Kilchoan: Slipway and pier jutting out into the northern end of the Sound of Mull. There is a small vehicle marshalling and turning area as well as a passenger shelter and public toilets situated close by.

Over the following 5 years the Coll had a relatively easy life, shuttling several time a day back and forth between Mull and Ardnamurchan. It was perhaps inevitable that a route with a car ferry operating it was to become a vehicle service.

Coll arriving at Tobermory slipway

2nd vessel Bruernish at Tobermory pier

It was not until 1991 that slipways were constructed at the Coll's ports and the crossing became a car ferry service during the summer months. Tobermory was equipped with a slipway beyond the end of the main pier, while that at Kilchoan was a simple and narrow stretch of concrete set just behind the stone pier, on the western side of Kilchoan Bay, opposite the ruins of the castle.

The route continued to grow gradually and the number of sailings during the summer was gradually increased. In the summer of 1996 the Coll was replaced at Tobermory by her Oban-based sister Eigg. That summer proved to be a busy one and on many occasions in the height of the season, Bruernish was also required to carry out additional sailings.

As demand grew on numerous routes simultaneously across the CalMac network, a major cascade of ferries took place between 1997 and 1999, which saw Loch Class ferries switching route like there was no tomorrow. The Kilchoan route was one of those which benefited from this redployment. Clyde movements freed up the 1986-built Loch Linnhe from the Tarbert - Portavadie run and she was switched to the Western Isles in time for the summer of 1999. Eigg was despatched back down to Oban and the Loch Linnhe took over the seasonal service, allowing drive-through operations for the first time.

It was to be a few years yet before year-round service commenced out of Tobermory, however when it did come round, yet another vessel was required for this duty. Loch Linnhe was required elsewhere in the network during the winter as she was one of the main relief ships on the shorter routes. Demand was low enough or an Island Class ferry to return to the fray once more. The chosen one this time was Raasay and she became the regular winter vessel, handing back to the larger ferry just in time for the summer timetable to commence.

2006 saw a change in the winter deployment and Loch Linnhe was present for the majority of the winter. She is deemed too small for many of the routes she used to relieve on and is likely to become the year-round Kilchoan ship, with the Isle of Cumbrae relieving for about two months over the new year period.

Loch Linnhe entering Tobermory Bay