Blog

On Sunday 4th October, while on passage between Harwich and Clacton, RAF Rescue Helicopter ZH540, from B Flight RAF 22 Squadron based at Wattisham, carried out an exercise with PS Waverley and landed one of the aircraft crew on Waverley’s deck. I’ve seen the Coastguard helicopters come and take a close look at Waverley on…
Read more

(Apologies for the ‘greyness’ of some of these images – the north bank of the Clyde is not ideal for southfacing shots in October – the sun was not enough to improve the situation but enough to cause frustration) Usually on Trafalgar day each year Waverley’s crew are busy putting the vessel into winter hibernation…
Read more

Waverley returned from her South Coast and Thames season yesterday (Wednesday) in readiness for her final weekend of sailings for 2009. Alasdair MacKenzie captured her as she approached Greenock.

Why not come ashore at Greenock and head to the Royal West Amateur Boat Club, listen to some good music and raise money for Waverley all at the same time? Book tickets at the Boat Club by calling 01475 723260 – evenings and Sat/Sun afternoons See below…

Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 will visit the Clyde for the first time on Monday 19th October. The 150,000grt vessel is the first true Transatlantic Ocean Liner built since QE2 and is now the only one after the latter’s retirement from the Cunard fleet last November. To mark her fifth year in service Queen Mary…
Read more

The following embedded YouTube film clip shows a short excerpt of film from the famous John Brown shipyard at Clydebank. There is a very short sequence showing a paddle tug at the stern of a cargo vessel passing upriver – it appears to be one of the renowned Clyde Shipping Company tug fleet – possibly…
Read more

A few pictures of Waverley during an August day in 2009, courtesy of Richard Dennis: One of the all too few summer days in August 2009, Waverley passing the Mirren Shore at Port Glasgow. Above, Waverley passing off the Inverclyde shoreline, formerly the site of the East, Glen and Kingston shipyards operated at various times…
Read more

Waverley’s last weekend of her summer season on the Clyde is usually a very busy one with heavy loadings for the Cowal Games on the Saturday. 2009 was no exception with a good number transported direct from Glasgow to Dunoon on Saturday morning. After unloading at Dunoon, Waverley returned to Greenock to take up her…
Read more

The ‘Cowal Games’ at Dunoon (or the Cowal Highland Gathering to give the event its proper title) is always one of the busiest days in Waverley’s year. In recent years it has begun with a direct Glasgow to Dunoon sailing followed by the ship doubling back to Greenock to pick up her normal Saturday excursion,…
Read more

Above: Great to see them back aboard – Jim Clark (fiddle) and Ian Moffat (Accordian) For a large part of her preservation years passengers aboard Waverley have been entertained by a wide variety of musicians. Jim Clark, accompanied by the late Len Edwards, and by Ian Moffat have combined the entertainment with raising funds to…
Read more

Just a wee note to say the BBC will be filming on board Waverley on Monday August 24th for their programme “Country Tracks”. The film crew will board the steamer at Girvan and will be filming during the cruise round Ailsa Craig. Arrangements have been made to interview a couple of Branch Committee Members but…
Read more

Click images for larger viewThis week a number of Waverley crew members and enthusiasts have been enjoying some Swiss steamer sailings. Earlier in the week I met up with Waverley’s Iain McCorkindale i.e. Corky and John Sims on Lake Lucerne where we enjoyed some sailings on the four operational paddlers Uri, Schiller, Gallia and Stadt…
Read more

This photo was taken by Joe McKendrick at Lochranza Ferry Slip last Sunday (2nd August) – leave your caption via the comments option below!!!

I was fortunate enough to be anchored off Lamlash the other night in David Edward’s fine yacht, Enigma. As is often the case, over the course of consuming a modest amount of Scotland’s finest exports, namely Malt Whisky, Oatcakes and cheese, the conversation turned to all things Waverley. One comment that struck a chord concerned…
Read more

Stuart Cameron has provided a very comprehensive report below on Waverley’s Saturday in the middle of the traditional Glasgow Fair holiday period. However, being on board, it was a bit difficult for him to capture Waverley arriving back at the Science Centre on Saturday evening so just to complete his story board, I’ve added this…
Read more

The following two views illustrate some variety of transport on the Clyde in the summer of 2009 – both views were taken from the new Meadowside Quay Walk looking across to the BVT Surface Fleet shipyard at Govan. Sunday 19th July 2009 at 09:06AM – Loch Lomond Seaplane’s Cessna 200 G-MDJE passing HMS Defender as…
Read more

Over Sat 25th & Sun 26th July the banks of the River Clyde will once again come alive as the Glasgow River Festival swings into action. As ever the Scottish Branch will have a stand at the festival located in front of the Crowne Plazza Hotel just across from Bells Bridge. On Sunday this year…
Read more

Owing to a very low uptake in pre-booked, discounted, ticket sales, the Waverley Study Group has regrettably had to take the decision to cancel its proposed Folk Boat 09 charter of PS Waverley on 17th July. Refunds will be available from points of purchase at: Waverley Excursions Limited, 0845 130 4647 Tickets Scotland 0870 220…
Read more

Following a heavy contact with the breakwater berth at Dunoon in blustery conditions on the first day of her regular Clyde summer sailings (26th June 2009) it was necessary to take Waverley out of service for repair to her port, forward sponson. Fortunally, the Garvel Drydock company at Greenock was able to commence repairs immediately…
Read more

The contents of the following post have been taken directly from the Waverley Excursions website. “Waverley will sail from Fairlie Quay Marina on Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays until July 23 and on Sunday July 19. Car parking is available at £1 per car or passengers can join the free shuttle bus leaving from LargsPier. On…
Read more

Photo by David Alan Many thousands, probably even millions, of photographs have been taken of Waverley but this shot of her passing through the narrows at the Kyles of Bute, taken this afternoon by David Alan, is from a somewhat unusual angle which not many of us will be able to replicate – unless you…
Read more

Just a quick one to introduce a new feature on our blog called “Feature Presentation”. This can be found on the side bar on the left hand side of the screen and will contain various presentations from photo slideshows, videos, animations etc etc. The presentation will be changed as and when new material becomes available.…
Read more

Waverley’s fleetmate Balmoral continued to celebrate her 60th anniversary in style with a visit to Cowes, Isle of Wight on Saturday. This port of call was familiar territory to the former Red Funnel vessel as the Southampton – Isle of Wight service was the one she was originally built to serve. The photo above (kindly…
Read more

Last week’s evening cruise organised by the Scottish Branch of the PSPS had two objectives: To raise funds for the Scottish Branch in support of keeping Waverley sailing To recognise that this year the Scottish Branch of the PSPS celebrates it’s 40th birthday. As already reported, the evening was a great success and the weather…
Read more

On 25th June 2009 Waverley was chartered to Clydebank High School for a reunion of former staff and pupils. The following pictures were taken by Mr Tom MacDonald Tom’s pictures were taken from the site of the former Beardmore’s Dalmuir Naval Construction Works. When Tom started his working life the Dalmuir site was partly operated…
Read more

For many years during the 1980s and 1990s the annual PSPS Scottish Branch Midsummer Charter of Waverley enjoyed superb weather but in the last few years there has been some not so good nights – although the atmosphere on board was always great. For the 2009 charter the tremendous weather returned – a fitting night…
Read more