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Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne (Scottish Gaelic: Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), in short form CalMac, is the trade name of CalMac Ferries Ltd, the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland, serving ports on the mainland and 22 of the major islands. It is a subsidiary of holding company David MacBrayne, which is owned by the Scottish Government.
Its predecessor, the government owned Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, was formed in 1973 as a ferry owner and operator. In 2006 these functions were separated to meet EU requirements for competitive tendering. The company, renamed Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), continued to own the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet and assets. The contract for operating Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services using these vessels was put out to open competitive tender. CalMac Ferries Ltd was created in October 2006 as a separate company to bid for the work. CalMac was awarded the contract, as well as a later competitive procurement process, and since 1 October 2007 has operated the services.
CalMac operates 37 ferries. A further 6 vessels are currently under construction for the fleet, with 5 more vessels on order. The company serves over 50 ports and harbours on the west coast of Scotland, with CMAL owning 16 of these ports and harbours. Caledonian MacBrayne operate on average over 162,700 sailings annually. 2018 was the company's busiest year in terms of passenger numbers, carrying an estimated 5,309,771 passengers.
MacBrayne's, initially known as David Hutcheson & Co., began in 1851 as a private steamship operator when G. and J. Burns, operators of the largest of the Clyde fleets, decided to concentrate on coastal and transatlantic services and handed control of their river and Highland steamers to a new company in which Hutcheson, their manager of these services, became senior partner. One of the other partners was David MacBrayne (1817–1907), nephew of Messrs. Burns. In 1878, the company passed to David MacBrayne.
Their main route went from Glasgow down the Firth of Clyde through the Crinan Canal to Oban and Fort William, and on through the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. Services were later added to Islay and the Outer Hebrides. In 1928, the company ran into financial difficulties, and the business was acquired by Coast Lines and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS Railway). In 1948, the shares in the company owned by the LMS Railway passed to the British Transport Commission, thus partially nationalising it. In July 1969, Coast Lines' 50% shareholding passed into state ownership, so that the company became wholly nationalised, and all the shares were transferred to the state-owned Scottish Transport Group.
The Caledonian Railway at first used the services of various early private operators of Clyde steamers, then began operating steamers on its own account on 1 January 1889 to compete better with the North British Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway. It extended its line to bypass the G&SW's Prince's Pier at Greenock and continue on to the fishing village of Gourock, where they had purchased the harbour.
After years of fierce competition between all the fleets, the Caledonian and G&SW were merged in 1923 into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and their fleets were amalgamated into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company. Their funnels were painted yellow with a black top. At the same time, the North British Railway fleet became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (which built the PS Waverley in 1947). With nationalisation in 1948, the LMS and LNER fleets were amalgamated under British Railways with the name Clyde Shipping Services. In 1957, a reorganisation restored the CSP 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 CSP passed to the Scottish Transport Group, which gained control of MacBrayne's the following June. The MacBrayne service from Gourock to Ardrishaig ended on 30 September 1969, leaving the Clyde entirely to the CSP.
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Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne (Scottish Gaelic: Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), in short form CalMac, is the trade name of CalMac Ferries Ltd, the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland, serving ports on the mainland and 22 of the major islands. It is a subsidiary of holding company David MacBrayne, which is owned by the Scottish Government.
Its predecessor, the government owned Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, was formed in 1973 as a ferry owner and operator. In 2006 these functions were separated to meet EU requirements for competitive tendering. The company, renamed Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), continued to own the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet and assets. The contract for operating Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services using these vessels was put out to open competitive tender. CalMac Ferries Ltd was created in October 2006 as a separate company to bid for the work. CalMac was awarded the contract, as well as a later competitive procurement process, and since 1 October 2007 has operated the services.
CalMac operates 37 ferries. A further 6 vessels are currently under construction for the fleet, with 5 more vessels on order. The company serves over 50 ports and harbours on the west coast of Scotland, with CMAL owning 16 of these ports and harbours. Caledonian MacBrayne operate on average over 162,700 sailings annually. 2018 was the company's busiest year in terms of passenger numbers, carrying an estimated 5,309,771 passengers.
MacBrayne's, initially known as David Hutcheson & Co., began in 1851 as a private steamship operator when G. and J. Burns, operators of the largest of the Clyde fleets, decided to concentrate on coastal and transatlantic services and handed control of their river and Highland steamers to a new company in which Hutcheson, their manager of these services, became senior partner. One of the other partners was David MacBrayne (1817–1907), nephew of Messrs. Burns. In 1878, the company passed to David MacBrayne.
Their main route went from Glasgow down the Firth of Clyde through the Crinan Canal to Oban and Fort William, and on through the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. Services were later added to Islay and the Outer Hebrides. In 1928, the company ran into financial difficulties, and the business was acquired by Coast Lines and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS Railway). In 1948, the shares in the company owned by the LMS Railway passed to the British Transport Commission, thus partially nationalising it. In July 1969, Coast Lines' 50% shareholding passed into state ownership, so that the company became wholly nationalised, and all the shares were transferred to the state-owned Scottish Transport Group.
The Caledonian Railway at first used the services of various early private operators of Clyde steamers, then began operating steamers on its own account on 1 January 1889 to compete better with the North British Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway. It extended its line to bypass the G&SW's Prince's Pier at Greenock and continue on to the fishing village of Gourock, where they had purchased the harbour.
After years of fierce competition between all the fleets, the Caledonian and G&SW were merged in 1923 into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and their fleets were amalgamated into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company. Their funnels were painted yellow with a black top. At the same time, the North British Railway fleet became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (which built the PS Waverley in 1947). With nationalisation in 1948, the LMS and LNER fleets were amalgamated under British Railways with the name Clyde Shipping Services. In 1957, a reorganisation restored the CSP 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 CSP passed to the Scottish Transport Group, which gained control of MacBrayne's the following June. The MacBrayne service from Gourock to Ardrishaig ended on 30 September 1969, leaving the Clyde entirely to the CSP.