Caledonian Steam Packet Company
The Caledonian Steam Packet Company provided a scheduled shipping service, carrying freight and passengers, on the west coast of Scotland. Formed in 1889 to complement the services of the Caledonian Railway, the company expanded by taking over rival ferry companies. In 1973, they were merged with MacBraynes as Caledonian MacBrayne.
Formation
Rival railway companies, the Caledonian Railway, the North British Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway at first used the services of various early private operators of Clyde steamers. The CR failed to attract private ship owners to their new extension from Greenock to the fishing village of Gourock. They had purchased the harbour at Gourock, which had advantages of a faster line from Glasgow, bypassing the Glasgow and South Western Railway Prince's Pier at Greenock, and being closer to the Clyde resorts. The CR began operating steamers on its own account in 1889.The Caledonian Steam Packet Company was formed as a packet company in May 1889, with Captain James Williamson as secretary and manager. Nominally an independent company, they bought the ships needed to operate steamer services to and from Gourock. On withdrawal of the Wemyss Bay Steamboat Company in 1890, CSP took over services to Rothesay, Largs and Millport. In June 1890, they established a service to Arran from the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway railhead at Ardrossan. In the years that followed, there was significant investment in piers and ships.
Amalgamations
After years of fierce competition between all the fleets, the CR and GSWR amalgamated with several other railways at the start of 1923 to form the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and their fleets amalgamated into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company, their funnels being painted yellow with a black top. At the same time the NBR also amalgamated with other railways to create the London and North Eastern Railway, which built the in 1947.In 1935, Williamson-Buchanan Steamers was taken over by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.
In 1945, the Caledonian Steam Packet Company took responsibility for the Kyleakin to Kyle of Lochalsh ferry.
With nationalisation in 1948, the LMS and LNER fleets were amalgamated as Clyde Shipping Services, under the control of the British Transport Commission.
In 1957 a reorganisation restored the Caledonian Steam Packet Company name, and in 1965 a red lion was added to each side of the black-topped yellow funnels. The headquarters remained at Gourock pierhead.
At the end of December 1968 management of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company passed to the Scottish Transport Group, which gained control of David MacBrayne's the following June. The MacBrayne service from Gourock to Ardrishaig ended on 30 September 1969, leaving the Clyde services entirely to the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.
Merger with MacBraynes
On 1 January 1973 the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. acquired most of the ships and routes of David MacBrayne Ltd and commenced joint Clyde and West Highland operations under the new name of Caledonian MacBrayne, with a combined headquarters at Gourock.List of ships operated by the company
Sources| Type | Name | Built | Tonnage | Operated | Notes |
| PS | Meg Merrilies | Barclay, Curle & Co., Glasgow, 1883 | 244 | 1888-1902 | ex Capt. Robert Campbell |
| PS | Madge Wildfire | McKnight, Ayr, 1886 | 220 | 1888-1911 | ex Capt. Robert Campbell |
| PS | Caledonia | Rankin & Blackmore, Greenock, 1889 | 244 | 1889-1933 | |
| PS | Galatea | Caird & Co., Greenock, 1889 | 331 | 1889-1906 | |
| PS | Marchioness of Bredalbane | John Reid & Co., Port Glasgow, 1890 | 246 | 1890-1935 | |
| PS | Marchioness of Bute | John Reid & Co., Port Glasgow, 1890 | 246 | 1890-1914 | Returned after World War I but not re-commissioned |
| PS | Duchess of Hamilton | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1890 | 533 | 1890-1914 | She served as a minesweeper during World War I. She struck a mine in the Thames Estuary, laid by German submarine UC-3, and sank on 29 November 1915 |
| PS | Marchioness of Lorne | Russell & Co., Port Glasgow, 1891 | 295 | 1891-1914 | Returned after World War I, but not re-commissioned |
| PS | Duchess of Rothesay | J. & G. Thomson, Clydebank, 1895 | 338 | 1895-1939 | Not returned after World War II |
| PS | John Brown & Co., Clydebank, 1902 | 321 | 1902-1914 | Sunk whilst serving as minesweeper, 1917 | |
