8mm Forum: Waverley Paddle Steamer

This is topic Waverley Paddle Steamer in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 06, 2018, 05:26 PM:

I was surprised the other day at the interest, and in particular the comments people made of this short video. Through "Facebook" on a "Doon The Watter" page, it has had 2428 views alone which had surprised me.

What I like about sharing things like this, is that it seems to trigger an interest in the subject even more, and to the point that they have now posted this summer 2018 sailing schedule [Cool]

I would never have thought that a bit of video taken 26 years ago would have been of that much interest [Smile]

I guess it must bring back not only memories of the Waverley, but for those who have not, has created an interest for those to do so...which is I think is neat. So if you are having a holiday in Scotland do go for a sail.... "Doon The Watter" [Big Grin]

Only 5 views on vimeo [Frown]

....but this is the same video as on Facebook [Wink]

https://vimeo.com/194210713

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on February 06, 2018, 06:28 PM:

Enjoyed that very much Graham. The Waverley is a national treasure in the UK.
Here is my own film of The Waverley off the South Wales coast in May 2007:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNd_HPTqk3M

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 06, 2018, 10:45 PM:

Excellent Paul [Smile]

We lived in Dunoon on the Clyde Coast from 1964 until I left for NZ in 1973. During those days living and going to school in Dunoon and during the summers of the 1960s, the Clyde Steamers including the Waverley used to operate a continues service to get around on the Clyde. Because Dunoon back then, never had a swimming pool and the waters of the Clyde believe me were very cold, even in the summer, it wasn't much fun swimming in that water, which I should add we did swim in.

Anyway I used to meet up with friends and catch a Sunday steamer for Rothesay to use there indoor swimming pool.

Great memories of those steamers such as the Duchess of Hamilton, Duchess of Montrose, Queen Mary 2. and many others...The 60s were great times.

Have a look at this brilliant video from those time called "The Coasts of Clyde"

https://vimeo.com/7631946

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on February 07, 2018, 03:05 AM:

Three years ago I went on a 5-day coach holiday called "Scottish Cruising". The hotel was in Glasgow from which we went by coach each day to the various lochs and rivers.

The highlight of the holiday was a few hours on P.S. Waverley. We embarked at Helensburgh, then cruised down the River Clyde to Dunoon, Rothesay, and disembarked at Largs where the coach was waiting, having done an empty round trip to pick us up! We were told the she is the last seagoing passenger carrying paddle steamer in the world.

It brought back many memories of the 50s when I lived in Weston-super-Mare where the paddle boats of Bristol based P. & A. Campbell were a regular sight. Many a happy afternoon cruise was enjoyed for 5/-. [25 pence in today's money].

Nowadays, the Old Pier, also known as Birnbeck Pier as it is built on Birnbeck Island, which was used by the paddle boats is in a sorry state of repair, with its deck planks almost rotted away and with all entry forbidden due to any possible danger by accidents. The fabulous life-boat station where the full-sized life boats used to gracefully slide down to the water at any state of the tides is also out of bounds. Inflatable life-boats now being used further along the coast.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3944990/Birnbeck-Pier-photographs-derelict-state-former-Victorian-amusement-park.html

[ February 07, 2018, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: Maurice Leakey ]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 08, 2018, 07:38 PM:

One of the regular steamers that sailed the clyde, was the Duchess of Montrose and like the Duchess of Hamilton, were always full of people travelling the clyde....sadly I think they went to the scrap back in the late 1970s. The 50s and 60s were the good times, before cheap airfares to Spain etc killed it....it was the end of an era [Frown]

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