The Last of the Puffers
Enthusiasts for the famed and fabled Clyde Puffers, which have plied
their trade in the waters of the Clyde and the West Coast of Scotland
for decades, will undoubtedly be saddened to hear of the fate of
Pibroch, last of a breed of such little vessels.
Owned and operated by the Glenlight Shipping Ltd, the Pibroch has been
operating for the last couple of years as the supply tender to the
United States Navy, running supplies between Greenock and the Holy Loch,
to the American Submarine Depot Ship, USS Hunly. Under the mastership of
John McLean, the availability of suitable cargoes for Pibroch, with her
summer deadweight cargo tonnage of 160 tons, became harder and harder to
find and when the contract came to ferry supplies to the American
sailors it was the answer to the owner's difficulties in securing a
future for her.
Sadly, however, the relationship was not to be a permanent one and as
the everchanging needs of the United States Navy put greater pressure on
Pibroch it became uneconomical for her to continue. Greater cargo space
was required in making fewer but larger trips and Pibroch was withdrawn
from service.
Gladly for the owners, a larger vessel, the Dawnlight, was available to
carry on with the contract. At nearly twice the size of Pibroch she is
managing to fulfil the needs of the USS Hunly, and her master, Duncan
MacDonald, is being assisted by John McLean with his greater experience
of the trade gained from his time as master of Pibroch.
As for Pibroch, she has been lying up at Glasgow's Yorkhill Quay,
forlornly boarded up against vandalism during the six weeks trial period
given to Dawnlight until, in the words of Marine Superintendent Captain
Munro, "she will be put up for disposal".
Whilst lovers of the Clyde Puffers will be sad to see her go, the
owners, of course, cannot afford such romantic notions and the decision
for disposal has been forced upon them by the sheer economics of a ship
with no cargoes. Built in 1957 at Scott & Sons (Shipbuilders), Bowling,
Glasgow, she was the second puffer to have the name Pibroch. The first
Pibroch had been built in 1923, also by Scotts of Bowling, for the
Mackie Bros, of the White Horse Distillery of Lagavulin, Islay. She
served them and their successors, Scottish Malt Distillers for 34 years
and was a familiar sight on her weekly voyages to Islay. She was
replaced by the motor vessel in 1957, was sold and renamed Texa. She
later became Cumbrae Lass which name she retained until she was broken
up in 1967.
The present Pibroch was built for the Distillers Company Ltd and she was
also involved in the weekly run to the Islay Distilleries. She was
acquired by the Glenlight Shipping Company in 1976 and for the first
three years she was carrying out general cargo duties on the West Coast
of Scotland. She took on the duties of tender to the US Navy in 1979 and
has operated for them until her recent withdrawal.
Although there have been no firm offers for the vessel at the time of
writing, it is hoped that she may be able to carry on a life afloat,
albeit as a private boat or perhaps even a museum piece. The owners have
no plans at present to build a third Pibroch and regrettably it would
seem that this marks the end of one of the very few remaining Clyde
Puffers still afloat.
Lovers of the finer details are advised that she is 151 grt, 70 nrt, she
has a length of 87 feet and breadth of 20 feet. Her hold capacity for
grain is 82 cu ft and bale 79 cu ft. She has a load draught of 9ft 6ins
and light draught of 6ft 6ins She is capable of 10 knots.
(David R. Stearne)