Waverley Updates - 2018

[Peter Mugridge]

Check carefully - sometimes online the dates shown are the dates the pictures were uploaded rather than when taken; unless the caption actually states it was taken on a date in 2016 then a pinch of salt may be required.

[tramscape]

Don't look out for Waverley - unless you have a powerful telescope

[Clydebuilt1971]

Her South Coast progamme has been marred by cancellations due to high winds etc.

Hoping the Thames can go some way to recouping lost revenues and that she gets back home to The Clyde in timeous fashion and doesn't get marooned on the South Coast as happened a few years back.

Gav

[Thomas Hypher]

Her South Coast progamme has been marred by cancellations due to high winds etc.

Hoping the Thames can go some way to recouping lost revenues and that she gets back home to The Clyde in timeous fashion and doesn't get marooned on the South Coast as happened a few years back.

Gav

"Marooned" on the South Coast    . We would like to have her around for a bit, to have a successful season, and keep Shieldhall company - jokes aside!

[Clydebuilt1971]

"Marooned" on the South Coast    . We would like to have her around for a bit, to have a successful season, and keep Shieldhall company - jokes aside!

Well you never know - the way the weather can be in this country!!!

I think it was 2015 her return to her Clyde base was delayed until early December due to weather.

On the subject of her South Coast sailings - here is an interesting article on her first sojourn south in 1978:

Waverley's First Venture South 1978

I have digitised cine footage of her arriving at Tower Pier, River Thames for the first time in 1978 - I will dig it out and post!

Gav

[Lynda Bradford]

Gav, thanks for sharing the link to this article that gives such a lot of historical information of PS first visit to the Southern coast.  It is fantastic that PS Waverley was so popular on her first visit south and has continued to create interest.  I see there is mention of the PS Jeannie Dean (PS Queen of the South) had been withdrawn in 1967.  I remember sailing on this paddle steamer in the late 1950's from Dunoon to Rothesay.  Happy memories!

[Clydebuilt1971]

As Waverley approaches the final weekend of her Thames sailing programme for 2018 now is as good a time as any to post a photo of surely the most unique feature of her visits to the Pool of London - the opening of Tower Bridge.

There is of course a connection with the Clyde within the bridge itself.
The metal superstructure was built by famous Scottish company William Arrol & Co - famous for the Forth and Tay Rail Bridges , the gantry built at H&W Belfast under which the Olympic Class liners Olympic, Titanic and Britannic were built and numerous Titan Cranes on the Clyde and around the world.

Arrol were one of eight contractors involved in the bridge's construction. Which was completed in 1894.

Sir William Arrol - Tower Bridge (be aware some of the information on this wordpress site is incorrect but is interesting nonetheless)

I have sailed on Waverley on the Thames - sailed through the bridge to and from The Pool of London and also stood on the viewing areas underneath the bascules of the bridge itself as the paddler sails through blowing her steam whistle to cheers from the crowds who always assemble to see what is sailing through - tourists are fascinated about her as there is nothing like her left sailing in the world.

I never fail to feel very very proud that a wee paddle steamer built to sail in the upper Firth of Clyde with the name Glasgow proudly painted on her cruiser stern can stop the City of London in her tracks!!!

Clydebuilt and Proud

Gav

Photo from Facebook page The Liquid Highway

[No 736]

Proud indeed.

[June Ingram]

Awesome !   

[Clydebuilt1971]

Well folks that's Waverley's 2018 season finished.

Waverley Excursions announced yesterday that this weekend's sailings are cancelled as the vessel will not be able to reposition to the Clyde in time due to weather and sea conditions. There are "big seas" forecast in the Irish Sea in the next few days and of course there is the matter of getting round Lands End and into the Irish Sea first!

She is currently in Weymouth where she arrived on Monday at 1400.

Lets hope this isn't a repeat of a few years back when she arrived in Weymouth and stayed there for a couple of weeks but then had to return to Soton (Weymouth needed her berth) and lay dead ship for a time until a fresh crew and master arrived to take her back to the Clyde - she arrived back at the end of November that year looking slightly worse for wear!

Hoping a weather window opens soon and ship and crew get back to base safely. Also hoping there are no following seas as this stresses the wheels and gives the engineers headaches (literally) with the banging and thumping as the waves rebound off the floats.

Feeling as I do about that wee ship I prefer to see her and crew safe and sound. Cancelled sailings are a disappointment but safety is paramount.
The Thames to the Clyde is the longest positioning run she undertakes during a season and longer it takes the further into winter we get hence conditions become even less favourable.

So Godspeed to you and your crew old girl - hope to see you back home soon.

Gav

[Thomas Hypher]

Well folks that's Waverley's 2018 season finished.

Waverley Excursions announced yesterday that this weekend's sailings are cancelled as the vessel would not be able to reposition to the Clyde due to weather and sea conditions. There are "big seas" forecast in the Irish Sea in the next few days and of course there is the matter of getting round Lands End and into the Irish Sea first!

She is currently in Weymouth where she arrived on Monday at 1400.

Lets hope this isn't a repeat of a few years back when she arrived in Weymouth and stayed there for a couple of weeks but then had to return to Soton (Weymouth needed her berth) and lay dead ship for a time until a fresh crew and master arrived to take her back to the Clyde - she arrived back at the start of December that year looking slightly worse for wear!

Hoping a weather window opens soon and ship and crew get back to base safely. Also hoping there are no following seas as this stresses the wheels and gives the engineers headaches (literally) with the banging and thumping as the waves rebound off the floats.

Feeling as I do about that wee ship I prefer to see her and crew safe and sound. The Thames to the Clyde is the longest positioning run she undertakes during a season and longer it takes the further into winter we get hence conditions become even less favourable.

So Godspeed to you and your crew old girl - hope to see you back home soon.

Gav

Sad the rest of the sailings down here have been cancelled but Mother Nature holds the ultimate power and say. If she gets "stuck" down here I may see her in Southampton when meeting up with friends this coming Monday (senses a good photo opportunity despite the unfortunate nature of her being there if that happens).

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hi Thomas,

I don't know how long the harbour master at Weymouth will allow her to remain on that berth - especially if the weather may worsen so assuming she doesn't get away in the next few days you never know!

She was in good company last time as she was berthed very close to another Clydebuilt ship ss Shieldhall. Apparently the security on that berth very kindly kept an eye on her while she was shut down.

It was 2014 she was heavily delayed - not returning to her Glasgow berth until 23rd November.

Arrival photos here: 2014 Delayed Return

Gav

[Rob Lightbody]

Thanks for the update Gavin.

That's a shame, I was looking forward to my first and last trip of this year. I'm finding it very difficult to get aboard nowadays, and have only made it on for 2 hours in the past 5 years.  The fact that I refuse to travel on her on a Saturday on the Clyde doesn't help!

How long stuck would she need to be before the profits from the south season were cancelled out?  Or is the risk more that she just stops trying to return North at all...

[Thomas Hypher]

Hi Thomas,

I don't know how long the harbour master at Weymouth will allow her to remain on that berth - especially if the weather may worsen so assuming she doesn't get away in the next few days you never know!

She was in good company last time as she was berthed very close to another Clydebuilt ship ss Shieldhall. Apparently the security on that berth very kindly kept an eye on her while she was shut down.

It was 2014 she was heavily delayed - not returning to her Glasgow berth until 23rd November.

Arrival photos here: 2014 Delayed Return

Gav

And she'll be near the current Ocean Terminal, not to mention the troubled Calshot too. Town Quay (near the current Red Funnel Terminal) is quite the vantage point in this case.

[tramscape]

She's moved to Southampton this morning