Shortly after 0430 on Monday 12th May MV Balmoral left her berth at Princes Wharf Quay in Bristol city docks and made her way through the lock gates and down the River Avon. This was Balmoral’s first sailing on the Avon since 2012. After leaving the River she was given a chance to stretch her sea legs with the engines being brought up slowly to a speed of 600 rpm with a cruising speed of 16 knots achieved. She reached Clevedon before heading back towards Avonmouth. Balmoral then remained in Avonmouth docks until Tuesday morning before she then sailed up to Sharpness to enter dry dock. After entering the dry dock at Sharpness she was on the blocks by late morning.

A further development is the ability to donate to MV Balmoral Fund Limited online. Sufficient funds are needed now to allow all necessary work to be carried out on the ship and therefore ensure she re-enters passenger service. Now is the time to donate as funds are urgently required to ensure that as much work as possible is carried out during this dry docking.

With sufficient funds Balmoral will carry passengers again.

To donate go to: www.heritagesteamers.co.uk/balmoral/donate.htm

Balmoral is the most widely travelled British excursion ship and with sufficient funding and support she can continue to offer day trips around the UK coast.

No donation is too small – every £ counts in helping return Balmoral to service in 2015.