Text by Dave Wolstenholme

March 23rd 2006 saw the 30th anniversary of the launch of the last of the little 'Island Class' ferries. It was on that day in 1976 that the Raasay entered the waters of the Clyde from the James Lamont yard in Port Glasgow - the eighth such ship to do so. 

The origins of this type of ferry go back to a few years beforehand when the former Skye ferry Coruisk was transferred to the newly opened Largs - Cumbrae Slip. For this to happen she was converted to a bow loading arrangement whereby a single folding ramp was installed, allowing cars to board and park on her open car deck. Her wheelhouse was situated at the stern along with a very minimal passenger shelter. It was this layout which was then developed in the early 1970s - the end result was the design that we are now familiar with.

The first of the new ferries was revealed to the world on 19th May 1972 and took the form of the Kilbrannan. Her appearance was quite attractive and very distinctive, and indeed she and her seven sisters became a well known and familiar sight through the following three decades. Here we take a look back at these eight little workhorses; Kilbrannan, Morvern, Bruernish, Rhum, Coll, Eigg, Canna and Raasay. The surviving members of this class are now into their third decades of service. Indeed Bruernish holds the record for being the longest serving CalMac ferry since before the veteran Glen Sannox. Even those ferries that left the fleet in the 1990s are still providing a welcome service around the west coast of Ireland, proving that there is indeed life beyond CalMac.