The Duchess of Hamilton

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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby blueboyno1 » Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:12 pm

Ticketty Boo! wrote:
blueboyno1 wrote:We mostly caught wee cuddies as you say and a few dougie poles (spelling) they were horrible things that stung you and were quite poisoness :shock:


You're thinking of a short spined sea scorpion. Not poisonous, but the spines contain an anti-coagulent which means that bleeding from a wound becomes rather difficult to stop. I've got some slides of the DoH and will look them out.



Could be not sure, i think dougie pole was a local name name .I seem to remember them also being called Bullheads.
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby UP THE ROAD » Sun Jan 11, 2009 1:05 pm

We used to go to Greenock every year on holiday in the 60's and sailed by Steamer to Fairlie and then had to catch the train to Greenock. We were young at the time and the excitement was fantastic. We also used to go down the quay in the summer to see the steamer coming in and it was great seeing all the holidaymakers coming off and people going on-sometimes there was even a bride and groom going on their honeymoon or going away to start a new life outside of the town- as we were young it was like watching the set of a Hollywood Movie being made-imagination is a great thing-sometimes our aunt and uncle would come on it from Greenock and as they were a very handsome couple it was a great thrill to watch out for them- and what a boost to the town-pity they ever got rid of them.I remember when the Waverely used to come in on a Wednesday and most of the shops except Woollies used to shut for their half day :? - I wonder if that is why they stopped the service. A great Pity as it was a wonderful way to travel :)
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby SARID » Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:43 pm

I remember well, the many Summer afternoons I spent with my pals, on the Big Bay at Carradale and We enjoyed
many a "bathe" in our "costumes". The last bathe of the day was, when the cry went up "The Duchess is coming !!"
That was the signal to get into the water to enjoy the waves made by the "Duchess" as she sailed past Carradale.
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby UP THE ROAD » Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:17 pm

SARID wrote:I remember well, the many Summer afternoons I spent with my pals, on the Big Bay at Carradale and We enjoyed
many a "bathe" in our "costumes". The last bathe of the day was, when the cry went up "The Duchess is coming !!"
That was the signal to get into the water to enjoy the waves made by the "Duchess" as she sailed past Carradale.


Brings back happy memories of jumping the waves at the Trench Point when the steamer went by. I am sure that the Duchess of Hamilton wasn't the only steamer that we went our holidays on but cannot remember.
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby bill » Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:17 pm

UP THE ROAD wrote:
SARID wrote:I remember well, the many Summer afternoons I spent with my pals, on the Big Bay at Carradale and We enjoyed
many a "bathe" in our "costumes". The last bathe of the day was, when the cry went up "The Duchess is coming !!"
That was the signal to get into the water to enjoy the waves made by the "Duchess" as she sailed past Carradale.


Brings back happy memories of jumping the waves at the Trench Point when the steamer went by. I am sure that the Duchess of Hamilton wasn't the only steamer that we went our holidays on but cannot remember.


I think,if my memory serves me right, they were the Waverly - Duchess of Hamilton - Duchess of Montrose - Queen Mary.
I know my Summer'll never come
I know I'll cry until my dying day has come
Let the Winter roll along
I've got nothing left but song
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby jdcarra » Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:57 pm

bill wrote: I think,if my memory serves me right, they were the Waverly - Duchess of Hamilton - Duchess of Montrose - Queen Mary.


Bill, I think i remember as a boy there was one other the King George V which came into Campbeltown.
I may be wrong.
Carradale's local website

www.the-carradale-goat.co.uk
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby bill » Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:02 am

jdcarra wrote:
bill wrote: I think,if my memory serves me right, they were the Waverly - Duchess of Hamilton - Duchess of Montrose - Queen Mary.


Bill, I think i remember as a boy there was one other the King George V which came into Campbeltown.
I may be wrong.


Some how JD I was under the impression you were younger than me. :<> :D

I was going on the ones I remember in my lifetime. :wink: :D
I know my Summer'll never come
I know I'll cry until my dying day has come
Let the Winter roll along
I've got nothing left but song
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby SARID » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:54 pm

The Duchess of Hamilton, if I remember correctly,was a Summer service only.In Winter we travelled by bus from
Carradale to Tarbert, and from there we went by steamer through The Kyles of Bute to Tighnabruich,Rothesay and Dunoon.
I can't recall the port we arrived at, (maybe Fairlie ) and from there the train took us to Glasgow. To see, and travel on a train was a great novelty for us, when we were wee.
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby bill » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:06 pm

Sarid,Am i right in remembering that the train from Fairlie did not have a corridor?

You went in the carriage,and that was it till you got to Glasgow.No toilets or refreshment etc.
I know my Summer'll never come
I know I'll cry until my dying day has come
Let the Winter roll along
I've got nothing left but song
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby chuckiebay » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:39 pm

I think the Tarbert steamer berthed at Gourock certainly in the winter. Who can name that one?

The Campbeltown steamer went from Fairlie which had ,I think,a huge long station. The train had no corridors so my mother was very vigilant getting on!
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby History » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:05 pm

bill wrote:Sarid,Am i right in remembering that the train from Fairlie did not have a corridor?

You went in the carriage,and that was it till you got to Glasgow.No toilets or refreshment etc.


You're right in that. Didn't the journey only take about ¾ of an hour?
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby SARID » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:22 pm

I think one of the Tarbert steamers was called "King George the V "------ I could be wrong !
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby WC1 » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:06 pm

Bill, I think i remember as a boy there was one other the King George V which came into Campbeltown.


