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... |
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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. |
Just
Visiting
Special feature showing several members of the fleet enjoying a
spell off duty as they head to the Clyde for their annual overhauls. |
Hebrides
on Trials
A pictorial feature
showing Hebrides' temporary deployment on services from Oban, following
her conversion to burn fuel oil in March 2007 |
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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THE BIGGER PICTURE -
NEW & IMPROVED! |
Big Pictures 1
Isle of Lewis poses for the camera as Chris gets dangled in
front of her |
Big Pictures 2
Loch Portain doesn't escape the attentions of the
Coastguard Helicopter! |
Big Pictures 3
Hebrides is captured as she leaves Tarbert one afternoon |
Big Pictures 4
See Clansman and Isle of Lewis taking part in exercises
with the helicopter |
Big Pictures 5
Isle of Lewis crosses towards Ullapool as the helicopter
tracks her |
Big Pictures 6
Isle of Arran heads out into the Minch after finishing a
spell relieving the Muirneag |
Big Pictures 7
Clansman sets out for Ullapool and is shadowed by the
helicopter |
How We Get
Those BIG PICS
Is it a bird, is it a plane?....Nope its.... |
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PICTORIAL SPECIALS |
Isle of Mull as
a Clyde ferry
See what the Isle of Mull got up to in her six week absence
from Oban this autumn - not just an overhaul |
SS Claymore's
Cabin
A little piece of MacBraynes history rests in a rather
landlocked position... |
Loch
Shira's Launch
The launch of CalMac's newest vessel was covered by our chief news
reporter and filmed by our DVD department. |
Claymore
at Dover
Ex-CalMac fleet member makes a trip south! |
"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) |
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 |
Caledonian
Isles' Overhaul 2006
A brief pictorial account of the Arran ferry's overhaul in
Aberdeen in January 2006. |
Hebridean Isles
at Stromness
Once a year recently its been the job of the Hebridean Isles to
relieve her half fleetmate on NorthLink's Scrabster - Stromness crossing. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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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PAST FLEET |
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Ships at War |
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The Changing
Chieftain |
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Duchess of
Montrose vs Saint Columba (Part 1 - The Queens Alexandra) |
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Duchess of
Montrose vs Saint Columba (Part 2 - The War Years) |
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Clyde Turbine
Steamers |
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Waverley and QMII
in Competition |
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The Loss of Loch
Seaforth |
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READERS' STORIES |
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We Can But Dream!
(Robin Copland) |
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Seven Short Blasts; A
Hebridean Odyssey 2003 (Derek Finlayson) |
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Fancy Dress Gathering
on Skye (Simon Hood) |
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Memories of the 1960s
(Robin Copland) |
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A Grand Day on
Waverley (Robin Copland) |
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SOMETHING TO ADD? |
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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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