| PS | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1903 | 336 | 1903-1953 | ||
| TS | Duchess of Argyll | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1906 | 593 | 1906-1952 | |
| PS | Ivanhoe | D. & W. Henderson & Co., Glasgow, 1880 | 282 | 1897-1911 | ex Firth of Clyde Steam Packet Co. |
| TS | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1930 | 806 | 1930-1965 | ||
| TS | Harland & Wolff, Govan, 1932 | 801 | 1932-1971 | ||
| PS | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1934 | 624 | 1934-1969 | ||
| PS | A. & J. Inglis/Napier and Miller, 1909 | 1935-1946 | Acquired from Williamson-Buchanan Steamers in 1935, requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939, returned in 1945 but not returned to service, scrapped in 1946. | ||
| PS | Marchioness of Lorne | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1935 | 449 | 1935-1955 | |
| MV | Wee Cumbrae | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1936 | 36 | 1935-1953 | |
| MV | Arran Mail | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1936 | 137 | 1936-1951 | |
| MV | Countess of Breadalbane | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1936 | 106 | 1936-1971 | |
| TS | Marchioness of Graham | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1936 | 585 | 1936-1958 | |
| PS | Jupiter | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1937 | 642 | 1937-1960 | |
| PS | Juno | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1937 | 642 | 1937-1939 | Bombed and sunk whilst serving as HMS Helvellyn, 20 March 1941 |
| MV | Ashton | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1938 | 38 | 1938-1965 | |
| MV | Leven | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1938 | 38 | 1938-1966 | |
| PS | Glen Rosa | J. & G. Thomson, Clydebank, 1893 | 306 | 1938-1939 | ex London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| TS | Glen Sannox | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1925 | 664 | 1938-1954 | ex London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| PS | Mercury | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1934 | 621 | 1938-1939 | ex London, Midland and Scottish Railway. She struck a mine and sank in the Irish Sea whilst serving as a minesweeper, 24 December 1940 |
| TS | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1901 | 551 | 1943-1952 | ex Williamson-Buchanan Steamers | |
| TS | Queen Mary II | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1933 | 870 later 1,014 | 1943-1973 | ex Williamson-Buchanan Steamers, to Cal Mac in 1981. The funnel was later removed and replaced with two smaller ones, as the ship originally had. |
| PS | Queen-Empress | Murdoch & Murray, Port Glasgow, 1912 | 411 | 1946 | De-requisitioned 1946 and returned to CSP but not recommissioned |
| PS | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan, 1931 | 814 | 1951-1965 | ex British Transport Commission | |
| DEPV | A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, 1935 | 544 | 1951-1967 | ex British Transport Commission | |
| PS | A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, 1946 | 693 | 1951-1973 | ex British Transport Commission, to Cal Mac | |
| PS | A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, 1953 | 555 | 1953-1973 | to Cal Mac . | |
| MV | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1953 | 568 | 1953-1973 | to Cal Mac | |
| MV | A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, 1953 | 508 | 1953-1973 | to Cal Mac | |
| MV | Yarrow & Co., Scotstoun, 1953 | 508 | 1953-1973 | ||
| MV | Ardrossan Dockyard, 1953 | 508 | 1953-1973 | ||
| MV | A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, 1953 | 508 | 1953-1973 | ||
| MV | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co., Troon, 1954 | 569 | 1954-1973 | to Cal Mac | |
| MV | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co., Troon, 1954 | 569 | 1954-1973 | to Cal Mac | |
| MV | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co., Troon, 1957 | 1,107 | 1957-1973 | to Cal Mac | |
| TS | Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 1961 | 3,629 | 1961-1968 | to British Rail | |
| MV | James Lamont & Co, Port Glasgow, 1965 | 63 | 1965-1986 | to Cal Mac | |
| MV | James Lamont & Co, Port Glasgow, 1966 | 64 | 1967-1986 | to Cal Mac | |
| MV | J Samuel White, Southampton, 1961 | 214 | 1967-1973 | ex British Railways MV Rose, to Cal Mac | |
| MV | A/S Langesunds Mek Versted, Norway, 1966 | 1,157 | 1970-1973 | ex Stena Line MV Stena Baltica, to Cal Mac | |
| MV | Kilbrannan | James Lamont & Co, Port Glasgow, 1972 | 65 | 1972-1973 | to Cal Mac |