History

 

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History of Salen Pier

Isle of Mull, PA72 6JL

The ship above is MacBrayne's MV Lochinvar which for 50 years from 1905 to 1955 was the island of Mull's principal connection with the mainland. The truck on the pier was owned by Archibald Macfarlane.

 

Every morning (except Sunday, of course), she sailed from the island's capital, Tobermory, for Oban calling en route at Salen, Lochaline and Craignure (where there was no pier at the time - the call at Craignure was a "ferry call" meaning that the Lochinvar stood off shore while a launch ("ferry") came out from the shore to meet her and exchange passengers and cargo.) In the afternoon, the Lochinvar retraced her steps back to Tobermory via the same calls.

 

The Lochinvar was replaced on the Tobermory route in 1955. She remained in the MacBrayne's fleet as spare vessel until sold in 1960. She was tragically wrecked with the loss of her whole crew off the Humber estuary in 1966.

 

Salen pier, as pictured here had a significance in these days as being the nearest pier on Mull to Oban. Goods (including cars, only one or two of which could be craned aboard the Lochinvar) for the south of Mull would disembark here. In these days, there were also dedicated cargo ships from Glasgow which would call at places in south and west Mull such as Bunessan.

 

The daily run between Oban and Tobermory  was abandoned in 1964 when a pier was built at Craignure and a car ferry service introduced. This rendered Salen pier redundant. While it still stands, the new owners since 2007 have  been refurbishing it to its original condition.

 

Less frequent calls by MacBrayne's/Calmac steamers at Tobermory en route from Oban to Coll & Tiree continued until 1998 when a new ship too big to use Tobermory pier was introduced.

 

January 2007 prior to being sold to current owners.

April 2012, Ben More in the background.

 

This selection of pictures have been kindly donated to the owners, who are constantly looking for more information which can be provided to info@salenpier.com   Thank you for the support.


Lochinvar at the Pier (via W MacDonald 2015)

   

 

 

 

 

 

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This site was last updated 06/10/16