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Built for Ross & Marshall
Stormlight marked a considerable advance in crew
amenities, with electric light, central heating and a small
cabin for each crewman.
Originally intended as a motor vessel, the decision was
taken to stay with coal fired steam in light of the Middle
East oil crisis of the time. That decision was soon regretted
and, prompted by the need for substantial hyrdaulic power for
her grain working machinery, Stormlight was
converted from steam by the rather strange arrangement of
having three inexpensive marinised Ford diesels installed
which powered hydraulic packs, which in turn drove the single
propellor shaft. The arrangement was unreliable and very
unpopular with her crews. It had been .
On 15th December 1973 while carrying a cargo of telephone
cable: she stranded on rocks at the entrance to
Craighouse, Jura. Her crew were saved by the Islay lifeboat
but Stormlight was later declared a total loss.
The photograph below shows her in Paisley Harbour on the
White Cart Water. Looks like she has a cargo of whisky barrels
on board. By the way they are stacked on deck they are
probably empty and going back to the distillery somewhere on
the west coast or
islands. | 
