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The first ship that the Inglis brothers built at Pointhouse was BLANCHE, an iron steamer for William MacKinnon from Campbeltown. McKinnon went on to found the British India Steam Navigation Company which became one of the largest and most powerful shipping companies in the World, sailing to India, Burma and Australia. Their association with the Inglis shipyard was long-lasting and no fewer than 53 liners were built at Pointhouse for the Company in the years up to 1914. One of the last ships to carry the famous British India black funnel with two white bands was the schools cruise ship and Falkland’s veteran UGANDA but that ship was built slightly further down the Clyde at Barclay Curle’s Clydeholm shipyard in Whiteinch.

The elegant three-masted steamer PALITANA was built for the British India Steam Navigation Company by A & J Inglis in 1886. She was 335 feet long, had a gross tonnage of 2998 and was powered by a single triple expansion engine. Her sister ship the PUTIALA was built by Inglis in the same year.

On 16^th May 1865 Inglis launched a paddle steamer for the North British Railway Company. She was called WAVERLEY and entered service that year on a route from Silloth on the Solway Firth to Dublin. She also called at Douglas in the Isle of Man. Inglis association with the North British Railway was to grow into a strong bond in subsequent years.