Paddle Steamer Resources by
Tramscape :
The Internet's leading database of
Paddle Steamers past and present
Launched 2/10/1946 at builders A&J Inglis,
Pointhouse, Glasgow, Scotland
240 feet long - 57 ft 3 in maximum breadth
Three crank triple expansion engines 29, 34 and 60 inches x 66 inches - by
Rankin & Blackmore, Greenock
693 Gross Registered Tonnes (in the 1960s)
Waverley is officially the
world's last sea-going paddler and has been owned by and operated on
behalf of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, a charitable
organisation, since 1975 after a massive effort to save her from the
breakers forefronted by PSPS members Terry Sylvester and Douglas
McGowan. She is the last operational example of the famous "Clyde
Steamers" and the last paddler of a long line of vessels stretching back
to the Comet of 1812.
Withdrawn as uneconomic by her owners, the PSPS enthusiasts soon
established an increasingly skilled and professional organisation to
operate and market Waverley. Although she continues to receive
financial support from enthusiasts, Waverley has shown that it is
still possible to operate a traditional paddle steamer in the U.K. In
the winter of 1999/2000 she started a two-stage rebuild to ensure that she
could sail economically and safely into the future. The rebuild was completed
in 2003.
Built for the sheltered waters of the Craigendoran-Arrochar route on
the Firth of Clyde, it became clear to her preservationist operators that she would
only be viable through extending her season and sailing from other
points around the British coastline. She now cruises the Clyde in
high season, but regularly visits the Bristol Channel, Solent and
Thames plus other locations in spring and autumn. In high season she
sails from the Science Centre, on the south bank of the Clyde, slightly to the
west of Glasgow city centre (but from Ayr on Tuesdays and Wednesdays,
Greenock on Thursdays).
GO ABOARD
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Click here to step aboard Waverley and go into the deck saloons and below deck |
WAVERLEY PHOTOGRAPH ARCHIVE
Go to the Waverley Photograph Archive to see the complete Tramscape collection in thumbnail format
Booking Details
Go
to www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk for the Waverley Excursions Ltd website for official
Waverley/Balmoral timetables,
prices, departure points, latest news
and other useful
information
For most cruises, buy tickets on board once you have
set sail - but you can book on-line on the website or by phone on 0845
130 4647
WAVERLEY : SAILING FOR THE CALEDONIAN STEAM PACKET COMPANY
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Left : Approaching Largs in 1969 : Photo by courtesy of Nigel Lawrence. Click on photo for a larger image |
WAVERLEY "IN PRESERVATION" FROM 1975
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Waverley's first year in preservation - at Glasgow in 1975 |
By 1987 trips around the UK such as to Newport were common |
Visiting London is now a regular
late-Autumn feature |
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but the main season is always spent on the Clyde |
For the 21st century she underwent a major refit |
being restored to closely reflect her 1947 appearance |
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including refurbishment of her triple expansion engines |
driving her paddles taking her around the coast |
to places such as Ilfracombe, Devon |
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External Internet Links
Waverley is not the only surviving Clyde
Steamer
TS Queen Mary, until January 2009 a floating restaurant in London, was the
flagship of the Caledonian Steam Packet Company and is another important part
of Britain's martime heritage.
For more information go to our associated
website : Clyde
Turbine Steamer Foundation
WHEN IN THE WEST
OF SCOTLAND - VISIT THESE OTHER EXCURSION STEAMERS:
SS
Sir Walter Scott : On Loch Katrine in the beautiful Trossachs area.
PS
Maid of the Loch : On the world-famous Loch Lomond. Not in service,
but open as cafe / bar and local attraction. A return to service is planned
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Operational
Paddle Steamers |
In public service,
their operating companies and website links (includes motor paddlers) |
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Webmaster's personal comments on matters of steamer preservation interest |
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OTHER ASSOCIATED WEBSITES |
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Clyde
Turbine Steamer Foundation |
Clyde and other passenger
turbine
steamers, surviving ferries and ocean liners |
CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS DATABASE ?
The webmaster would be delighted to receive any updates of relevant information
and photographs (of which you own copyright) which could help to keep this database
as up-to-date as possible and fill in gaps in the historical record.
I
know that many of you will have photographs of paddle steamers on the internet
on photo-sharing websites such as Picasa and Flickr. No photos are used on this
website unless they were taken by the webmaster or someone who has given express
permission for their own photos to be used. However, some photos from Flickr
etc may be used so long a the copyright tag (Creative Commons etc) allocated
to the photo at the time of downloading allows.
Tramscape is trying to develop
this website as the main source on the internet for paddle steamer information
and photos, so the webmaster would be very grateful if you would allow use of
your photos in this database so they can be seen by the wider paddle steamer
interest group who will be reading this website.
Please
e-mail the Webmaster your
information and photos or general authorisation to use photos from another website
source. Thank you very much
Bibliography
Waverley - A Legend Reborn
Compiled
by Stuart cameron and Joe McKendrick
Published in 2000 by Waverley Excursions
Ltd
ISBN 0 9505177 8 X
Full colour photographs with extensive captions
charting the first phase of the "Heritage Rebuild"
Raddampfer Waverley in Schottland
Vapeurs
à roues à aubes Waverley en Ecosse
