The UK Passenger Ship Fleet of 1967
Page 6: Fleets M (David MacBrayne)
This is sixth in a series of pages devoted to postcards of the complete UK Passenger Fleet of 1967, and covers David MacBrayne, who ran a network of services throughout the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The firm subsequently combined with the Caledonian Steam Packet Co (the Clyde area operators of British Railways) to form the nationalised Caledonian-MacBrayne. In 1967, David MacBrayne Ltd was jointly owned by the British Transport Commission (BTC) and
Coast Lines
.
1967 UK Passenger Fleet Pages:-
Letters:-
A-Bl
,
Br-Bu
,
Ca-Cu
,
D-G
,
Isle
,
M
,
N-O
,
P-R
,
S-T
,
U-W
Companies on this Page:-
David MacBrayne Ltd
Associated Pages:-
Hebridean Island Cruises
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
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David MacBrayne Ltd
Clansman (1964)
Services:- Mallaig-Armadale (Isle of Skye)
2104 tons, 235 ft long, 600 passengers.
One of three car ferries owned by the Secretary of State for Scotland (her sisters being the
Columba
and
Hebrides
) and managed by MacBraynes. All use side-loading hoists to load their cars, since no West Highland piers had linkspans at this time. Clansman was later converted to a drive-through car ferry.
Valentine postcard (serial XT.64R) of
Clansman.
Claymore (1955)
Services:- Oban-Inner Isles Mail Service (to Isles of Mull, Call, Tiree, Barra and South Uist)
1024 tons, 192 ft long, 500 passengers.
The
Claymore
was the last traditional MacBrynes ship to be built, all subsequent major units being car ferries. She was replaced by the larger and faster
Loch Seaforth
on the Inner Isles service, but was soon returned to service following the loss of the latter at Tiree in 1973.
Claymore
was sold for further Greek service in 1976.
Unidentified photographic postcard (serial FB.60/5) of
Claymore.
J.Arthur Dixon postcard (no serial number) of
Claymore
at castlebay, Isle of Barra.
Simplon Postcards (serial 3.1) of
Claymore
at winter lay-up in Greenock in winter 1974. Photograph by David Pennock. The ship behind is the
King George V
, which was withdrawn earlier that year.
Claymore
was retained in ownership (along with various cargo-only vessels) by David MacBrayne when the car ferries were transferred to Caledonian-MacBrayne in 1973. Hence she never carried the lions as seen on KGV's funnels.
Columba (1964)
Services:- Oban-Craignure(Isle of Mull)-Lochaline
2104 tons, 235 ft long, 600 passengers.
One of three car ferries owned by the Secretary of State for Scotland (her sisters being the
Clansman
and
Hebrides
) and managed by MacBraynes. All use side-loading hoists to load their cars, since no West Highland piers had linkspans at this time.
Columba
remains in service from Oban as the luxury cruise ship
Hebridean Princess
, with
Hebridean Island Cruises
.
Dennis postcard (serial S.T.5417) of
Columba.
J.Arthur Dixon postcard (serial 4800) of
Columba
off Oban.
Valentine postcard (serial XT.68R) of
Columba.
Hebrides (1964)
Services:- Uig(Skye)-Lochmaddy(Benbecula)-Tarbert(Harris)
2104 tons, 235 ft long, 600 passengers.
One of three car ferries owned by the Secretary of State for Scotland (her sisters being the
Clansman
and
Columba
) and managed by MacBraynes. All use side-loading hoists to load their cars, since no West Highland piers had linkspans at this time.
Hebrides
was sold in 1985, and operated from Torquay to the Channel Isles as
Devoniun
before sale for Mediterranean service.
W.S.Thomson postcard (serial AP5/895) of
Hebrides.
J.Arthur Dixon postcard (serial 4915) of
Hebrides
at Uig, Isle of Skye.
Simplon Postcards (serial 3.3) of
Hebrides
leaving Tarbert (Harris) in summer 1975.
Photograph by David Pennock.
King George V (1926)
Services:- Excursion Oban-Tobermory-Staffa-Iona etc.
985 tons, 270 ft long, 1432 passengers.
Arguably the finest excursion steamer in postwar UK service, King George V had been built in 1926 for the Clyde services of Turbines Steamers Ltd. She was transferred to David MacBrayne (the LMS Railway had interests in both Turbine Steamers and MacBraynes) in 1935, and then operated as the main Oban excursion vessel for almost 40 years.
J.Arthur Dixon postcard (serial 3752) of
King George V
at Iona, with the famous cathedral in the background. Passengers were tendred ashore in MacBraynes famous 'red boats' as can be seen. Landings at Staffa, to see Fingal's cave, had ceased by 1967.
