paddlesteamers.info : The Internet's leading website for
Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Firth
of Clyde,
Scotland
Caledonian-MacBrayne
Ltd (from
1973)
"Cal-Mac"
inherited the fleets of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company (Clyde)
and David MacBrayne Ltd (Western Isles) and quickly set about
restructuring services to concentrate fully on car-ferries with
drive-on-drive-off capability. A massive investment programme in new
piers and, later, new ships has led to vastly improved ferry
services, but the abandonment of cruising. Cal-Mac ran PS Waverley
for one season before withdrawing her as uneconomic and concentrating
cruising on TS Queen Mary, with support from local authority
grants.
After 1977, with Queen Mary also removed from the fleet, cruises were
offered most years, initially by the then spare car ferry "Glen Sannox",
for some years by the small motor vessel "Keppel",
then by using another "spare" car ferry, until 2000, when
Cal-Mac officially announced the end of inter-resort services.
Caledonian MacBrayne now provides a comprehensive
and efficient point-to-point car ferry service at strategic points between the
mainland and islands
STEAMERS UNDER
CALEDONIAN-MACBRAYNE
OWNERSHIP
Following the merging of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company
and David MacBrayne, Waverley
sailed for one season (1973) in new colours. It was a problematic
season and the costly and unreliable paddler was paid off by the
state-controlled company after only one summer. Waverley went on to a
successful new phase of her life in the ownership of a preservation
society and as of 2019 is being refurbished with new boilers for what
is hoped to be many more years of service. Photo by kind courtesy
of Kenny Whyte.
Turbine Steamer Queen Mary
survived to complete the 1977 season but continued to accumulate
losses. When Glasgow Council decided to allocate its available grant
money to Waverley, it seemed that Queen mary was doomed and the
enthusiasts who had kept Waverley going against all odds had won out.
It was not a competition however. The market was still in serious
decline - although this photo by Kenny Whyte of the turbine steamer off
Troon might not give that impression. After many years of lay-up and 20
years as a pub restaurant in London, the vessel was towed back to the
Clyde in 2016 for restoration as a floating attraction in Glasgow
Bibliography
Speed
Bonny Boat : The Story of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd under Scottish
Transport Group 1969-1990
John Whittle
Published in 1990 by Saltire Communications , 47 Queen Charlotte St,
Edinburgh EH6 7EY on behalf of the STG
ISBN 0-946265-13-5
Definitive illustrated history by the former Executive Director and
Deputy Chairman of Cal-Mac
Return
to
David MacBrayne -
Clyde Services
Firth
of Clyde - History and Operating Companies
Clyde
Turbine Steamers