Caledonian Steam Packet Co. Ltd.

on May 7, 2016

The opening of Princes Pier in 1870 for the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway Co. had signaled a downturn on the coast traffic carried by the Caledonian Railway Co. to Greenock Central with its remote and inconvenient approach to Greenock Quay. The situation was exacerbated when the Greenock and Ayrshire was absorbed into the Glasgow and South Western Railway Co. in 1872. While most steamers called at both Greenock Piers, the bulk of the traffic used the South Western route and with fast steamers such as Messrs Williamson’s Sultana on the station, the express services could even compete on the Rothesay station with the shorter crossing from Wemyss Bay. A plan to extend the Caledonian Railway further down the coast to Gourock was floated in 1877 but the proposal was rejected after opposition from the Greenock Harbour Trust. The North British Steam Packet Co. route through Craigendoran...

Early Clyde Steamers V

on Apr 29, 2016

There were a number of changes to the Campbletown and Londonderry service during 1826. The owners of the Argyle and Britannia added a new vessel, Londonderry, in June. The concentration of the new Londonderry, Britannia and Argyle on Londonderry resulted in poorer service to Campbeltown and the resultant opportunities for other operators. The Londonderry was built by William Denny at Dumbarton and was 102 tons burther with a two-cyliner engine of 76 horse-power. “Regular conveyance for goods and passengers to Campbelton & Londonderry, three times a-week, the proprietors of the steam-boats Londonderry, Argyle & Britannia, having as formerly advertised, arranged to sail to these ports with goods and passengers three times a week, there will be a regular conveyance from this port to Londonderry every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and to Campbelton every Saturday, Tuesday...

Marchioness of Lorne 1935

on Apr 20, 2016

As a replacement for the Marchioness of Breadalbane in 1935, the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. went to Fairfields for a smaller version of the paddlers Caledonia and Mercury built the previous year. She was well photographed by the Messrs Adamson and Robertson during her trials when sporting the Fairfield flag. Marchioness of Lorne on trials (Adamson) Marchioness of Lorne on trials (Robertson) Marchioness of Lorne was designed for the Holy Loch ferry route where the ability to maneuver at the many piers is more important than speed. The new steamer was capable of just 12 knots in service, requiring some adjustments to the time table. Despite some misgivings, the improved accommodation, meant that the new steamer became a strong favourite with the Holy Loch regulars Marchioness of Lorne (Feilden) Marchioness of Lorne in 1936 Marchioness of Lorne’s summer schedule was demanding,...

Down the Water—and weekly chit-chat

on Apr 13, 2016

A strange little newspaper published on Saturday June 4th, 1887 was aimed at providing the public with a “pleasant hour in the wearisome tediousness of a steamship or railway journey” down the water. The editorial statement indicated that it was to be issued every Saturday morning at 47 Oswald Street, Glasgow  but that “owing to an accident, we are a little behind this week.” There are no advertisements in the first issue but they offered to carry advertisements at the rate of 1/6 an inch. Many of the articles have a strange feel for the most part and look to have been lifted piecemeal from an American publication although there are a few domestic “gems”: “Papa” asked a young hopeful the other day. “Is Queen Victoria’s other name Lize.” “No my son, why do you ask?” “Why, you know, I’ver just heard...

Sunday Steamers at Dunoon

on Mar 31, 2016

The pier at Dunoon is one of the most important on the Clyde, the major approach to the Cowal peninsula and an important hub for the major tours. The original pier, dating from about 1835, was built by a joint stock company but the rights to the pier and the ferry belonged to the Hafton Estate. This original pier was replaced by a new structure in 1845 and again in 1865 but by the end of the century, the single berth was a major source of congestion for the expanding steamer services on the Firth. The Trustees of the Hafton Estate, who owned the pier had proposed extensions as early as 1880 and had offered the pier to the Burgh on a number of occasions. Agreement on a price was finally reached and the Burgh purchased the structure on 31st December 1895 for £27,000 with an immediate plan to extend and reconstruct the pier for a further £15,000 that was put into action. Glasgow &...

Malwa—Messrs Caird & Co.,1908

on Mar 11, 2016

The P&O liner, Malwa, was launched from the yard of Messrs Caird & Co., Ltd at Greenock on October 10, 1908. As order number 315, she cost just almost £310,000 and was 540 ft long by 61.3 ft in the beam and a depth of 24.6 ft, giving a gross tonnage of 11,600. Her power plant was two quadruple-expansion steam engines, supplied by her builders and they developed 15,000 hp, driving the twin screws to achieve a speed of 18 knots. She was completed just before Christmas in 1908, and after being fitted with Marconi telegraph equipment, made her maiden voyage from London to Australia by way of the Suez Canal and Colombo. Malwa entering the water at Greenock Malwa afloat for the first time Initially she could accommodate 327 first-class passengers and 280 second-class and carried a crew of almost 350. She was the first P&O liner to visit Auckland, New Zealand, in 1910, and the...

City of Paris—Messrs Barclay, Curle & Co. 1907

on Mar 10, 2016

New City Liner—Launch of the City of Paris—Glasgow Herald, August 12, 1907 The new steamer City of Paris, which was launched on Saturday by Messrs Barclay, Curle and Co., Whiteinch, is the largest vessel yet built for the Ellerman Lines. She is, generally speaking, a sister ship to the City of London, built at Belfast recently, but she is slightly larger. With the exception of a few mail steamers, she will be the largest vessel running to India. She is 569 feet in length, 57 feet 9 inches in breadth, 36 feet 6¼ inches in depth, of about 9,000 tons gross, and she will have single-screw quadruple-expansion engines, by the builders, of about 9000 i.h.p., capable of giving a service speed of fifteen knots. She will carry about 300 first-class and 100 second-class passengers. The first-class passengers will all be berthed in two and three berth state-rooms on the upper and bridge decks. On...

The Sinking of the Comet

on Mar 6, 2016

“Melancholy Catastrophe.—Loss of the Comet Steam-Boat, (from the Greenock Advertiser of Friday, 21st October, 1825)— The Comet steam-boat, on her passsage from Inverness to Greenock, had reaches the point of Kempoch, at nearly two o’clock, when she was met by the steamboat Ayr, M‘Clelland, of Ayr, which was on her way to that port, from Greenock. The two boats going with considerable velocity, were very near each other before mutually observed. As soon as perceived, the person on the look-out, on board the Comet, cried to the pilot to pat the helm a-starboard, which order the pilot of the Ayr understood to be meant as instructions to him:—both vessels were in consequence directed towards each other, and before the unfortunate mistake could be remedied, they came in contact with such violence, as to stave in the starboard bow of the Comet, which vessel, in a few minutes, went down, and...