Dennis postcard (no serial) of
King George V
at Oban, with
Lochfyne
in the background.
This is an early card before the addition of a closed wheelhouse.
Dennis postcard (serial O.0113) of
King George V
at Oban.
Unidentified postcard (serial PT35424 - Photo Precision?) of
King George V
at Oban.
Simplon Postcards (serial sp1042) of
King George V
arriving at Cardiff after sale in 1975. Photograph by Nigel James. She remained at Cardiff for some years, and was sold to Bass Charrington in 1981 to replace the burnt-out
Caledonia
on the Thames. Unfortunately, the
KGV
was also burnt out in August 1981 whilst conversion work continued.
Loch Arkaig (1942)
Services:- Mallaig-Inner Isles Mail Service (Rhum, Eigg, Muck and Canna).
230 tons, 113 ft long.
Loch Arkaig
was a conversion of a 1942, wooden-hulled minesweeper, completed in 1960. She ran the Inner Isles Mail Service, plus excursions, until 1979 when she sank at Mallaig just prior to being replaced by a new vessel. She was subsequently raised and continued in Spanish service until sinking again in 1985.
Real Photographs postcard of
Loch Arkaig.
Lochfyne (1931)
Services:- The "Royal Route" - Greenock to Tarbert and Ardrishaig.
754 tons, 219 ft long, 1202 passengers.
Lochfyne
was a pioneer diesel-electric vessel built in 1931. At this time Coast Lines, who part-owned David MacBrayne, were part of Lord Kylsant's huge Royal Mail Group (soon to collapse), and the
Lochfyne
could be considered to be the smallest of the distinctive two-funnelled Kylsant motorships (the largest being the White Star
Britannic
). She originally operated on the Oban-Staffa-Iona cruise, and sometimes opened the season on this route even in the 1960s. Her main summer employment, however, was the Clyde section of the famed "Royal Route" from Greenock to Tarbert and Ardrishaig, previously run by the
PS Columba
.
Valentine postcard (serial XT.66R) of
Lochfyne.
Interesting, modern Orr, Pollock postcard of
Lochfyne
and Empress of England on the Clyde.
Valentine postcard (serial C.307) of
Lochfyne
at Oban.
S
implon Postcards serial number sp1164 (issued December 1993) of
Lochfyne
.
Photograph by Alastair Deayton.
Lochiel (1939)
Services:- West Loch Tarbert-Port Ellen/Port Askaig (Islay).
577 tons, 191 ft long.
Lochiel
served largely on her designed route from West Loch Tarbert to the Isle of Islay for most of her career. She was sold in 1970, and after a brief and unsuccessful time as Northwest Laird between Fleetwood and Douglas (Isle of Man), she operated as a floating bar in Bristol. She was scrapped in 1995.
Thistledown postcard (no serial number) of
Lochiel
at West Loch Tarbert. An enlarged view of the ship is shown below.
V
alentine's postcard (serial D5477) of
Lochiel
at West Loch Tarbert.
Lochnevis (1934)
Services:- various services out of Oban.
568 tons, 179 ft long.
Lochiel
served initially out of Mallaig on the Portree Mail Service, but moved to Oban when she proved to be too large for the Portree route. In the 1960s she often out on the "Royal Route" out of peak season, and in summer ran various routes out of Oban to Tobermory, Fort William, Isle of Islay etc.
Real Photographs postcard of
Lochnevis.
Charles Skiltern postcard (serial 21545) of
Lochnevis
at Port Askaig (Islay). An enlarged view of the ship is show below.
Loch Seaforth (1947)
Services:- Stornoway Mail Service (Mallaig-Kyle of Lochalsh-Stornoway (Lewis)).
1126 tons, 241 ft long.
Loch Seaforth
was the largest MacBrayne vessel until the arrival of the car ferries. She operated the Stornoway Mail Service until displaced by the rebuilt car ferry
Clansman
, and then replaced the
Claymore
on the Inner Isles Mail Service from Oban. This was short-lived after hitting a rock between Coll and Tiree on 22nd March 1973. The ship was abandonned, but the crew later re-boarded her and she was towed to Tiree. She then sank at the pier, preventing any service to the island until salvaged and moved on May 14th.
Loch Seaforth
was then scrapped at Troon, being replaced by the re-activated
Claymore
.
J.Arthur Dixon postcard (serial 4059) of
Loch Seaforth
at Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.
Simplon Postcards serial number 3.2 of
Loch Seaforth
.
Photograph by Terry Boyle at Mallaig in 1967.
Other pages in this series:-
A-Bl
,
Br-Bu
,
Ca-Cu
,
D-G
,
Isle
,
M
,
N-O
,
P-R
,
S-T
,
U-W
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