Lucy Ashton

[john sefton]

Built by T.B.Seath & Co., 1888, for the North British Steam Packet Company for their Clyde fleet, LUCY ASHTON succeeded the old DANDIE DINMONT. 190ft in length and 224 gross tons when built, she at first took up the service to Dunoon and the Holy Loch. She had nothing unusual to commend her although the latest fashions in full width after saloon and small deck saloon forward with alleyways were adopted. A wooden wheelhouse was erected in 1944 but LUCY ASHTON retained her bridge aft of the funnel to the end. She was the last Clyde steamer to sail with an open foredeck. Early this century her single diagonal engine broke down and the latest compound machinery was installed.
LUCY ASHTON, a product of the Seath yard at Rutherglen, had Craigendoran as her base throughout her career and, except for two brief periods, she carried the familiar North British funnel colours of red with black top and white stripe. During the last war LUCY ASHTON was suitably disguised for the emergency. Upon passing from L.N.E. Railway to British Railways in 1948 this veteran steamer changed her funnel colours to yellow and black, but this unfamiliar combination was worn for only her final year in passenger service.
Replacing LADY CLARE, of 1891, LUCY ASHTON became a familiar sight this century on the Gareloch and Greenock routes. The local inhabitants at Rhu, Rosneath, Shandon, Clynder and Garelochhead looked upon this vessel as their personal property. While paddling up the loch in thick fog in 1907 she grounded near Rosneath. The school children however preferred to remain on board and enjoy the overnight adventure.
In 1939 LUCY ASHTON was allocated spare duties but mechanical trouble in the diesel paddler TALISMAN and the outbreak of war dictated otherwise. The "Lucy" made full use of her reprieve and even enjoyed a change of surroundings. With the closure of Princes Pier in 1940 she switched her calls on the south bank to Gourock. In 1942 the Gareloch services were completely withdrawn. During and after the war LUCY ASHTON set up a marvellous record maintaining the sailings from Craigendoran to Kilcreggan, Gourock and Dunoon single-handed and with scarcely a break. Upon the cessation of hostilities her sailings were extended to include Innellan and Rothesay for a spell.
LUCY ASHTON was withdrawn from passenger service in February 1949. Although taken to the Gareloch at the end of the year the old lady was not yet finished. Reduced to main deck level and bereft of sponsons she was fitted with aerial jet propulsion engines and used for experiments in hull resistances, being finally dismantled late in 1951 at Faslane in the Gareloch.
1902-1922 owned by North British Railway Co.
1923-1947 owned by L.N.E. Railway Co.
1948-1949 owned by British Transport Commission.

Clyde Steamers of yesteryear Macarthur McCrorie & Machaffie

Gambia SG1339

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a steel hulled paddle steamer passenger ship under yard No 258 by T.B.Seath & Co. Rutherglen for North British Steam Packet Company.
24 May 1888 launched as the LUCY ASHTON.
Tonnage 271 gross tons, 150 net, dim. 190ft x 21.1 x 7.2ft.
Powered by a 1-cyl. single diagonal steam engine, manufactured by Hutson & Corbett, 150 nhp.


1902 her engine was replaced by a 2-cyl compound diagonal steam engine manufactured by A & J Inglis Ltd., 174 nhp.

Source: Clyde River and other Steamers by Duckworth & Langmuir.