A Sail Down The Clyde 2001

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hello Everybody frae Greenock, River Clyde, Scotland!

Settle doon and let me tell you a wee story? (whos that yawning at the back??? )

Between 2000 and 2007 a waterbus service ran from Glasgow (Just under Central Station Bridge) down river to Braehead Shopping Centre (just across from the former Yarrows now BAE Systems shipyard at Scotstoun) - the business was started by ship owner and skipper Alex Gilmour using a 58ft vessel purchased from Dutch interests specifically for the venture which he renamed "Pride O The Clyde" (see last photo - from Glasgow Guide Website). Alex was a great guy and always supported the enthusiast when he could.

Once such occasion was this: Around 17 years ago there used to be a thriving Clyde Shipping Forum called Clydeshipping.co.uk of which I was a member.
We organised a wee trip down river one Saturday afternoon on 21st January 2002 - there was around 20 of us and Alex gave us a good price per head to do a trip down river from Glasgow turning about just around Dunglass Light (just around where the old oil terminal was near Dumbarton) - that was a far as PoTC could go so as to get back before completely losing the light at that time of the year.

It was a rather cold and dull day at times but the PoTC had ample covered accommodation should you need to escape the low temperatures outside!! All who attended had a great time and friends were made that day which have lasted the tests of time!!

I took some photos that day (naturally) and would like to share them on here as it gives an idea how the river looked back then compared to now (as those on the QE2 @ 50 charter saw back in September 2017)

The images are a tad fuzzy but remember this was almost 16yrs ago! (this will be across a couple of replies too in order to get all the pics in)

OK enough rambling - here goes!!

(1) Just off the berth and passing ps Waverley at her (then current) berth at Anderston Quay. She had re-entered service earlier in the summer of that year after completing Phase 1 of her Heritage Lottery rebuild - she would complete her 2002 season then under go Phase 2 of the project over winter 2002 / 2003. Phase 1 covered the after end repairs, replacement of her boilers and refurbishment (for the first time since 1946) of her main engine. The rest was completed in 2003 - oh and btw a very large proportion of her hull frames and plating are still original 1946 so it wasn't a total new hull or anything like that!
(2) Further down river now and passing the current BAE Systems' Govan shipyard formerly Fairfields - the old sign still a reminder of that bygone age...
(3) RFA vessel Waver Ruler fitting out at Govan - she is a fast fleet tanker and replenishment vessel - her sister Wave Knight was built at Barrow but fitting out was completed on the Clyde.
(4) Also fitting out was anchor handling vessel Stirling Islay - built for Stirling Shipping Company she was probably this yard's last commercial build - her sister Stirling Jura was being built by Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow at the same time.
(5) A little further down river and on the other bank we are passing the former Engine Works of Barclay Curle - the roof of this building opened to allow machinery to be lifted directly from the building into the ship fitting out by the hammerhead crane. This area is now used to collate scrap before loading it onto vessels who take it away to foreign interests.
(6) A view back to the Barclay Curle hammerhead crane.

[Clydebuilt1971]

Continued from previous:

(7) Here we have the PoTC's normal termination point at Braehead Shopping Centre - this area was previously the location of Braehead Power Station but this was closed and demolished in the early 80s and the Shopping Centre was opened in 1999. The former Scottish Maritime Museum building can be seen extreme left of shot - this was closed in 2010 and is now a Krispy Crème doughnut shop!
(8 ) Directly across from Braehead we see the covered building berths of BAE Systems' Scotstoun shipyard (formerly Yarrows) - primarily a warship builder most of the Type 22 and 23 frigates plus one of the Type 45 destroyers were built and launched from here (the remaining 5 Type 45s were built at Govan although all were fitted out at Scotstoun) This building was demolished a few years back to make way for a high tech facility for building and fitting out the new Type 26 Frigates for the RN but the reduction in numbers and commitment from the UK Govt has meant this has never come to fruition sadly.
(9) The 1st of three Offshore Patrol Vessels (called KDB Nakhoda Ragam) built for the Brunei Navy by BAE is seen fitting out at Scotstoun - I attended the launch of Nos 2 & 3 in 2001 and 2002 respectively
(10) The Renfrew - Yoker ferry plying its trade. This is now a much smaller craft that is was then.
(11) Approaching the former yard of John Brown - laterally UIE.
(12) A familiar sight to most on this forum - the fitting out basin at Browns.
(13) Along with the still extant Titan Crane there were still a few others in existence in 2001.

