 CROSSINGS |
 Main
Crossings
Oban - Craignure |
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Oban - Craignure |
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Crossing Time: 45 Minutes |
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Regular Ship: Isle
of Mull |
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ROUTE TIMELINE:
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 Ships to Serve:
1964 - 1972: Columba
1973 - 1974: Iona
/ Glen
Sannox / Clansman
1975: Clansman
/ Glen
Sannox
1976 - 1988: Caledonia
/ Glen
Sannox
1988 - Present:
Isle of Mull
Additional Ships:
Lord
of the Isles / Clansman
/ Hebridean
Isles / Isle
of Arran (relief duties or additional sailings) |
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Terminal Facilities:
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Oban: A new terminal building is under
construction. There is currently one linkspan, although a second is
planned for later in 2004, subject to permission being granted. There is a
mobile, powered passenger gangway which can be shifted depending on the
next vessel due in. Upon completion of new terminal building, the already
large vehicle marshalling area will be extended. Craignure: A single linkspan,
hydraulically operated from an overhead gantry, passenger gangway similar
to that in Oban, an extensive car marshalling area and a passenger shelter
stretching right along the pier.
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Route History:
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The Oban - Craignure route is one of the busiest in the CalMac network
today. Its origins date back to 1964 when the new COLUMBA
was introduced on the Sound Mull route, from Oban to Craignure and
Lochaline. The pier at Craignure was newly constructed for this ferry,
sticking out into the bay at right angles to the shoreline. At Oban, the
age-old practice of using the Railway Pier was continued. The COLUMBA
loaded her cars by means of a hoist,
directly from the quayside. Drive through operation was introduced in 1973
when a new linkspan was installed at the Railway Pier in Oban. This
facility enabled not only the Mull timetable to be speeded up, but also
that of the long haul service out to Lochboisdale on South Uist. From 1973 to 1974, Mull was serviced by three different ships: IONA, GLEN
SANNOX and, when Craignure duly received its linkspan and the route became truly
drive-through, the newly converted CLANSMAN.
Events conspired to take this ferry away from Mull and in 1976 she
switched places with the Arran ferry CALEDONIA. |
Columba arriving at Craignure on
relief
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Caledonia unloading at Craignure
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For the next 12 years, Mull was served in summer by the CALEDONIA
and in winter (usually from late September through to mid May) by the old
favourite GLEN
SANNOX. The people of Mull actually preferred the Sannox and would
rather have had her as the year-round vessel, despite the fact she had no
bow visor and could only load with her stern ramp at either port.
This arrangement continued until the summer traffic built
up to such levels that the CALEDONIA
simply could not transport the numbers of passengers that required
shipment. 1987 was her final year on the Craignure route as her
replacement was due in service the following spring. When the GLEN
SANNOX took over in autumn 1987, the redundant vessel was placed
on the sale list and headed for the dock.
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The new ferry duly entered service in 1988 just in time
for the summer season. The ISLE
OF MULL was a giant; with double the car capacity of her
predecessor and a passenger certificate for up to 1000 with a crew of 28.
Capacity problems were a thing of the past, and at the time of writing the
ISLE
OF MULL is still the regular Mull ferry, providing up to eight
return journeys a day. Occasionally the Mull crossing in taken by Oban
fleet mates LORD
OF THE ISLES or CLANSMAN
if the larger passenger capacity is required on the Outer Isles run, or
when the regular vessel is on the Colonsay route. |
Isle of Mull crossing to Mull
in October 2004
|
 Images from Ships of CalMac Collection |
|
 SoC Useful Links:
To see a more detailed description of the islands and photos, visit
Undiscovered Scotland and click on a place. |
SoC
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