CRSC 93rd AGM


The 93rd AGM of the Clyde River Steamer Club was held on Wednesday 16 April 2025 at Glasgow’s Maldron Hotel. Stuart Craig gives a short report on the evening.

After hearing the relevant reports from the outgoing President Graeme Hogg, interim Secretary Eric Schofield and Treasurer William Tomlinson the following committee positions were filled:

President : GAVIN STEWART

Vice President : JAMES FISHER

Secretary : ALLAN COMRIE

Treasurer : WILLIAM TOMLINSON

Membership Secretary : STUART CRAIG

Cruising Manager : GRAEME HOGG [interim]

Review Editor : STUART CRAIG

Publicity Manager : IAIN MCCALL

Ordinary Members : ERIC SCHOFIELD and JOHN NEWTH

Auditor : GRAEME HOGG

After the conclusion of business, Eric Schofield gave a slideshow on the subject of that much-loved, ex-CalMac ferry Hebridean Isles. Entitled ‘CAREER IN CAMERA’, Eric not only demonstrated yet again his skill with a camera, but also proved that he had followed Heb Isles throughout her career around the west coast.

Hebridean Isles arriving at Lochmaddy, where Eric got to know the ship well while visiting family

Launched at Cochrane’s yard in Selby in July 1985 (Hebridean Isles – not Eric) our ship started her career on the Ullapool – Stornoway run, before heading down to Oban to serve Mull and Colonsay. She was best remembered, of course, for the years she operated on the Uig Triangle (1986-2001). She was then cascaded to the Islay station, which brought her frequently up to Oban. From around 2014 onwards, however, she has taken traffic to nearly all the major CalMac piers, including Lochboisdale, Castlebay, Coll  and Tiree and even Campbeltown.

In 2017 she and her pseudo-sister Isle of Arran worked the relief rosters for the Caledonian Isles between Ardrossan and Brodick. Her last sailings for CalMac were from Troon to Brodick, and then on to Ullapool for the Stornoway freight service.

The Paps of Jura form a magnificent backdrop as Hebridean Isles leaves Port Askaig

Eric followed the ship faithfully to all of these destinations, but his planned final excursion to Colonsay was unsuccessful due to a conflict between Hebridean Isles running late in from Lochboisdale, and Eric’s bus!

He did manage once last sail, thankfully, between Ardrossan and Brodick in October 2024 before the dear old ship was decommissioned.

Eric related that he had one final look at Heb Isles when she was laid up in King George V Dock.

On a shopping expedition to Braehead with his wife he spotted the red, and black funnels and buff masts poking above the parapet. Eric claimed that this was a complete coincidence – that he did not know his ship was there. But his audience didn’t take this in – I mean, what man volunteers to go to IKEA without an ulterior motive?

It was evident that Eric was as fond of this old ship as the author of this piece. We should have had a piper playing a lament at the conclusion of the meeting. Instead Eric got a round of applause.

A video of each part of the meeting can be viewed here in a separate ‘Members Only’ post.

Published on 20 April 2025