You'd need to be quite long in the tooth to remember the KGV on the Campbeltown route (of course, maybe you are!). She was built in 1926 to run from Greenock (Princes Pier) to Campbeltown or Inveraray but was transferred to David MacBrayne's fleet prior to the Second World War. They moved her to Oban and put her on to summer season excursions to Iona and Staffa, which she resumed after the war until 1974, when she was withdrawn. In winter she returned to the Clyde and was from time to time seen on the Ardrishaig route (Greenock-Gourock-Dunoon-Innellan-Rothesay-Tighnabruaich-Tarbert-Ardrishaig and return).

Campbeltown folk are more likely to remember the St Columba on this route. She was originally the Queen Alexandra of 1912 and ran to Campbeltown from Fairlie in her early years until, like the KGV, taken over by MacBrayne's in 1935. They re-modelled her adding (among other improvements) a third funnel. She was bigger than the Hamilton or the Montrose and very well appointed. After the St Columba was withdrawn in 1959 the vessel most likely to be found on the Ardrishaig route was the Lochfyne. She was powered by diesel electric engines and what I remember most about her was that these gave her quite a bit of noise and vibration, unlike the turbines, which were virtually silent and absolutely vibration-free. Her winter season replacement was usually the Lochnevis.

The Gourock-Campbeltown route was indeed summer only (May to September), leaving Gourock at 9.25 and arriving in Campbeltown at 1.40, leaving again at 3.15 and getting back to Gourock at about 9 in the evening. The route was Gourock-Dunoon-Rothesay-Largs-Fairlie-Lochranza-Campbeltown and the reverse (obviously) for the return journey. Folk going to Glasgow or beyond usually got off at Fairlie, where they could get a limited-stop train to Glasgow getting in about half past six. The steamers on this route were the Duchess of Hamilton and occasionally the Duchess of Montrose. They were virtually identical, except that the Hamilton had a cross-spar on the mainmast. My Aunt Jean's father was Chief Engineer on the Montrose, but despite that the Hamilton was always my favourite. To my knowledge the Waverley never ran on scheduled services to Campbeltown, though she did make occasional appearances on excursions. After the demise of the Montrose (1965) and Hamilton (1972) the Queen Mary II (the numeral is important) ran to Campbeltown for a couple of seasons before she too bit the dust. The last vessel to appear on the route was the car ferry Glen Sannox, a complete disaster (despite the tables and parasols (!) they put on the open car deck) compared to the glory years of the turbines.

Sorry to put up such a long post, but I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to the old Clyde steamers.
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby blueboyno1 » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:57 pm

WC1 wrote:
Bill, I think i remember as a boy there was one other the King George V which came into Campbeltown.


You'd need to be quite long in the tooth to remember the KGV on the Campbeltown route (of course, maybe you are!). She was built in 1926 to run from Greenock (Princes Pier) to Campbeltown or Inveraray but was transferred to David MacBrayne's fleet prior to the Second World War. They moved her to Oban and put her on to summer season excursions to Iona and Staffa, which she resumed after the war until 1974, when she was withdrawn. In winter she returned to the Clyde and was from time to time seen on the Ardrishaig route (Greenock-Gourock-Dunoon-Innellan-Rothesay-Tighnabruaich-Tarbert-Ardrishaig and return).

Campbeltown folk are more likely to remember the St Columba on this route. She was originally the Queen Alexandra of 1912 and ran to Campbeltown from Fairlie in her early years until, like the KGV, taken over by MacBrayne's in 1935. They re-modelled her adding (among other improvements) a third funnel. She was bigger than the Hamilton or the Montrose and very well appointed. After the St Columba was withdrawn in 1959 the vessel most likely to be found on the Ardrishaig route was the Lochfyne. She was powered by diesel electric engines and what I remember most about her was that these gave her quite a bit of noise and vibration, unlike the turbines, which were virtually silent and absolutely vibration-free. Her winter season replacement was usually the Lochnevis.

The Gourock-Campbeltown route was indeed summer only (May to September), leaving Gourock at 9.25 and arriving in Campbeltown at 1.40, leaving again at 3.15 and getting back to Gourock at about 9 in the evening. The route was Gourock-Dunoon-Rothesay-Largs-Fairlie-Lochranza-Campbeltown and the reverse (obviously) for the return journey. Folk going to Glasgow or beyond usually got off at Fairlie, where they could get a limited-stop train to Glasgow getting in about half past six. The steamers on this route were the Duchess of Hamilton and occasionally the Duchess of Montrose. They were virtually identical, except that the Hamilton had a cross-spar on the mainmast. My Aunt Jean's father was Chief Engineer on the Montrose, but despite that the Hamilton was always my favourite. To my knowledge the Waverley never ran on scheduled services to Campbeltown, though she did make occasional appearances on excursions. After the demise of the Montrose (1965) and Hamilton (1972) the Queen Mary II (the numeral is important) ran to Campbeltown for a couple of seasons before she too bit the dust. The last vessel to appear on the route was the car ferry Glen Sannox, a complete disaster (despite the tables and parasols (!) they put on the open car deck) compared to the glory years of the turbines.

Sorry to put up such a long post, but I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to the old Clyde steamers.


Did the Queen Mary sail from the Broomielaw to Campbeltown in the mid sixties ,seem to remember being aboard her then.
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Re: The Duchess of Hamilton

Postby SARID » Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:58 pm

Enjoyed your very informative post,WC1.
Up until the second world war the steamer used to call at Carradale on it's way to and from Campbeltown. It also made a stop at Saddell if necessary. The ferryman was Lachie Galbraith, and he, or one of his family rowed out to bring goods and passengers ashore.
Between 15 and 20 years ago,I came with friends from Gourock on the "Waverley " on a "one off " trip to Carradale. It was the first time a passenger vessel had called at Carradale since the pre-war regular service was suspended.
Unfortunately it was a calm but very foggy day, and we missed the pleasure of the view of the village as we sailed in to the pier.
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