Builders: William Denny & Bros Dumbarton 1906
Propulsion type: Turbine
Owners: The Caledonian Steam Packet Co Ltd
Service dates: 1906 - 1951 (scrapped 1970 after Admiralty use)
Tonnage: Net 238 Gross 593
Comments:
Duchess of Argyll was much larger than any pre First World War Caledonian steamer except Duchess of Hamilton, which she was designed to succeed. She served on the Ardrossan to Arran service until called up in 1915 by the Admiralty for use as a transport ship. In this role she made 655 sailings across the English Channel until her release in 1919. She was a fast ship, achieving over 21 knots on her trials. In 1921 she was involved in a collision with King Edward and was out of service for over a week whilst her bows were repaired. At various times in her operational career she sailed to Corrie, Brodick, Lamlash, Whiting Bay, Kyles of Bute, Greenock, Gourock, Arran, Campbelltown, Inverary and Wemyss Bay. Her last two seaons, in 1950 and 1951, were spent on the Dunoon and Rothesay ferry connections. In 1952 she was sold for experimental use by the Admiralty in Portland Harbour. She was finally scrapped in 1970.