FLEET FEATURES
 Main Fleet
Features
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Special Features, stories and articles about the
ships and their pasts, as well as fascinating accounts and stories of ships
both past and present...
 Click on an Article
Title to Read on.
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THE FLEET |
 Island Class
An illustrated article which goes into detail about the fleet of
eight small bow-loaders and the major part they played in
enhancing transport links around the west coast.
Loch Class
Following on the the Island Class article, this piece illustrates
the next chapter in the story, when demand exceeded
capacity and newer, larger ferries were brought in.
Streakers
An illustrated account of the coming of the second generation of
Upper Clyde ferry and the great improvements
associated with their arrival over 30 years ago.
Isle of Cumbrae
An illustrated article to commemorate Isle of Cumbrae's 30th
anniversary.
Hebrides
On Trials
An illustrated article showing Hebrides's brief stint on the Oban
based services in 2007. NEW!
The Secret Ships
A little-known fact about the 1964 Western Isles trio; Hebrides, Clansman and Columba.
"Just the two of
us"
Sister ships have always been a part of the CalMac fleet - see some
of the more recent ones here.
Where Are
They Now?
Speaks for itself! See here where previous fleet embers ended up in
their post-CalMac life.
Pioneer's Last Trip Round The Small Isles
Relieving for the Lochnevis one last time.
Suilven Sails
On!
The old Stornoway favourite has found herself all over the world
since her departure from the fleet in 1995 - see how
she got on.
Bute Ferry Co's
Kyles Boats
A brief history of the Colintraive-Rhubodach car ferries across the
Kyles of Bute run by the Bute Ferry Co.
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HOW DOES...? |
Loading
Methods
Illustrated article which shows the various methods employed over
the years for loading cargo an goods onto the ships.
Voith-Schneider
Units
A fascinating piece which shows how this revolutionary propulsion
system has benefited the smaller vessels in the
fleet
What Is...?!
Ever seen something onboard, or at a terminal and
wondered 'what on earth is that?' - well read on and you may find
your answer!
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HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED! |
Traditional Mail
Boats
A rare reminder of the days before roll on-roll of, when MacBraynes
operated mail steamers to far off and remote
communities.
Ferry Boats
Looking back to the days before the Loch Buie and the
Morvern, when Iona was served by a fleet of small launches.
Kyles Ferries
Before 1997 the tiny island of Scalpay had no bridge. This article
looks back to the ferries that provided a lifeline to
Scalpay's residents.
Past
Clyde Steamers
Past Fleet
Movements
A brief description of vessel movements before SoC Fleet News came
into being.
Small Ferries -
Kyles of Bute
Going back to the early days of the Kyles of Bute crossing from
Colintraive to Rhubodach. No-one would ever have
imagined that a ship the size of the Loch Dunvegan would
operate the route now.
A Tryst in the
Kyles
The Inner Isles
Mail Run
How the service to Coll, Tiree, Barra and South Uist used to be run
- a stark contrast to today's service.
Racing To
Rothesay
A description of the famous races once run between Waverley
and the firm favourite Pioneer.
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THE PAST FLEET |
Ships at War
The Changing
Chieftain
Duchess of
Montrose vs Saint Columba (Part 1 - The Queens Alexandra)
Duchess of
Montrose vs Saint Columba (Part 2 - The War Years)
Clyde Turbine
Steamers
Waverley and QMII
in Competition
The Loss of Loch
Seaforth
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PICTORIAL SPECIALS |
Isle of Lewis
& Suilven - First & Last
Suilven bows out as the new Isle of Lewis arrives to take
up duties at Stornoway.
SS
Hebrides 1898
A brief feature into one of the companies vessels and crew
that served the remote St Kilda connection.
Saturn's Trip to Islay
See the Saturn out of her normal sphere of operations.
Loch
Shira's Launch
The launch of CalMac's newest vessel was covered by our
chief news reporter and filmed by our DVD department.
30 Years of the
Island Class
Picture special marking the 30th anniversary of the launch of MV
Raasay - last member of the Island Class
Claymore
at Dover
Ex-CalMac fleet member makes a trip south!
A Day on Clansman
Thirteen hours on the same ferry on its weekly crossing to Barra
via Tiree - or not as the case may be!
Caledonian
Isles Overhaul 2006
A brief pictorial account of the Arran ferry's recent overhaul in
Aberdeen.
Bute's Arrival
A pictorial account of the new Wemyss Bay - Rothesay ferry's
journey across from her home in Poland via the English
Channel and Irish Sea
SS Claymore's
Cabin
A little piece of MacBraynes history rests in a rather
landlocked position...
12 Hours on the
'Lord'
See the pictures and read the account of when Steve and Dave
started their day in Castlebay and finished it at Port
Askaig. Their means of transport was the well-travelled and
reliable Lord of the Isles
How We Get
Those BIG PICS
Is it a bird, is it a plane?....Nope its....
Dodging the
Reefs
How come it takes a whole hour to cross the relatively narrow Sound
of Harris? See here.
"Through
the Worst of
it!..."
See some of the truly awful conditions the ships have to contend
with you on a regular basis.
"Old and New"
A picture special showing some of the older CalMac ships with their
younger counterparts (and in some cases - their
replacements)
Hebridean Isles
at Stromness
Once a year recently its been the job of the Hebridean Isles to
relieve her half fleet mate on the NorthLink Scrabster - Stromness crossing.
More BIG
PICTURES
Some more previews of the stunning aerial pictures taken from
Stornoway Helicopter 'Mike Uniform'.
BIG
PICTURES - THEY'RE BACK!
Stunning aerial pictures taken by Chris Murray from
the Stornoway Coastguard Helicopter.
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READERS STORIES |
We Can But Dream!
(Robin Copland)
Seven Short Blasts; A
Hebridean Odyssey 2003 (Derek Finlayson)
Fancy Dress Gathering
on Skye (Simon Hood)
Memories of the 1960s
(Robin Copland)
A Grand Day on
Waverley (Robin Copland)
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SOMETHING TO ADD....? |
If you have an article, some images or anything else you would like to see
added to the Features pages then please contact us
here. |
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