arrochar, in fact on the hill above Portincaple, looking over to the entrance of Loch Goil.

2575—A Stormy Day off Ardrossan; Steamer Duchess of Hamilton

35/1—A Stormy Day off Ardrossan; Steamer Duchess of Hamilton issued with a different number

2576—Coulport, Loch Goil, in fact a view up Loch Long with the entrance to Loch Goil on the left.

2577—Glen Ashdale Falls, Whiting Bay, a favourite beauty spot in the hills above the village

2578—Millport Pier.

2579—Ivanhoe sailing down Loch Long showing the narrow deck saloons.

2580—Head of Loch Goil, showing the wake of the steamer leaving Douglas Pier.

2581—Arranton Bridge, Lamlash over the Benlister Burn at the south end of the village.

2582—Rothesay, looking West using an existing reliable series image that features the Glasgow and South Western steamer Jupiter of 1896, the Glasgow and Inverary steamer Lord of the Isles of 1891 with the Caledonian Marchioness of Bute of 1890 at the west end of the pier. All of the steamers have the yellow Caledonian funnels painted on in a poorly disguised deception. The earlier Reliable series coloured card is also shown for comparison.

The series of postcards did not include the new turbine steamer, Duchess of Argyll, built by Messrs Denny, that entered service in 1906. It was another four years before the Caledonian Railway prepared a card featuring the steamer.

Caledonian Railway Card featuring Duchess of Argyll  by McCorquodale & Co. Ltd.