Waverley Slides — 1990

Life continues as normal, sailing on Waverley, chasing steam trains and little else.

Waverley at Inveraray — Saturday, 21 April 1990

“T.S. Duchess of Montrose” Diamond Jubilee Cruise

Depart Gourock at 09:20, calling at Dunoon (09:45), Largs (10:35), Rothesay (11:15), Tighnabruaich (12:05) and Ardrishaig (13:40) before spending time at Inveraray. The return sailing departed at 16:40, calling at Ardrishaig (18:20), Tighnabruaich (20:00), Rothesay (20:50) before reaching Largs at 21:30 for a coach return to Gourock for 22:30 (according to the timetable). The fare was �15.95. From Largs, Balmoral continued to Dunoon, arriving at 22:20 before returning light up the river. I found a diary note for Glasgow - Gourock �2.15 single, presumably to get there, I've no idea how I got home, perhaps I got a lift from someone (from Largs?).

I would like to blame the overcast weather for the poor quality of these photographs, but suspect that the poor photographer was rather more to blame.

Approaching Gourock at the start of the day	Inveraray at low tide

Inveraray Pier at low tide		Inveraray

Inveraray Castle	PS Waverley at Inveraray Pier

Inveraray Main Street

Waverley in the Western Isles 1990

I paid �60 for the "Western Isles Package", which appears to have covered the first 8 days, saving approximately �23.65 on the cost of the individual sailings. I don't know what I did about accommodation this year.

Day 1 - Friday, April 27 — Depart from Ayr at 10:00 for Oban with an intermediate call at Port Ellen on Islay. Fare estimated as �15, individual tickets were not available for the one-way sailing.

Port Ellen	Waverley berthed at Port Ellen

Port Ellen	Waverley at the ferry terminal

Day 2 - Saturday, April 28 — Depart Oban at 10:00, calling at Tobermory before proceeding to Armadale (Skye) for time ashore. (I stayed aboard, Kermit fell in a rock pool to the considerable amusement of his companions.) Back at Oban at 21:00. Fare �14.95. Miserable weather with very poor visibility so there was nothing to photograph.

Day 3 - Sunday, April 29 — Depart Oban at 11:30, calling at Fort William (13:45) before cruising on Loch Eil, returning to Fort William (15:45) and Oban at 18:00. Fare �12.95.

Western entrance to the Caledonian Canal at Corpach, Loch Eil	The Highland Hotel, Fort William, from the pier	Richard leaves the Waverley at Fort William

mv Lord of the Isles and mv Isle of Mull at Oban		mv Lord of the Isles in Oban Bay, across the stern of PS Waverley

mv Isle of Mull at Oban	St Columba's Cathedral, Oban	PS Waverley and the Lismore ferry, Coll, on the North Pier at Oban with mv Isle of Mull above and mv Lord of the Isles behind Waverley's funnel

Day 4 - Monday, April 30 — The scheduled sailing (depart Oban 10:00 for time ashore at Fort William, back at 15:45) was cancelled due to low numbers so Waverley had a rest day and I enjoyed a non-landing cruise to Colonsay on CalMac’s Isle of Mull (�8.10) departing from Oban at 10:00.

Waverley at the North Pier, from the Railway Pier	The Lismore ferry, Coll, in Oban Bay	Coll approaching the slip at Oban
Coll was built by James Lamont & Company, Port Glasgow in 1973 for Caledonian Macbrayne. It was one of eight similar vessels built around that time.

Waverley at the North Pier, from the Isle of Mull	South down the Sound of Kerrera	North up the Sound of Kerrera towards Oban

The other Richard got off at Colonsay	Richard below the Lord Colonsay Memorial on top of Cnoc na Faire M�r	The pier at Scalasaig

Scalasaig, the main township on Colonsay	Cloud on the Paps of Jura, from the west	A minor township on Colonsay

Jura beyond the edge of Scarba	The Paps of Jura in the distance, Islay on the right	Scarba, Jura and Islay

Colonsay	The Island of Seil with Cruachan in the distance	A long shot of Ben Nevis up the Firth of Lorne, beyond Eilean nan Caorach (Island of Sheep)

Easdale, on the Island of Seil	Oban with PS Waverley at the North Pier	Lord of the Isles leaving Oban

Day 5 - Tuesday, May 1 — Waverley did Castlebay - Lochboisdale and an evening Ceilidh Cruise from Castlebay. I was still in Oban and enjoyed a CalMac cruise to Coll on Lord of the Isles (�10.50) departing from Oban at 06:30. We went ashore at Coll while the Lord of the Isles continued to Tiree and back.

