Scottish Passenger Ships and Ferries

The Kingdom of MacBrayne. Today, the shipowner David MacBrayne (1817-1907) is just as well-known as Samuel Cunard. Red-funnelled ships which bear his name continue to operate in the West Highlands a century after his death. "The Kingdom of MacBrayne" tells the story of David MacBrayne, his ships and his company, his predecessors, rivals and successors. It explores the world of the early steamships, their successes and failures, as well as their contribution to the ever-changing social fabric of the Highlands and Islands. Emigrants, tourists, ordinary travellers and crew members, from engineers to pursers, speak of the ships and their impact on their world. The book documents the arrival of motor-ships (in which David MacBrayne was a world leader) in the early 1900s, the revitalisation of MacBrayne by Coast Lines and the LMS Railway in 1928, and the building of a powerful fleet of modern car-ferries following the formation of Caledonian MacBrayne in 1973. Due attention is given to David MacBrayne's contemporaries in West Highland shipping, notably Martin Orme and John McCallum, whose famous ships, Dunara Castle and Hebrides, operated 'circular tours' from Glasgow to 'remote St Kilda' from 1877 to 1939. "The Kingdom of MacBrayne" is lavishly illustrated with drawings, paintings and photographs in black-and-white and colour, most of them shown here for the first time. Featuring the work of artists and model-makers, as well as advertisements and brochures, it examines, by word and image, the whole 'MacBrayne phenomenon', from the iconic, sword-bearing Highlander on ships' figureheads to Katie Morag in Struay. The Kingdom of MacBrayne.

From Arran in the south to Lewis in the north, our network covers some of the most beautiful and dramatic places in Scotland. Get away from it all by Scottish Ferry.


In Fair Weather and in Foul. Thirty Years of Scottish Passenger Ships and Ferries. A detailed history of the Scottish ferry industry during the last 30 years. Many unpublished pictures complement the text together with detailed maps of Scotland. Sometimes books about ships can be dry, tedious and strictly for the anoraks. Not this one. "In Fair Weather and in Foul" deals with the Scottish ferry scene over the last thirty years in a way which is colourful and interesting for general readers as well as for the committed, and some of them should be. The selection of photographs is excellent and covers all of the Scottish scene including the Clyde, Highlands, Orkney and Shetland and even the wee ferries and boats. Most books of this genre deal with only one geographical area which limits their appeal. The balance of excellent colour photographs with good ones in monochrome is about right and some of the older photographs, as well as the more recent ones, are stunning, showing the various ships in their natural environments in all their glory. And this book will be of interest to tourists and general readers, as its clearly not a technical treatise dealing with the minutiae of the ships themselves. There's also a bit of humour. Did you know that Princess Margaret once took a trip down the Clyde from Glasgow which was extended by 20 minutes because she liked it so much? Did you hear about the Orkney cargo ship which ended up high and dry at the New Year? In Fair Weather and in Foul: 30 Years of Scottish Passenger Ships and Ferries.

Ferry Tales of Argyll and the Isles. This work is a record of the ferries that ply the waters off the coast and along the lochs of Argyll and the Isles, and which have been the fabric of life in that part of Scotland for generations. It covers stories of the boats and crossings, and places and personalities through archives. Ferry Tales of Argyll and the Isles.

Ferries of Scotland. This volume contains a wealth of new photographs of the many ferries that operate around the Scottish waters both past and present. Ferries of Scotland: v. 2.

NorthLink Ferries, for information and booking the car ferry service to Orkney and Shetland.

North Boats. This book provides a comprehensive account of the history of the ferry services from mainland Scotland to Orkney and Shetland. It is illustrated throughout with black-and-white and colour photographs. North Boats.