[Clydebuilt1971]

continued from previous:

(14) A view on the remaining sheds and cranes of the former John Brown West Yard.
(15) Looking at the Golden Jubilee Hospital - built on the site of the Arnotts who were a prominent shipbreaker on the Clyde up until the late 70s and before them the shipyard of William Beardmore. Ships were built here between 1900 and 1930 - the most prominent being dreadnoughts HMS Conqueror, HMS Benbow and HMS Ramillies. More on Beardmore here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Beardmore_and_Company
(16) Approaching the Erskine Bridge - before the bridge was opened in 1971 a chain ferry - the same type as the one at Renfrew - operated a service across the river at this point. The slips still exist on either side and can be viewed from the river.

After the Erskine Bridge we turned about and headed back up river as the light was beginning to fail (and it was freezing!!)

(17) A US Navy Catamarran berthed in King George V Dock - this dock - just upriver from Braehead - was built in 1931 and was the only one of a proposed five docks to be built. The recession put paid to that idea and this was the only one ever built. Lately it has been used for the tran-shipment of wind turbine parts.
(18) Meadowside Granaries - A massive complex for the offloading of grain brought in by ship - opened in 1913 and extended in 1937, 1960 and 1967. The complex was closed in 1988 and was eventually demolished in 2002 to make way for the flats which now stand in their place. Clydeport (and before them Clyde Navigation Trust) had a control station on the top of the newest granary building which can be seen in this shot.
(19) The Glasgow Science Centre Tower - built at the same time as the Science Centre the complex occupies the former location of Princes Dock. Waverley moved from Anderston Quay to a berth here in 2004 and as of 2016 former turbine steamer TS Queen Mary has been berthed there also. Queen Mary will move to a new berth just upriver of Waverley later this year.

[Clydebuilt1971]

Continued from Previous

(20) Bells Bridge - located just outside the SECC and built to provide access to the Garden Festival Site in 1988 this bridge had to be opened to let Waverley downriver when she was berthed at Anderston Quay however the subsequent lack of dredging and the construction of the Clyde Arc (a bridge just upriver from this one) meant that Waverley had to relocate to the Science Centre as mentioned in (19)
(21) The Finnieston or Stobcross Crane. A built in the 1930s this crane loaded many goods into ships for export to the world - many locomotives built by North British at their Springburn Works were loaded onto ships for transport to their new owners. The crane hasn't been used for many years now (except for zip slides etc)
(22) Back to where we started with a stern view of Waverley.
(23) Pride O The Clyde in service (Glasgow Guide Photo)

Then it was off to the pub for a heat and a pint!!!

Hope this was of interest to some!

Gav

[Lynda Bradford]

Amazing piece of Clydeside history Gav, thanks very much for preparing and posting this information.  It just goes to show how much change there has been on the river in 17 years. 

I had forgot that the Waverley had been berthed further up river at Anderston Quay.

It was a very different Renfrew Ferry in the 1960's.  It was a much bigger ferry that was chain operated, getting pulled back and forward across the river. 

Interesting to see the picture at the former John Brown's shipyard where you can see the UIE workshops/sheds (probably none of the original from when QE2 was built) but good to see. 

[pete cain]

Thanks Gavin, not too recent past, but gone ,too quick thank goodness for your photos, am I right in thinking
  Wave Ruler  came down to Barrow for final fitting out of radar, armaments, etc

[Clydebuilt1971]

Thanks Gavin, not too recent past, but gone ,too quick thank goodness for your photos, am I right in thinking
  Wave Ruler  came down to Barrow for final fitting out of radar, armaments, etc

Hi Pete, I didn't know that - I thought that both were completed on the Clyde as Barrow were still completing HMS Albion and Bulwark plus starting on the Astute subs too.

Gav

[pete cain]

Gav, I apologise most humbly,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFA_Wave_Knight_(A389)   here's what I was thinking, same design with later mods I bet.   hands shakey, need to wear glasses, now the memory is going
 Arrrrghhhh

  P S the link doesn't work too good, once on the Wikki page above, click on the link in the  'did you mean'box
 if that makes sense..

[Clydebuilt1971]

Gav, I apologise most humbly,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFA_Wave_Knight_(A389)   here's what I was thinking, same design with later mods I bet.   hands shakey, need to wear glasses, now the memory is going
 Arrrrghhhh

  P S the link doesn't work too good, once on the Wikki page above, click on the link in the  'did you mean'box
 if that makes sense..

Ach dinnae be daft Pete. Wave Knight was indeed the Barrow boat and Wave Ruler was the Clyde one. I have shot of the Ruler passing Renfrew after trials somewhere - maybe find them and put a couple on this thread

Gav

[pete cain]

look forward to that  Gav, here's where I got mixed up  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ocean_(L12)  she was built on the Clyde & fitted out down here, got there in the end ,phew

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hi Pete,

A few of Wave Ruler attached - these were taken as the vessel and her tugs passed Renfrew on 9th February 2003 as she was returning to Govan after trials.

Tugs that day were Point Gilbert (Richards, Hessle 1972) on bow and Warrior III on the stern.
She was quite a sight as the river is narrow at that point.