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Supporting the preservation and operation of paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle

Latest Balmoral Newsletter

The latest MV Balmoral Newsletter has been emailed to all those who signed up for it via the MV Balmoral website. To sign up for future editions just enter your email address at the bottom of the home page on the website.The latest MV Balmoral Newsletter has been emailed to all those who signed up for it via the MV Balmoral website. To sign up for future editions just enter your email address at the bottom of the home page on the website.

The current newsletter contains the following progress to date report:

Scottish Branch Winter Meetings 2013-2014

The winter syllabus for the Scottish Branch will be sent out in the next edition of Paddle Wheels but advanced notice is given below for each meeting. Friday 18th October – S.S. Shieldhall Graham Mackenzie, MD of The Solent Steam Packet Limited, gives an illustrated talk on the history and preservation of the former Glasgow…
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Ship Ahoy! 2014

Following the success of the Ship Ahoy Maritime Heritage Exhibition, which was held in April this year, the Ship Ahoy Team have decided to mount a similar exhibition, in a new venue, on Saturday 5th April 2014. The venue  for Ship Ahoy 2014 will be The Tall Ship sailing vessel Glenlee, which is moored on the…
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Balmoral – Update 7th September 2013

The meeting aboard Balmoral last Saturday was very well attended – the Britannia Lounge was packed -standing room only. The main points to come out of the meeting were: There were probably other things, but I wasn’t taking notes.  A newsletter (with the very latest news is due soon) and will be sent to all…
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Paddle Steamer Waverley South Coast Sailings

South Coast sailings from 6th until 26th September 2013. For full details of all sailings visit http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk  Phone 0845 130 4647 SOUTHAMPTON DEPARTURE POINT: Sail from Southampton Docks. Sept 7, 8,13,14 &15 sailing from 104 berth, dock gate 10, Western docks. Sept 20, 21 & 22 sailing from 49 berth, Eastern docks. Car Parking normally available – charges…
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Clyde Summer Season 2013

Waverley has now arrived on the south coast having departed Glasgow on Monday 2nd September after making a brief call at Yarrows yard at Scotstoun to allow for her navigation lights to be replaced. The main Clyde summer season came to a conclusion after Waverley sailed back from Millport to Glasgow on Sunday (1st September). Overall the ship had…
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Balmoral Meeting Saturday 31st August

On Saturday 31st August at 2pm there will be a meeting held aboard Balmoral at her berth outside the M Shed in Bristol city docks. All supporters are invited to attend to hear of the latest developments for bringing the ship back into operation.

Cardboard Vessels

Our latest blog reports on an inland event. held by the Linlithgow Union Canal Society.

Another Dolphin

Well actually it’s almost certainly the same one. Thanks to Keith Robertson who, in response to our latest post, has sent the picture above. Dolphin lovers have only two Wednesdays left this year to see the Dolphin at Ardlamont Point from a Waverley cruise to Tarbert.

A Dolphin and a Dog Leg

The forecast for 14th August was bright at first with cloud and rain later. It was perhaps not the most promising day for a sail on Waverley. Nevertheless over 400 were on board for the Wednesday trip through the Kyles of Bute to Tarbert. Waverley’s cruise that day started at Ayr but your correspondent joined…
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Balmoral Appeal on ITV News

ITV News West Country have broadcast a news report on Balmoral’s appeal to raise £350k to ensure that Balmoral can sail in passenger service next season.

Waverley Excursions – A New Website

As some PSPS members will be aware Waverley Excursions Limited have a new website.

Hospitality Cruise – Part 2

More photos from Sunday’s hospitality cruise. Thanks to PSPS member Roy Tait for supplying these photos.

Hospitality Cruise report

Our hospitality cruise this year had a new feature as it took place on a sell-out Sunday which is now a regular event with discounted tickets, coach tours and good weather. Whilst it’s good to see the ship full, it is a problem for those of us used to a “turn up a go service”.…
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Balmoral – Meeting 31st August 2013

A meeting has been arranged, on board Balmoral (at Princes Wharf, Bristol) at 2.00pm on Saturday 31st August (not the Bank Holiday weekend). The meeting is open to all interested members. The purpose of the meeting is to:

Rededication PS Medway Queen – 27th July 2013

Pete Devrell has come up trumps again!  Last Saturday he went along to Abels Shipyard in Bristol  for the Rededication of Medway Queen.  Video footage shot that day has been put onto YouTube and can be viewed by clicking the following link http://youtu.be/UrnT1zG2W0s  some stills from the video appear below. The last time that I saw…
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Scottish Branch Hospitality Cruise 2013

