19/11/2022
From a series entitled "Caledonian Canal II" which were painted by Alfred de Breanski (1852 -1928). He was a famous landscape painter, who produced a considerable number of such paintings for Tuck. As well as photograph view type of postcards, the Tuck company produced many cards (and sets) consisting of paintings of views - possibly many of the paintings were based upon such photographs. The "Oilette" series was rolled out by Tuck in 1903 and the views shown would likely have been issued around that time, albeit some at least depict a period before then. although there is likely to be an element of artistic licence, these works are a great "snapshot" of times long gone. It is to the great credit of the members of "TuckDB" that they have not just compiled a superb website, but have uploaded quality full-size scans of so many, and have highlighted that they are in the public domain. You are earnestly advised to have a look at their website https://tuckdb.org/ although be warned - you will lose hours if not days in there!
These views show such diverse long-gone subjects as the railway viaduct over the river Oich (which carried the railway on the short-lived stretch from Fort Augustus Town Railway Station to the Railway Pier on Loch Ness) and the lovely paddle steamer "Gondolier" which plied the length of the Canal from 1866 until 1939 (and which conveyed Queen Victoria up the Canal in 1873) - and which is now a rusty hulk in Scapa Flow in Orkney, having been sunk as a blockship in 1940.
Fort augustus - showing the short-lived Rail line to the Pier, crossing the Canal (on right, opening girder bridge with Gondolier approaching) and the River Oich viaduct (on left - piers are still there in the river)
