The Saxon I was built by J & J Hay at their Townhead Yard in Kirkintilloch and launched on 4 October 1894. This small coastal steamship was a classic ‘puffer’ and able to navigate not only the Forth & Clyde canal system but as far a field as the lower Firth of Clyde. Constructed with an iron hull with dimensions of 65.8’ x18.0’ x 8.4’ the Saxon weighed in at 85gt/36nt and she was powered by a small steam engine generating 17hp.
SS Gael I – sister ship to Saxon I
The Saxon was owned and operated by her builders for the first 6 years of her life. In 1901 she was chartered to Murison & Campbell of Montrose, who purchased her the following year for work along the east coast. Ownership changed again in 1904 when ownership transferred to David Campbell of Meridian Street, Montrose.
In June 1906 while inbound to the Forth with a cargo of grain and fish, she ran aground on the north end of the Isle of May and became a constructive total loss. The wreck was purchased by the Hay brothers later that year, refloated and towed back to Kirkintilloch where she was repaired and rejoined their fleet until 1912, when her fate was finally sealed.
Inward bound to the Clyde, the Saxon was lost in collision with the Norwegian steamship Waterloo around 6am on Thursday 24 October 1912. The collision took place 4 miles south west of Pladda in calm conditions and good visibility. Unfortunately two of her crew were below at the time and went down with the Saxon. The two other crew aboard managed to jump overboard and were picked up by the Waterloo, they were landed at Ardrossan, the Waterloo then continued her journey to St Petersburg.
The wreck of the Saxon lies in position 55° 20.199’N, 05° 20.699’W (GPS) in general seabed depths of 49 metres although there is a scour on both sides of the wreck of around 1 metre depth. The wreck has sunk into the soft mud seabed and rises no more than 1 metre above seabed level, the hull is oriented approximately north/south. Tidal streams are strong enough to make this a slack water dive, this will also assist on trying to shot a small target. Ironically one of her sister ships, the Briton I (1893), lies less than 4 miles to the west in position 55° 18.765’N, 05° 27.786’W (GPS).