The Scottish Branch hospitality cruise will take place on Sunday 4th August as Waverley sails from Glasgow to Lochranza. Members are invited to join the Branch committee on-board and take the opportunity to visit the engine room and/or the bridge. In addition on Sunday there will be an auction held on the return journey to auction two…
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*UPDATED* Balmoral Underway in 2013

Underway, but she didn’t travel very far.  Geoff Hale caught her on film moving from her berth on Princes Wharf to a vacant berth further down the dock – the move necessary as her usual berth was required for the Bristol Harbour Festival taking place 26th – 28th July. The short film footage can be…
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Kingswear Castle – Dartmouth to Totnes 19th July 2013

Pete Devrell travelled to Dartmouth recently and sailed aboard KC for a trip along the River Dart to Totnes. Pete shot video footage of the trip that can be seen by clicking http://youtu.be/m-0oqoD4na0 Some stills from the video appear below. Pete visited Switzerland a few weeks ago and shot video of several paddle steamers, footage can…
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Waverley – Clevedon to Minehead 19th June 2013

Geoff Hale, editor of clevedonnews (a local newsreel of events in and around Clevedon) has kindly sent in a link to video he shot of Waverleys sailing from Clevedon to Minehead.  http://youtu.be/Lv1C0mvSOfI He picked probably the best day of Waverleys Bristol Channel season, to sail – the sun came out and so did the passengers, around 400…
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Official Balmoral Website

An official web site http://www.mvbalmoral.org.uk has been launched, with full details on how to make donations to the fund to get Balmoral sailing again in 2014 and beyond. There is a lot more information on the site about plans for the future.  And if you want to be kept informed, you can sign up for the…
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A Busy Paddler

Waverley has continued to attract the crowds over the past few days. Between Friday and Sunday (19th-21st July) she carried around 2000 passengers. Both Saturday and Sunday were sold out in advance with Sunday having been sold out for a few days. The Sunday cruise to Campbeltown from Glasgow is the longest sail timetabled within the Clyde season.…
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PSPS Communications Coordinator(s)

The Society is looking to upgrade its use of digital communications to both attract new members and keep the membership informed. To achieve this we intend to modernise the principal PSPS website and develop our presence on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. While our ships are part of our heritage, our membership surely includes…
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First Call at Girvan in 2013

Waverley made her first call at Girvan on Monday 15th July having sailed from Glasgow via Largs and Ayr to offer her usual Clyde Monday cruise round Ailsa Craig. The following few pictures show her approaching the harbour, berthing and then alongside. In total she is scheduled to make 4 calls at Girvan as she…
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Scottish Branch Evening Charter Report 2013

In view of the 2012 result for the Branch evening charter the committee looked at possible alternatives to the Greenock, Helensburgh, Blairmore and Loch Long cruise which has been offered for a number of years. The main reason for looking at alternatives was the fact that Waverley was not due to return to the Clyde until the…
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A Resounding Success

This year’s Scottish Branch Evening Charter was a tremendous success, thanks in the main to the tremendous efforts of Paul Semple who organised it and promoted it to great effect …. okay maybe the weather helped a wee bit. If this was all that Paul did for the Mighty Paddler in the course of a…
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Ayr to Tarbert

Waverley’s Clyde timetable for 2013 once again allows a cruise from Ayr to Tarbert (Loch Fyne) which was the cruise long associated with a Tuesday on the Clyde weekly timetable. Indeed the Tarbert cruise from Ayr has been part of her regular Clyde timetable since her first year in preservation in 1975 although in 1976 it…
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Balmoral Appeal Website Launched

A new website has been launched for the Balmoral appeal at http://www.mvbalmoral.org.uk. The website has been created to help publicise the recently launched public appeal. The appeal target is for £350 000 so that Balmoral can operate in 2014. Balmoral is currently berthed in Bristol city docks and is being maintained by a dedicated band…
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First Ayr call for 2013

On Monday 8th July Waverley had no scheduled sailing as is normally the case for the first couple of Mondays in July. On some occasions in the past the ship would leave Glasgow at 0500 on the Tuesday following the off-service day and run light to Ayr to pick up her 1000 departure. On other occasions she would…
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Summer arrives on the Clyde

The Clyde season is now in full swing as Waverley makes her way around the many towns and villages of the Firth of Clyde. Over the past few days she has provided the perfect platform to view the Firth in all its spender in perfect sailing conditions. Waverley arrives back at Tarbert on Wednesday 3rd July…
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