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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.
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