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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Firth
of Clyde,
Scotland
Glasgow, Ayrshire & Campbeltown Steamboat
Company
This
company was formed in 1895 to take advantage of a gap in the market for
a service from Princes Pier, Greenock, Dunoon, Largs. Fairlie and
Keppel to Lochranza, Pirnmill Machrie Bay and Campbeltown after the
incapacitation by fire of the Scottish Excursion Steamer Company's
Victoria. The service was provided in association with the Glasgow
& South Western Railway. For this service they purchased the large
Windsor Castle from the Bournemouth and South Coast Steam Packet Company, The ship was renamed Culzean Castle for her Clyde service
The
service continued for three seasons but in 1898 she was operating in
the upper Firth only and in 1899 her name was changed to Carrick
Castle. Shortly afterwards she was sold for use in Russia
Culzean
Castle was unusual in terms of Clyde steamers : she was not built on or
close to the Clyde (but by Southampton Naval Works) and was the first
steamer on Clyde service with a triple expansion diagonal engine. This
set up was not to be seen again until the introduction of Jeanie Deans
in 1931 by the LNER
Culzean Castle (later Carrick Castle)
Above : Photo by Maclure, MacDonald & Co
Built in 1891 by Southampton Naval Dockyard
244.6 ft : 599 GT
Engine : Triple Expansion Diagonal 26, 42 and 65 in x 60 in
After
leaving the Clyde she was owned by the Russian Governement and sailed
in the Russian far east in connection with the Russian-owned Chinese
Eastern Railway. After defeat in war against Japan, the land and
railway was ceded to imperial Japan. She sailed for various owners
until 1932 under the names Nagadan, Nagara Maru and Tenri Maru
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