Arinagour near the head of Loch Eatharna, Coll	Loch an Duin	Arinagour Fire Station

Arinagour from in front of the hotel	The pier in Loch Eatharna, near Arinagour	Leaving Loch Eatharna

Tobermory from the deck of the Lord of the Isles

Day 6 - Wednesday, May 2 — Depart Lochboisdale 10:45 for a cruise to Castlebay with time ashore, back at 16:30. Fare �7.95. Then on to Lochmaddy and Tarbert. Fare �7.95.

I left Oban at 00:30 on Lord of the Isles to Castlebay (where several other enthusiasts came aboard) and on to Lochboisdale, arriving before eight o'clock. Waverley was anchored at the mouth of the loch and came in to the pier after Lord of the Isles had departed for Oban.

PS Waverley anchored in Loch Boisdale (from Lord of the Isles)

	Lord of the Isles leaving Lochboisdale ...	... Waverley's funnels just visible over the island

	PS Waverley steaming up Loch Boisdale

Waverley approaching Lochboisdale pier	Waverley at Lochboisdale pier, from in front of the hotel	Waverley at Lochboisdale pier, across the harbour

Waverley at Lochboisdale pier, across the harbour	Lochboisdale Hotel above the pier	Lochboisdale

And on to Barra

Castlebay with the Hebridean Princess (nee Columba) at the pier	Castlebay beyond Kismul Castle	Hebridean Princess off Castlebay

Kismul Castle with Waverley at the pier	Castlebay with Waverley at the pier	Kismul Castle, from the east

Kismul Castle and Castlebay	The church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, beside the Craigard Hotel	South-west view of Kismul Castle from Waverley

Leaving Castlebay	Hebridean Princess off Castlebay

Hebridean Princess (nee Columba) off Castlebay

Leaving Lochboisdale, South Uist	Approaching Tarbert, Harris and the setting sun

Balmoral on the Forth — Saturday, 12 May 1990

Depart from Granton at 11:00 for Anstruther (14:15), a cruise round the Isle of May, returning to Anstruther at 17:00 before proceeding via the Bass Rock to reach Granton at 20:00 (fare �15.95).

I think on this occasion I took the train through to Edinburgh and walked down to Granton in the company of friends. In the evening, perhaps a lift up to Waverley for the train back to Glasgow.

Balmoral on the breakwater at Anstruther		East side of the Isle of May

North end of the Isle of May	The Isle of May

The lighthouse	A des-res for gulls

Just for a change, the Bass Rock

Balmoral on the Clyde — Saturday, 26 May 1990 & Sunday

An interesting weekend with unusual calls on the river at Clydebank (Rothesay Dock) and Renfrew (at the dilapidated pier beside the ferry slip) and unusual destinations, on Saturday to Ormidale at the mouth of Loch Riddon and on Sunday landing at Carrick Castle.

Depart from Glasgow at 10:00, calling at Clydebank (10:40), Kilcreggan (12:15), Dunoon (12:40) and Rothesay (13:35) before time ashore at Ormidale (14:30 - 15:15). The return sailing called at Rothesay (16:35), Dunoon (17:30), Kilcreggan (18:00) and Clydebank (19:35) before arriving back at Anderston Quay at 20:00. Fare �14.95.

