The Ferries – 1863 – 1883 Private Hands

 
John Croall began his service with a single steamer – the “Benwell.”

In 1865 Croall added an antiquated Mersey ferry – the “Nymph.”
It became the sole ferry, when the “Benwell” caught fire in 1867 and was completely destroyed.
“The Nymph” was the only steamer on the Queensferry Passage for the next twelve years, carrying Croall’s “Antiquary” stage coach on its daily run to Dunfermline, until his death in 1873.

By 1867 the trustees were bankrupt, and agreed to sell the right to the passage to the North British Railway company, for £4,500.
The NB had built a branch line from Ratho to Dalmeny in 1866, and they now extended this to Port Edgar.
They tried running the ferry using boats brought from the Clyde (“Dandie Dinmont”) and the Solway Firth (“Carham”) but they were too large for the passage, so the lease was returned to John Croall.

The railway company pressed ahead with a link from Dunfermline to a new pier (the Railway Pier) at North Queensferry.

This was opened in 1873, with “Nymph” – now owned by the railway company – providing the connection.
She was reaching the end of her life and was replaced by a new ship, the “John Beaumont” in 1877.
But this double-sterned, shallow-draught, screw steamer was unmanageable, and “Nymph” was pressed back into service.

After several accidents “John Beaumont” was redesigned as a paddle-steamer and resumed service in 1879.
The following verses, relate to an accident of this kind:

The Wreck of the John Beaumont at North Queensferry, 18th December 1878.

’Twas on a wintry afternoon,
A wee afore the gloaming,
The pride o’ a’ the Forth gaed doon
The gallant Johnny Beaumont.

She left the Hawse and plodded on
— The boat was ne’er a fast ane-
We little thocht that local run
Would be the Johnny’s last ane.

The wind was cauld but no’ that high,
The waves did gently rock her
Oh! wha could think that she would lie
That nicht in Davy’s locker?

But when the northern shore was near,
Away she rushed careerin’,
And dourly headed past the pier
Regardless o’ the steerin’.

In vain, in vain, was a’ oor wark,
She up the tide gaed dartin’
then lumbrin’ roun’ like Noah’s ark
Gaed sidewise like a partan.

Then some ran fore and some ran aft,
Ilk cried what he thocht proper;
The engineer was clean dang daft
Wi’ ‘Ease her!’ ‘Back her!’ ‘Stop her!’

Our ancient tars were sairly miss’d,
They were sae smart and handy;
Since Jamie’s frae the pier dismiss’d
There’s nane left noo but Sandy.

At last wi’ mony a heavy roll
She on the pier gaed jarrin’
Wi’ sic a dunt, she ca’d a hole
Clean through her starboard starn.

A gallant effort then was made
To run her up and beach her
And get her in a saft place laid
Where tempests ne’er could reach her

But oh ! the flood comes in apace,
And soon the Johnny founders
To find a quiet resting place
Far down among the flounders.

Oh! what will the directors think
Their boat sae brave, sae bonny,
Is lying low among the slink
— The Johnny! Oh, the Johnny

Thus, sadly mourned the rescued tars,
Aboot their sunken steamer;
Says Sandy, ‘Ye may thank yer stars
She didna’ sink off Beamer.’

When Skipper Jack had heard the news,
Oot spat: that ancient gaffer-
‘The N.B.R. noo sairly rues
The day they put me aff her,

Some men hae focht in foreign climes
And never got, a scar yet.
I’ve crossed the Forth ten thousand times
And never lost a spar yet.

Directors of the N.B.R.,
Ye ne’er should fash to lift her
Ye’ve mony better boats by far,
The Willie e’en was swifter

Ye’ll find that paddles beat the screw,
Although ye’ve sair misca’d them
Nor could ye wish a smarter crew
Than sailed the Willie Adam.’

From “Inverkeithing, North Queensferry, Limekilns, Charlestown, the Ferry Hills” A S Cunningham – published in 1899.

“John Beaumont” at North Queensferry in 1881 (rebuilt with paddle wheels)