An old sailing boat up the Kyles of Bute	The Rhubodach ferry Loch Riddon at Colintraive	A sailing boat in the mouth of Loch Riddon, through The Narrows

Looking across The Narrows from the Dog-Leg	A sailing boat in the mouth of Loch Riddon	Sailing boats in the West Kyle

Balmoral at the pier at Ormidale, Loch Riddon

Looking up Loch Riddon from Ormidale	Balmoral at the pier at Ormidale

The shooting lodge		The shooting lodge

A couple of moth-balled tankers in Loch Striven	Jupiter leaving the pier at Rothesay	Jupiter sails out of Rothesay Bay

Cranes at UIE, Clydebank, the former John Brown's shipyard

Sunday, May 27 - Depart from Glasgow at 10:00, Renfrew (10:25), Clydebank (10:40), Kilcreggan (12:15) and Dunoon (12:40) before time ashore at Carrick Castle (13:30 - 15:15). The return sailing called at Dunoon (16:00), Kilcreggan (16:25), Clydebank (18:00) and Renfrew (18:15) before arriving at Anderston Quay at 18:45.

		Este Submerger II (Hamburg) loading tunnelling equipment for Denmark
The South Rotunda	CPA bucket dredger mv Blythswood and hopper No.28

Sludge Ship Dalmarnock berthed at Dalmuir Sewage Works	Bowling Harbour ...	... and the entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal
mv Dalmarnock was built by James Lamont & Company, Port Glasgow in 1970 for Glasgow Corporation. When sludge dumping was outlawed in 1996, she went to Northumbrian Water as a water carrier.

Fleet auxiliary A232 "Kingarth" (probably a mooring tender) and the tug Christine berthed at Bowling (probably for breaking)	Dumbarton Rock from the river

The Governor's Residence at Dumbarton Rock	Dumbarton Rock from down river

Heavy crane at the derelict Scott Lithgow shipyard	Port Glasgow riverside	Jack-up rig oil at Port Glasgow

Greenock Town Hall	Greenock Container Terminal	Kilcreggan

Balmoral at the jetty at Carrick Castle	Carrick Castle

Waverley on the Clyde — Saturday, 14 July 1990

Traditionally, Waverley called at Greenock and Helensburgh en route to Dunoon but this year, Customhouse Quay was being redeveloped and Helensburgh was under repair following storm damage during the winter. It was arranged therefore that Waverley would call at Kilcreggan with CalMac's small cruise vessel mv Keppel chartered to bring Waverley passengers from Gourock and Helensburgh.

Which left the timetable showing Waverley departing from Glasgow at 10:00, calling at Kilcreggan (12:15), Dunoon (12:45) and Rothesay (13:40) before reaching Tighnabruaich at 14:30 for time ashore. The return sailing left Tighnabruaich at 15:45, calling at Rothesay (16:35), Dunoon (17:25) and Kilgreggan (18:00) before reaching Glasgow at 20:15. Fare �14.95.

A Keppel-ful of passengers from Gourock and Helensburgh join the Waverley at Kilcreggan

The Waverley at Tighnabruaich

Back at Kilcreggan, the Keppel and the Kenilworth (the Gourock - Helensburgh - Kilcreggan ferry) approach at the same time

Helensburgh-bound passengers from the Waverley transfer to the Keppel, and Gourock-bound passengers from Kilcreggan crossed Waverley and the Keppel to get to the Kenilworth	mv Keppel heading for Helensburgh

Waverley at Tarbert, Loch Fyne — Tuesday, 17 July 1990

Standard Tuesday sail departing from Ayr at 10:00, calling at Largs (12:00), Rothesay (12:45), Tighnabruaich (13:40) and Tarbert (14:45) before cruising up Loch Fyne. Return sailing from Tarbert (16:30), Tighnabruaich (17:35), Rothesay (18:25) and Largs (19:05) to reach Ayr at 20:45. Fare �15.95.

Waverley on Loch Fyne, off Tarbert	Looking out to Loch Fyne from the harbour	Tarbert Harbour featuring the puffer Vic32

Waverley approaching the pier at Tarbert		Almost there

Waverley on the Clyde — Saturday, 25 August 1990

Last Saturday sail of the season, I don't know why I took just these two, probably because I'd seen it all before (and many times since!). Fare �14.95 to Tighnabruaich.

Greenock and Gourock in the evening sun	Waverley canting at Anderson Quay